April 03, 2004

Female followers of Shiite radical cleric Moqtada al-Sadr parade in Sadr city.

I don't know about you, but I didn't support the liberation of Iraq so that the women there would be re-oppressed by their IslamoNazi men who make them wear these head-to-toe coffee filters!
US tanks deploy in Baghdad as Shiite radicals take to streets
Closure of Iraq Paper Spurs Opposition

The U.S. closure of the weekly newspaper of a zealously anti-American Shiite cleric has invigorated the movement and its opposition to the American-led occupation.

With the United States planning to surrender political power to Iraqis by the end of June, Washington can little afford a new front in the increasingly violent battle to pacify the country. But closing the newspaper, Al-Hawza, seems to have opened one.

Cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's supporters are well-organized and led by young, motivated clerics whose respect for their 30-year-old leader arises largely from the reverence accorded his late father, a senior cleric gunned down in 1999 by suspected agents of Saddam Hussein's regime.
[Can you believe it? Saddam just offed the guy! Typical.--Jen]
[...]
Al-Hawza was closed March 28 for allegedly inciting violence against coalition troops. Al-Sadr's supporters then held huge demonstrations outside the Baghdad headquarters of the U.S.-led coalition Wednesday and Friday.
[Yep. They come out of the mosques after Friday's "prayer" sessions all fired up and ready to kill kuffir.--j.t.]

Movement leaders say if the decision is not rescinded soon, they will disrupt life in Baghdad with an indefinite citywide strike. On Saturday, thousands of black-clad militiamen loyal to al-Sadr marched in military step in Baghdad.

Also Saturday, about 3,000 people demonstrated in the holy city of Najaf, south of Baghdad, to protest the earlier detention of Mustafa al-Yacoubi, a senior al-Sadr aide. Other movement officials reported the arrest, but the U.S. military could not confirm his detention.

Later, a report circulated in Baghdad that al-Sadr's Najaf home was surrounded by coalition troops, prompting thousands of supporters to march on coalition headquarters. U.S. soldiers backed by tanks blocked their path, witnesses said.

The U.S.-led occupation authorities would be stretched thin if faced with a prolonged campaign of agitation by al-Sadr supporters.
The coalition counts on the goodwill of Shiites,
[Given the Liberal and lying bent of our partisan media today, I don't know whether AP is stating the facts or editorializing again. I tend to think the latter. While it may be true that the Coalition forces are stretched a bit, I'm sure that they're prepared to deal with an uprising or two.
And I doubt very much that we depend on "Shi'ite goodwill!" That's something we haven't seen much of since we got there a year ago.--J.T.] who comprise about 60 percent of Iraq's 25 million people, to counterbalance a tenuous security situation stemming from a deadly insurgency by Sunni Muslims north and west of the capital.
[Again, this is more editorializing with the "tenuous" and the "deadly." As bad as the Falluja atrocities were, it was the fact that these civilians bodies were mutilated and abused that was horrifying, more than the killing of contracted workers itself, as sad and tragic as that was.]
[...]
Al-Sadr and his top aides have refrained from condoning or calling for armed attacks against U.S. soldiers, although frequent hints have been made in recent days.

Ostensibly, Saturday's parade was staged as a prelude to the militia's expected role in maintaining law and order when hundreds of thousands of pilgrims flock to holy Shrines in Baghdad and the southern city of Karbala on a major Shiite feast next week.
[Do these Muslims ever stop having "holy" days and feasts?! It feels as if we just got over their "celebration" of the Whatsits Day!]

But the timing suggests it was meant to remind the coalition of the movement's strength. The parade, held at the mainly Shiite district of Sadr City, followed al-Sadr's expression of solidarity with the Palestinian militant group Hamas in a Friday sermon.

"Let (Hamas) consider me their striking arm in Iraq because the fate of Iraq and Palestine is the same," said the charismatic, politically savvy cleric.

Hamas has killed hundreds of Israelis in suicide bombings.
[Admitting this may be a first for the AP.]

Many of the parade's participants wore ski masks inscribed with the word "al-Shahadah," or "martyrdom." Some chanted "No, no America!," while others carried swords used by Shiites to perform rituals of self-flagellation.

Always keep the Al Queda strategist al-Zawahi's intercepted letter in mind about Islamist jihadis in Iraq having until June 30, when the U.S. hands over the political administration of the country to the IPC, to wage their terror war and gain control.
The evildoers are testing our limits.
They don't want democracy and in fact, think of democracy as a "heresy."
The Shiite cleric al-Sadr is doing his best to make Iraq into Iran or its adjunct.
Read this Financial Times story detailing how a gang of Shiites doing Al-Sadr's bidding flattened an entire Iraqi village because it was "debauched."
Although Shiites loathe Sunnis, they will make common cause to wage jihad for all Islam and against a common enemy as they're doing now in Iraq;
I believe that the attack in Fallujah and the demonstrations in Shiite Iraq urging "martyrdom"
and the violent overthrow of the U.S. "occupation" (that word being used in the same bogus way it's used by the "Palestinians" on Israeli land) are coordinated.
We must stand strong, not only to preserve our victory but because all of this IslamoFascist agitation is proof that here is the current heart of their death cult which we must stop from beating.
The alternative is to let these killers have their way and watch things blow up all over the world.
(Although it feels to me as if that's happening right now.
Sorry it's been a bad week for the planet.)
Keep Paul Bremer, Gen.s Abizaid & Kimmit and all of our Coalition troops in your prayers.
These are tough times and bad situations and it's vital that the new Iraq be formed with wisdom, courage and STRENGTH.
We've never done this before, that is, "broken" a region of its dependence on the poisonous ideology of Islamofascism.
While closing a newspaper is not the ideal solution for a budding democracy, Iraq has now over 100 papers, all of which, I assume, state political opinions freely.
This is many more papers than the Iraqis had under Saddam and all of them carried the straight "Praise Saddam" line.
Al-Hazwa must have truly preached out and out murder of America "infidels" and violent jihad.
I dare say that the Falluja attackers might have read it.
The "true believers" of the death cult are testing our limits right now and we mustn't let them do it!
One of the main reasons given for the Falluja attack was that the 82nd (Army) was rotating out and the 1st Marines were coming in to take over and the enemy took advantage of the attendant newness, confusion and change.
This testing, in the form of demonstrations, attacks and, of course, killings will probably get worse before it gets better so hold firm and pray that our people over there all stand tall, too.
This may be the hardest part of the Iraqi campaign, much harder than toppling Saddam.
However, if we do this and do it right (which in my heart and soul I believe we will!), the hard part will be over and the other countries and régimes of the Arab Middle East will fall in behind Iraq sooner or later.
(Conversely, if we lose this, the Arab street, inflamed by the red hot rage of envy, anger and resentment engendered by their shame culture, will rise up and try to set the world on fire, making this hell on earth.)
USA: Stand tall, stand proud!
We can do it, as my Rosie logo says, but we will have to get each other through some dark days ahead.
Pray for our troops and send them mail and gifts.
They're fighting to keep us safe and free and I'm grateful that on the homefront, we are.
God bless us all--we're doing the Lord's work over there. Big time.