I suspect this Popular Uprising is pure propaganda at its worst -- but it seems to have worked. See Gaisford video at: <http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/video/39008000/rm/_39008105_basra17_gaisford_vi.ram>
On Tue, 25 Mar 2003 11:21:05 -0800, you wrote:
>Let me get this straight. British troops bombard Basra and "military
>intelligence" claims that Iraqi troops are to blame for the inevitable
>carnage.
>
>Here are the key paragraphs from the story:
>
>"According to military intelligence officials, Iraqi troops in the city
>have turned mortar fire on their own civilians in an attempt to crush
>the unrest.
>
>"Journalist Richard Gaisford, who is with the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards
>just outside Basra, says the British troops are bombarding the mortar
>positions in an effort to support the uprising."
>
>story at: <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/2886235.stm>.
>
>Dan
>
>On Tue, 25 Mar 2003 14:04:39 -0500, you wrote:
>
>>mike larkin wrote:
>>
>>>This phrase is running across the BBC web tickler at:
>>>http://news.bbc.co.uk. There's no linked article; not
>>>even sure what it means; uprising against Saddam?
>>>Against the U.S./British?
>>>
>>>Has anyone heard about this?
>>
>>Hey, it was good for stox...
>>
>>Doug
>>
>>----
>>
>>Stocks Up on Unconfirmed Basra Reports
>>49 minutes ago
>>
>>By Haitham Haddadin
>>
>>NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks rallied at midday on Tuesday, as
>>investors welcomed an unconfirmed report of an uprising against
>>Saddam Hussein (news - web sites)'s forces in southern Iraq (news -
>>web sites).
>>
>>Market watchers said Wall Street had reacted positively to a Sky News
>>report of an anti-Saddam uprising in Basra. However, a British
>>military spokesman said he had no information on any uprising in the
>>southern Iraqi city of Basra.
>>
>>"There was a headline saying there was a popular uprising in Basra,"
>>said James Caron, fixed income strategist at Merrill Lynch.
>>
>>"Who knows if it's going to be confirmed or if it's true. As far as
>>the market is concerned right now they just got that headline and
>>they are looking at it. That's helped the stock market and that's
>>pushing bond prices lower," he added.
>>
>>"Sky reports there's a popular uprising in Basra, where the military
>>has had some difficulty," said Keith Keenan, vice president of
>>institutional trading at brokerage Wall Street Access. "That's good
>>news."
>>
>>A U.N. spokesman said a top official of Saddam's Baath Party was
>>captured in the city.
>>
>>[...]