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.
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.
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!
Geeze, they were all out in the open and we didn't take advantage.
Heard that the Minister of Defense encouraged this protesting. Sounds like he needs to be replaced.
While there may be a hundred or perhaps even a thousand marching in Baghdad chanting "Death to America" I seriously doubt that there were Hundreds of thousands of people chanting "Death to America."
This is just another example of the liberal media conspiring to hurt the American mission of Freedom in Iraq. I look forward to the day when the media reports on hundreds of thousands of Iraqis marching in the streets chanting "Thank You America."
The MSM will never report that.
Target rich environment.
We're really winning these people over.
Iraq is likely lost now.
Religion of Peace bump