Posted on 08/04/2006 10:37:56 AM PDT by jamese777
Shiites march in Baghdad for pro-Hezbollah rally The Associated Press
Published: August 4, 2006
BAGHDAD, Iraq Hundreds of thousands of Shiites chanting "Death to Israel" and "Death to America" marched through the streets of Baghdad's biggest Shiite district Friday in a massive show of support for Hezbollah in its battle against Israel.
The demonstration was the biggest in the Middle East in support of Hezbollah since Israel launched its attacks against the guerrillas in Lebanon on July 12. The protest was organized by radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, whose political movement built around the Mahdi Army militia has been modeled after Hezbollah.
Demonstrators, wearing white shrouds symbolizing willingness to die for Hezbollah, waved the guerrillas' yellow banner and chanted slogans in support of their leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah, which has attained a cult status in the Arab world for its defiance of Israeli military power.
"Allah, Allah, give victory to Hassan Nasrallah," the crowd chanted.
"Mahdi Army and Hezbollah are one, let them confront us if they dare," the predominantly male crowd shouted, waving the flags of Hezbollah, Lebanon and Iraq. Many walked with umbrellas in the searing afternoon sun. Volunteers sprayed them with water.
(Excerpt) Read more at iht.com ...
Why weren't we bombing them? Oh, right. These are the supposed "innocent civilians" who have done nothing but chant for our deaths for 25+ years.
I propose a new rule. If you chant for the death of your enemies, you lose "innocent civilian status" and should be considered fair game.
"Death to America"
Sounds like a declaration of war to me.
Nothing we do in Iraq is going to change this attitude.
Before the hysterics hijack this thread to say "They all hate us!! We need to withdraw and let those ungrateful bastards kill one another," let us remember this was less than 500,000 people (and probably significantly less--it's not even close to the 1 million the US media is claiming based on the demonstrators calling it a "Million Man March") out of a population of 25 million. That's not even 10% of Iraq's Shiites participating in this. And it's barely 2% of Iraqis. These are followers, probably many from his militia ordered to go, of the radical Al Sadr. This is not representative of all or most Iraqis. Let's remember that and keep some perspective before we get the "Cut and run" crowd on here blathering like fools.
I think that large gatherings of people chanting "Death To America" is sort of like attending an NFL game for these people.
And what was America's response to the bombing of the Marine barracks in 1983?
Nothing, nada, zip, zero!
We have the same attitudes here in the US on the left. You're always going to have contrary opinions among any large population. We need not see that as a threat, especially when you consider less than 5% of Iraq's Shiites even participated in this and out of Iraq's 25 million people this is a tiny percentage of people.
Now - Now: they are our Iraqi Allies who we are fighting and dieing for to give them a better life !!!
The Iranian move of unleashing Hezbollah against Israel, was brilliant. Even if Israel succeeds in putting Hezbollah down in Lebanon, Iran has gained a propaganda windfall in the Muslim world. This is precisely why the US kept Israel out of the fighting in Desert Storm.
Now we see the folly of not dealing with the Hezbollah threat.
The article forget one key point....
Iraqi government television said the *****Defense Ministry had approved the demonstration, a sign of the public anger over Israel's offensive in Lebanon and of al-Sadr's stature as a major player in Iraqi politics*****.
There is formal Iraqi government support for the demonstration. That upsets the whole "tiny minority" argument.
""Cut and run" crowd on here blathering like fools."
No cut and run here. But they do all hate us. And the only thing they understand is power, and use of force. If 500,000 islamonazis chanting "death to America" were to be killed, mid-chant, the islamonazis would be a bit more careful. And the insurgency would slow, in a big way.
islamists are like very vicious dogs. As long as they think you're the alpha dog, everything is fine. Don't ever let them think they are the alpha.
Iraq is 65% shiite. Nothing to do about it except let Saddam go.
Now that would be funny.
I agree. I also read that they were bussing people in from all parts, and I'm guessing some of those people weren't given much choice in the matter.
Hell, here in the US if the left could only get fewer than 500,000 people out to a nationwide call for demonstrators to come shout "death to America, death to Bush" and to trample the American flag, they'd pack up shop and call it quits!
Hundreds of thousands marching sounds like more than a few to me.
Hell, half of them probably came in from Iran.
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