".... Fellow Shiites are not the only ones disturbed by the fighting; a delegation from Anbar Province, which is almost entirely Sunni, made the long and dangerous journey to Sadr City on Monday to show solidarity with the poor Shiite community. As American helicopter gunships barraged nearby neighborhoods and people ran inside to take shelter, representatives of influential Sunni tribes, including the Janabi and Hebi, stood shoulder to shoulder with distinguished Shiite tribal leaders in Sadr City.
Ali al-Hebi, 40, said, “The people in Sadr city are like our families, and we are worried about them.”
“We must find a solution for them, and we advise them to not repeat our fault in Falluja,” he added. “The loss of any blood is forbidden, according to our religion as Muslims, and if we do not help them, we will be responsible before history for what will happen here.”
The sheiks’ visit was reminiscent of a similar journey by Shiites in 2004, organized by followers of the radical Shiite cleric Moktada al-Sadr. They gathered food and supplies and brought them to Sunnis in Falluja who were besieged by American forces at the time.
Yeah, and the U.S. used chemical weapons (white phosphorous) in those battles -- just as we are using them in Sadr City now.
Don't believe me, check my blog. Type in Fallujah for starters.
American and Iraqi military attacks on Shiite neighborhoods where militias are active included a fierce midnight battle in the Amel neighborhood on Sunday. The American military gave an account of the battle that differed sharply from that of Iraqis in the neighborhood and the Interior Ministry.
According to an Interior Ministry official and neighbors, at least four civilians were killed and as many as 82 wounded. The Americans said that they had returned fire after being fired upon, and that three militiamen had been killed and two civilians wounded and evacuated to a combat support hospital.
According to a neighbor, Haider Jassim, the Americans fired four missiles about midnight, and one hit the house next door, killing a family living in the second-floor apartment. All the other apartments in the building were empty, he said.
“The husband worked in construction, and later I saw the flesh of the mother with her two children — a boy 4 years old and a daughter, who was 1 year old,” he added. “She was burned alive with her mother, who was three or four months’ pregnant with their third child. They were a poor family.”
An American military account of the battle, issued in response to a query, said that small-arms fire was coming from the building, and that after two Hellfire missiles were launched at the building, weapons fire was still coming from it. The Americans launched a third Hellfire missile....
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Just tossing missiles around all over the place, huh?
Pffffttt!
