Shi'ite leader sees no civil war

[leftchick]

http://www.reuters.co.uk/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=658731§ion=news&src=rss/uk/topNews

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The leading candidate in a Shi'ite alliance expected to dominate Iraq's January 30 elections says that majority Shi'ites will not be dragged into a civil war despite a series of bloody attacks on them.

Abdel Aziz al-Hakim, leader of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq, told Reuters in an interview on Saturday that al Qaeda operative Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was leading a campaign to try to divide Shi'ites and Sunnis but would not succeed.

"We are strongly standing in the face of this evil plan and any sectarian sedition," Hakim said.

Hakim survived an assassination last month -- a suicide bomb attack on his party's headquarters which for Zarqawi's group claimed responsibility. Hakim became SCIRI leader after his brother Mohammed Baqer was killed by a suicide bomb outside Shi'ite Islam's holiest shrine in the city of Najaf in 2003.

In the latest attacks on Shi'ites, a suicide bomb at a wedding party south of Baghdad killed at least 11 people and a blast at a Shi'ite mosque in the capital killed 14 on Friday.

[Rockerdem]

1. It will be interesting times after Jan 30.

The Shiites are like world-class poker players. They are going to control things, but they are not showing their hands. Their internal discipline in face of countless attacks is remarkable, and no one can get a read on how they will act. Im lost.

[UL_Approved]

2. Very true

We don't know the key points of internal Iraqi politics, let alone the details. The insurgency thing gets harder and harder to figure out every day.

How many different agendas are there amongst armed military movements (including our own) in Iraq? Are they connected? And how so?

After the number of Iraqi killings, it's anybody's guess outside of Iraq.

[Rockerdem]

4. I wish that some journalists were in other locales than Baghdad

We're getting nothing from those in hostage in the capital. The real power will be in the Shiites hands in 10 days, yet no one know whether they will kick us out immediately, tolerate us for say 6 months, or if they are secretly working with Bushco under the radar. I wouldnt be surprised if we are arming them to the teeth to do our dirty work against the Sunnis for us. But I would also not be surprised if it was the total opposite. The whore press has let us down, imho. I wonder if the CIA is that clueless too?

[ashmanonar]

6. most likely we're funding on both sides.

that's the neocon's usual modus operandi. fund and arm both, and play them off each other.

[orpupilofnature57]

3. Fanaticism knows no blindness,or country or God, too great to stop!

God only knows(omnipotent) what real schedule jan.30 will facilitate.

[alcuno]

5. Wow. He survived an assassination.

C'mon Reuters.

[KC21304]

7. I guess his brother was killed in an assassination attempt .

:silly:

[Redstone]

8. Yeah, right. Uh-huh.

This asshole is about as honest as the top people in our government. We don't have the market on lying politicians cornered.

Redstone

[HawkerHurricane]

9. Unfortunately, that's not his decision.

It only takes one side to have a war.

[bemildred]

10. Dead man walking. nt

[Zhade]

11. kick

kick

[tx_dem41]

12. Spoken like a man that thinks his party will win the election. n/t