Removal of Muslim Flag Leads to Large Anti-American Demonstrations in Iraq

[DemBones DemBones]

Edit: Thanks to Aidoneus, I've learned the correct spelling of the name of the prominent Muslim cleric who spoke.

As reported by Al-Manar TV, Beirut, Lebanon, and rebroadcast here by WorldLink TV, 10:30 pm EDT, August 14. I'll paraphrase some to make it shorter -- what's in quotes is, of course, an exact quote from the reporter.

"In an attempt to calm Iraqi anger, the U.S. occupation army apologized to Iraqi Muslim Shi'ite clerics in Baghdad's 'Sad-r City'. " (A section informally named after cleric Sayyid Muqtada Al-Sad-r's father.)

Wednesday, "U.S. troops fired into a crowd of thousands of demonstrators," killing one civilian and injuring four. The demonstration occurred after "an American helicopter tried to remove a religious flag from a communications tower."

"In other developments, two U.S. occupation soldiers were killed in a pair of raodside bombs north of Baghdad on Wednesday, in what is still unconfirmed to be Al Qaeda attack."

Lots of footage of large crowds (hundreds, if not thousands, of people) waving flags, pictures of various clerics and waving raised fists for emphasis as they shout slogans. The reporter says they were yelling for the withdrawal of American troops from the city (Baghdad) and vowing sleepless nights and shouting about the helicopter incident.

Next we see footage of a helicopter hovering next to what indeed appears to be a communications tower with attached flag. The reporter says that the helicopter risked "a collision that might have led to a disastrous number of Iraqi civilians who were on the scene, just to remove the flag and provoke Muslims in the country." (Yes, presumably the word "deaths of" should be in there but it wasn't said in this translation.)

I can't say that the copter was indisputably American because the lighting was such that I couldn't see any markings. It looked like a large military heleicopter to me, not unlike the ones the Weekend Warriors zoom over my house when they're out looking for pot farms (or whatever), but I'm no expert on military aircraft.

"For his part, prominent Muslim cleric Sayyid Muqtada Al-Sad-r condemned" what he described as provocative attacks by occupation forces, demanded that troops stay out of Baghdad, demanded an apology for the disrespectful treatment of a Muslim symbol.


There was also a large demonstration in Bahuba (sp). Demonstrators want two clerics released.

Then there was discussion of involvement of the UN, which the reporter quoted the NYTimes to back his suggestion that it ain't gonna happen.

More footage of the place where two Americans were killed by a bomb and a repeat of the story that it may be the first Al Qaeda attack in Iraq.

Edit: Forgot to say that a note claiming responsibility for the bombing was allegedly from Al Qaeda.


This is a depressing collection of stories. What was that about how the Iraqis would welcome us by throwing flowers at us?

[salin]

1. Its becoming clear that Wolfie and Rummy's ideological fantasy

had a slight 'misinterpretation'... what they dreamed of as "flowers" were actually flares - lit like molotovs.

May we be spared in the future by ideologues who are such purists that they create 'visions' that are based solely on their ideology and reject all information as "incomplete" that do not fit their ideological vision - rather than analyze that information and revise their vision (or their plans) accordingly.

But more importantly may we and the world be spared in the future of administrations that believe to rule (the world) by deception is a virtue.

[Oilwellian]

7. Ah, but there was no "misinterpretation"

Chalabi certainly knew the Iraqis would fight back if we occupied their country. Since Wolfowitz and Rummy decided to use Chalabi's intelligence sources instead of our own traditional ones, why wouldn't they know of the repercussions that would occur after we began occupying the country?

<snip>
On a wet, grey London winter day, our Iraqi National Congress (INC) delegation passed through the check-in counter at Heathrow on its way to Tehran. A determined and defiant group, this is not the opposition routinely criticised as divided, incompetent, non-representative, a stooge of the US. Rather, it is an organisation both frustratingly elusive (due to its non-ideological and consensual internal structure) and provocative (a result of the way its activities are covered in the international press, and its unique skill in generating great criticism from all of the Iraqi people’s would-be ‘friends’ around the world).


<snip>
The delegation is opposed to an American occupation. The post-1945 German or Japanese model would have serious repercussions for Iraq and the region. Moreover, the birth of a democratic Iraq cannot be dependent solely on US troops invading and occupying the country. While US forces would initially be regarded as liberators, a lengthy stay would trigger dramatic opposition from Iraqis.

In the latter event, the energies of Iraqi people would be focused on affirming their Iraqi nationalism in the face of a foreign occupier, reminiscent of the 1920 revolt against the British. The painful memory of Saddam would be swiftly put aside. Extended US military rule would also unleash religious extremism in Iraq. After all, one significant feature of Ba’athist rule has been the suppression of other forms of political expression. The ideological currents in circulation in the area could also find fertile ground in Iraq, especially if they are homegrown. The rise of nationalism, on a local and regional level, would hijack whatever positive momentum has been set in motion, and fuel the recruiters of religious terrorism.

http://www.opendemocracy.net/debates/article-2-73-963.jsp

[Sperk]

2. Could this be why Smirky looked so shook-up tonight?

:shrug:

[DemBones DemBones]

3. Could be. Has any of this been reported by American media?

I have Direct TV and can't get anything on the commercial networks like CBS tonight -- no service at all, just a message about the disruption of service by power outage. CNN and the other cable channels seem to be doing nothing but blackout stories.

I'm especially curious about the Al Qaeda story. I forgot to put in my post that here was a note allegedly from Al Qaeda that claimed responsibility for the bombings that killed the US soldiers. That might be stressing Bush*baby out.

[salin]

5. but that would presume

that he is briefed on it and/or he pays attention during the briefing. I somehow get the sense that this ideological administration sugar coats things for the intellectually lazy ("policy bores me" he said in the campaign) president and shapes things to conform to their world view - unless things break on TV news - then they have to break it out (what happened - at least what was reported) and break it down for him.

[Aidoneus]

4. was the name Sayyid Muqtada al-Sadr?

if so the region was Baghdad's "Sadr City", the area of Baghdad informally named after his father.

[DemBones DemBones]

6. You deserve a blue ribbon! Yes, I'm sure you're right about the

name. I replayed that portion several times trying to do the best I could with a phonetic spelling. I'll go change it now. Thanks!

[liberalmuse]

8. Wow!

Even a dimwit knows not to mess with a Muslim symbol in a Muslim country/region. Who's in charge of these guys? Soldier deaths are probably going to triple now.