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...The march is just a part of the newfound strength Shiites have gained since the fall of Saddam. Shiites are setting up local administrations to re-establish order, and religious leaders have emerged as key sources of political power, especially in southern Iraq.

At least one leading Shiite has called for the Karbala gathering to be used as a protest against U.S. domination of Iraq.

Some pilgrims chanted anti-American slogans, echoing a second day of anti-American protests by Shiites in Baghdad, reported Reuters.

"Yes, yes to Islam, no to America, no to Israel, no to colonialism and no to occupation," chanted men marching in Karbala behind a portrait of Mohammed Sadeq al-Sadr, an Iraqi Shiite cleric killed with his two sons in 1999.

Coalition forces want to form an interim, multi-faith and multi-ethnic government and help the Iraqis choose their leaders. But many Shiites are angered by what they see as U.S. intervention.

"It is a message to the Americans: If you interfere, we shall fight you. These people are ready to be killed for freedom, because we want a Shiite leadership," a pilgrim said.

You may have a point, maybe there was too much generalizing on my part. However, CNN is definitely not the only news source reporting the anti-American sentiments:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,84785,00.html

Do I see another northern alliance coming ?

Hi there. I think your post was intended for someone else on a different thread. (Happens to me all the time...)