Sacred landmarks on allies' road to Baghdad (Damage to Iraqi holy sites would enrage Muslim world)

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | April 1st, 2003 | Don Lattin

[Sabertooth]

Two of the largest land mines on the U.S. military's march to Baghdad are a pair of holy sites especially sacred to the Shiite branch of Islam -- Karbala and Najaf.

Iraqi fighters loyal to Saddam Hussein hope to exploit the religious significance of these two landmarks of Muslim history, while U.S. and British troops are trying to avoid damaging tombs whose destruction could enrage the Muslim world.

[Sabertooth]

[finnman69]

Well judginf by the fact we have found army bases and huge weapon caches in schools and hospitals, it seems that we should nuke the hell out of these sites since they are likely converted from islam to WMD.

[Minty]

And of course they are going to hide right in them

[Dog Gone]

I hope Iraq puts all their tanks in mosques. They're not much use there.

[primeval patriot]

The Muslim world has been perpetually enraged for the last 1100 years.

[KansasCanadian]

Enrage the Muslim world? But they are a religion of peace.....

[facedown]

Oh Boo Hoo Hoo. Roll right over them.

[mylife]

I cant quote source, but I had read that Saddam Damaged some of these sites when he took power.
He simply rebuilt them and the muslims were appeased.

[Toddsterpatriot]

Damage to Iraqi holy sites would enrage Muslim world, experts say

And then they would fly planes into our buildings? Set off car bombs? Kill their own innocent civilians?

[Sir Gawain]

Cool. Now I will know where to relieve myself if I'm ever in Karbala.

[Dysart]

Hoping they steer clear of these holy relics, as the Shiate could it the fan.

[bonfire]

Bingo.

[chainsaw]

Damage to Iraqi holy sites would enrage Muslim world

Well, wasn't the WTC a holy site for our business world. The muslims didn't think anything about leveling that. I think the uslims would get over it. One shot from one of those holy sites and I'd level it.

[katze]

And damage a church near the WTC? And, a Franciscan priest was killed while ministering to the sick. Even civilized people are supposed to care what happens to fanatical Muslims? I really don't think so.

[thoughtomator]

I've been thinking recently that NOT destroying them is a bad idea - the fanatics seem to view our respect and mercy as a sign of weakness.

[katze]

The priest was killed while ministering to the dying (not merely sick) rescue workers.

[AmericaUnited]

Oh no... more raging, enraged, "we're" enraged, angry, mad, really, really mad, "yup we really are..." arabs.

Screw em!

[Maeve]

No matter the faction, the Muslims are constantly offended and wallowing in a state of victimhood.

If there is a damned mosque being used for military operations, smash the thing to dust. Save our troops' lives, and let these Shiite shrines be rebuilt by Iranian charity after the war.

[Retrofire]

We're sort of getting twofers anyway. Sounds like the most militant ones are packing into buses and heading to Baghdad.

I just don't see Saddam's band of merrie men handing out Kornet anti-tank missiles to the foreign legion, which means they'll be fighting with body bombs and AK-74's.

Bradley fodder.

[PFKEY]

I think the Arab world needs too worry more about enraging the civilized world or they might just find themselves on the endangered species list.