Al-Sadr Supporters Rally Vs. Occupation

[DoYouEverWonder]

May 20, 2005

NASIRIYAH, Iraq — Thousands of supporters of a radical Shiite cleric demonstrated against the U.S.-led occupation Friday, setting off a gunbattle with a provincial governor's security guards.

About 6,000 protesters, many waving Islam's holy book, the Quran, over their heads, demonstrated in Nasiriyah, Kufa and the holy Shiite city of Najaf, according to Associated Press reporters at the different scenes.

The protests follow Muqtada al-Sadr's call Wednesday to reject the U.S. occupation of Iraq by painting Israeli and American flags on the ground outside mosques to be stepped on in protest raids against holy places.

The call came a day after U.S. and Iraqi forces detained 13 al-Sadr supporters during a raid on a Shiite mosque in Mahmoudiya, about 20 miles south of Baghdad. The troops confiscated a mortar system and assault rifle ammunition from the mosque, which the Iraqi forces entered but the Americans did not in line with U.S. military policy.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/content/shared-gen/ap/Middle_East/Iraq_Protests.html

[leftchick]

1. Iraq's al-Sadr group, guards clash: Al-j

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/7F50D437-EAB9-4E55-AA2B-2CC3A9712770.htm

<snip>

Supporters of Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr have clashed with guards of a provincial governor's office in Nasiriyah, witnesses said.

<snip>

The fighting occurred during an organised parade of about 2000 members of al-Sadr's al-Mahdi Army in Nasiriyah, about 320km southeast of Baghdad.


An Associated Press reporter on the scene said the al-Sadr supporters, many holding the Quran above their heads, were marching towards the anti-US cleric's office, which is near the headquarters of the Dhi Qar provincial governor, Aziz Abed Alwan.


Armed men guarding the headquarters opened fire towards the crowd in an apparent bid to disperse it, prompting retaliatory shooting from al-Sadr supporters.

[DoYouEverWonder]

2. Looks like things are getting hot

in Nasiriyah again. Oh boy.

[leftchick]

5. and in Mosul and Ramadi and constantly in Baghdad.

It is freaking Hot all over Iraq. We just don't get the reports from our tvs.

[NNN0LHI]

3. Al-Sadr Followers, Governor's Guards Clash in Nasiriyah

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGB5GZWBY8E.html

NASIRIYAH, Iraq (AP) - Thousands of supporters of a radical Shiite cleric demonstrated against the U.S.-led occupation Friday, setting off a gunbattle with a provincial governor's security guards.

About 6,000 protesters, many waving Islam's holy book, the Quran, over their heads, demonstrated in Nasiriyah, Kufa and the holy Shiite city of Najaf, according to Associated Press reporters at the different scenes.

The protests follow Muqtada al-Sadr's call Wednesday to reject the U.S. occupation of Iraq by painting Israeli and American flags on the ground outside mosques to be stepped on in protest raids against holy places.

The call came a day after U.S. and Iraqi forces detained 13 al-Sadr supporters during a raid on a Shiite mosque in Mahmoudiya, about 20 miles south of Baghdad. The troops confiscated a mortar system and assault rifle ammunition from the mosque, which the Iraqi forces entered but the Americans did not in line with U.S. military policy.

more

[annabanana]

4. Is A l-Sadr slipping out of Sistani's control?

The main reason that the Shi'ites haven't retaliated, MASSIVELY to the Sunni insurgency has been the old man's influence. (That's also the reason that people voted.. they were told it would hasten our exit)

[expatriot]

7. No. Al Sadr is totally against sectarian war.

He wants Sunnis and Shia to unite against the U.S. occupation.



quote from link below...

"I demand several things, including punishing Saddam and calling on the Iraqi government, religious movements and political factions to work hard to kick out the occupier," al-Sadr said. "I want the immediate withdrawal of the occupation forces."

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/wire/sns-ap-iraq-al-sadr,1,6274649.story?coll=sns-ap-world-headlines

[Frederik]

9. Yes, Sunnis participated

in the 300,000 strong rally he organized a couple of months ago. Several Sunni clerics had encouraged them to. If a full-scale civil war brakes out, it's not going to be al-Sadr's fault.

[Vladimir]

10. No, in fact it is my opinion that Al-Sadr and Sistani are

pretty much on the same page, just doing two different jobs. A bit of an elaborate good cop, bad cop routine. Of course I could be totally wrong...

[pie]

6. When he is ready, we will hear the lion roar

He is a smart man. He will watch and wait.
As the US makes enemies, Sadr quietly gathers power.
When he strikes, he will make it count.

[bluedog]

8. Shiites Stage Mass Anti-U.S. Protests

Yahoo! News
Shiites Stage Mass Anti-U.S. Protests

By ABDUL HUSSEIN AL-OBEIDI, Associated Press Writer 44 minutes ago

Thousands of Shiites, many waving Islam's holy book over their heads, protested the U.S. presence in Iraq on Friday after the detention of several supporters of a radical cleric, while Sunnis shut down places of worship elsewhere in a show of anger over alleged sectarian violence against the minority.

The U.S. military also launched what it said would be an aggressive investigation into how a British newspaper got pictures of an imprisoned Saddam Hussein clad only in his underwear, saying the photos violated military guidelines and possibly the Geneva convention on the humane treatment of prisoners.

http://news.yahoo.com/


*sounds like the shit is hitting the fan..........

[leftchick]

11. Stepping on US And Israeli flags...

And burning them...



I am sure it is all Newsweeks fault. :eyes:

[clem_c_rock]

15. Can we blame them?

[Roland99]

12. al-Sadr's been getting more vocal lately

Priming the pump.

[ckramer]

13. Shiites Stage Mass Anti-U.S. Protests

Thousands of Shiites, many waving Islam's holy book over their heads, protested the U.S. presence in
Iraq on Friday after the detention of several supporters of a radical cleric, while Sunnis shut down places of worship elsewhere in a show of anger over alleged sectarian violence against the minority.

...

The photos, which appeared on the front pages of the British tabloid Sun and the New York Post and were broadcast across the Middle East by some Arab satellite networks, were expected to fuel anti-American sentiment among supporters of the former dictator who are believed to be the driving force behind the country's insurgency.

The Shiite protests in the southern cities of Najaf, Kufa and Nasiriyah, came as Iraq's Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari announced that he will visit Syria, which has been accused of harboring insurgents bent on starting a civil war in Iraq.

The protests, which drew an estimated total of 6,000 demonstrators in the three cities, followed radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's call Wednesday to reject the U.S. occupation of Iraq by painting Israeli and American flags on the ground outside mosques to be stepped on in protest raids against holy places.

link

[oasis]

14. When will those dummies realize that we're their saviors?

:sarcasm: