Posted on 05/19/2004 9:05:17 AM PDT by esryle
NAPLES, Fla. -- A podiatrist who left Iraq 30 years ago said he is closing his Naples practice and returning to his native country to run for the presidency in 2005.
Rasool Sharif, 58, said he has traveled to Iraq twice in the last two months. Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, Iraq's most respected Shiite cleric, recently asked him to return for more meetings, Sharif said.
"I was the only American who has met with him," said Sharif, who opened the Foot & Ankle Clinic in Naples two years ago.
Sharif said he is being recruited by the National Alliance of a United Iraq, which he described as a nonpolitical group of Iraqi professionals interested in the country's future.
His political platform will include official recognition of all ethnic and religious groups, as long as they are peaceful, he said.
"We're not against anybody," he said. "If (someone) is peaceful, he is welcome. If he is combative, he is not welcome. He must change his way. Our motive is to have our country prosper economically, socially and peacefully."
Sharif was born in 1946 in a small community east of Najaf. He came to the United States 30 years ago, and became a citizen in 1978. He said he graduated from Barry University, in Miami Shores, and received medical training in South Florida.
He said he plans to leave within two weeks, after notifying his patients, though his wife will not join him until the country is more stable.
Elections in Iraq are scheduled for January. Within the executive branch planned for the new government, a prime minister would serve as the chief executive, assisted by a president and two vice presidents.
Wow
If he won, he'd really be getting his foot in the door.... [sorry, I couldn't resist!....]
I, for one, salute him for wanting to go back and help.
Campaign Slogan:
A goat in every pot and two feet in every garage...
My eye doctor is from Baghdad. Maybe he might go back and run too?
He wants to give his country of origin a lift.
LOL!
One less islamic. Now if only the remainder would leave. Hooray!
What exactly are the qualifications needed to run, be, president of Iraq? Where and when were they established? I have a feeling it's kinda like a WWE tagteam match.
Another Floridian! I think I'll drive to Naples and say hello...
Who would be better at getting Iraq back on its feet?
Vote Sharif '04.
I for one am getting damn tired of every looney tunes wannabe Ayatola being the most holy whatever in the %$#& they call him on a given day.
Then, every other day we have the most holies of holy shrines, mosques, towns, cities, dirt roads and goat paths being violated by the infidels. They are only holy when we go after the terrs using them for refuge and attacks.
I say let them take their holy shi!te sites and stuff them with their right hand up where the sun don't shine.
If it was good enough for BJ and the beast Reno to kill Americans at Waco takijng refuge in their religious retreat, then by G_d it is good enough for Bush to kill Shi!t heads in that Iraq-a-shi!t-shack.
Rasool Sharif: the Big Toe of Iraq
"Feets don't fail me now"
"There's a new Sharif in town"
Future Darwin Award winner I think.
Bump. Just saw the local news coverage on him, don't have all the facts but the guy seems quite genuine. I wish him the best of luck. Believes in total acceptance of all religions in gov't policy. He was tearing up and said the American soldiers in Iraq have not died in vain.
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