Clerics claim control of Iraq's holy cities

Japan Today ^ | Thursday, April 17, 2003 at 07:25 JST

[Brad’s Gramma]

A much DESERVED break!

[Happy2BMe]

"I wonder if Islam, the way it is currently interpreted, is compatible with democracy. I don't think it is without a reformation."

You and 4/5th of the entire rest of the world!

[FITZ]

Interim authority will be helpful

Except Islam never intends to be an interim authority.

[FITZ]

Weren't Iraq and Kuwait one country once? Maybe the Kuwaitis should have a lot of say in how Iraq should be run since they are fairly reasonable types. Otherwise maybe it'd be better letting Iraq get divided up so Kurds get something, Shiites get something, Sunnis get something, and whoever else wants a piece gets something.

[Sabertooth]

maybe it'd be better letting Iraq get divided up so Kurds get something, Shiites get something, Sunnis get something, and whoever else wants a piece gets something.

I think a balkanization of Iraq is a strong possibility.

[FITZ]

I think we should go in that direction ---it's probably the only way to get any kind of self-rule over there ---break it into smaller groups which would be independent of one another. Otherwise it would be one group trying to gain control of the oil wealth and persecuting all other groups. Or else just give it all to the Kuwaitis.

[Terp]

Squatting on the floor of a tiny house on a back alley in Najaf, he said the al-Hawza would be prepared to surrender power to a government the people approve of, but hastened to add: "It must be a government that has been freely elected and is not under any foreign influence."

I dare say that if the shoe was on the other foot not many here would disagree with his statement.

[BagCamAddict]

My prejudiced opinion is that it wouldn't matter how many pieces you divided Iraq into... even with their own little "states" or pieces of the pie, they would still find reasons to fight/war with each other. There just seems to be way too much interest in fighting for the sake of fighting. You know the type -- can't find a good thing to say about anything, always picking a fight, always holier-than-thou, etc.

[Timesink]

Ominously, they distrust the Americans who rid them of Saddam's tyranny and have little faith in the opposition leaders now returning to Iraq from years in exile. They also question whether Western democratic values are suited for their country.

I'll wait to see what the Iraqi PEOPLE have to say, not a bunch of psychoreligious wannabe tyrants.

[RasterMaster]

What keeps coming to mind is those that were hacked apart and a line from a kids series (called Dinosaurs - talking puppet dinosaurs): "We're gonna need another Timmy Mullah!"

[Salvey]

A couple of well-placed million bucks spread out among the mullahs ought to do the trick.

[ambrose]

We need to send the Kurd fighters into these towns in order to clean up the Shi'it

[elfman2]

This is normal, inevitable, predicted and manageable. The sky's not falling people. Don't panic.

[thinktwice]

Ignoring Islam in the middle east is dangerous.

Islam is a gift-wrapped, suicide bomb sanctification program.

[kabar]

We must resist letting the clerics take over. It is what happened in Iran when the mullahs highjacked the revolution. They will not cede power willingly. We should continue to press for a secular society. Iraq was the most secular arab state along with Jordan.

[lavaroise]

They also question whether Western democratic values are suited for their country.

It got them rid of Saddam, what else do they want? Pay debts to the Talebans and Ayatola? Right, sounds like a good deal for the "free" muslim.

[willgetsome]

[un-PC comment]

The Arab world is a basket case. I'm not impressed with any of them. After about 2 months we should pull out and let the rabble-rousers go at each other.

[/un-PC comment]

[Sabertooth]

This is normal, inevitable, predicted and manageable. The sky's not falling people. Don't panic.

No panic. As you said, this is normal and predictable. "Manageable" remains the open question, however, as Islam's History indicates otherwise, without exception.

By all means, though, the experiement should continue. We'll all be edified, whatever the result.

[mac_truck]

"It must be a government that has been freely elected and is not under any foreign influence."

I wonder if this concept rules out the restoration of the Hashimite monarchy? That would be my number one preference.