Iraqi resistance looks set to intensify

[leftchick]

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/9307B518-D7A0-4156-966C-249064A81615.htm

<snip> Iraqi resistance looks set to intensify

By Lawrence Smallman in Baghdad

Wednesday 22 October 2003, 17:21 Makka Time, 14:21 GMT

Spin doctors are well aware it is easier to sell a simple lie than tell a complex, often uncomfortable truth.

That is why the United States dismisses armed resistance to its occupation of Iraq as "terrorism - pure and simple".


<snip>
Qahtan al-Khafaji, a doctor of strategic studies at the college for political science, says the resistance is showing every sign of strengthening.

"Islamic resistance continues to grow among both the Shia and the Sunnis as it becomes clear that the US is not here to rebuild this country. It’s six months now, and nearly all feel the situation has got worse from all perspectives - particularly socially and economically."

...lots more and it is not good news. OUT of IRAQ NOW!!!!

[Wickerman]

1. The radio said that the average attacks a day is increasing

up to 35 from 25. Didn't get the reporting periods. So, all is well in Iraq and the evil media isn't reporting enough positive news for Georgie boy*? I concur, leftchick, we need to get our kids home soon. Problem is, we have really destablized not just that country and all the civillians in it are now at horrible risk, we have destablized even further the entire region. We need a solid exit plan.

[Tempest]

2. With shit like this happening, can you blame them?

http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com/

I heard some more details about the demonstration today… The whole situation was outrageous and people are still talking about it.

<snip>

Today, one of the women who work at the ministry, Amal, objected when the troops brought forward a dog to sniff her bag. She was carrying a Quran inside of it and to even handle a Quran, a Muslim has to be 'clean' or under 'widhu'. 'Widhu' is the process of cleansing oneself for prayer or to read from the Quran. We simply wash the face, neck, arms up to the elbows and feet with clean water and say a few brief 'prayers'. Muslims carry around small Qurans for protection and we've been doing it more often since the war- it gives many people a sense of security. It doesn't not mean the person is a 'fundamentalist' or 'extremist'.

As soon as Amal protested about letting the dog sniff her bag because of the Quran inside, the soldier grabbed the Quran, threw it out of the bag and proceeded to check it. The lady was horrified and the dozens of employees who were waiting to be checked moved forward in a rage at having the Quran thrown to the ground. Amal was put in hand-cuffs and taken away and the raging mob was greeted with the butts of rifles.

<more>

[dbt]

3. Notice how it's not 'Iraqi resistance'

But rather, "Islamic resistance continues to grow among both the Shia and the Sunnis as it becomes clear that the US is not here to rebuild this country."

Sheeze. The only thing that could POSSIBLY be more intense than fighting a war about politics would be fighting one with a religious overtone.

WE R SO FUCKED.

:freak:
dbt

[Ripley]

4. They are hyping Syria folks.

I just caught a snippet of news on Fox at the gym this morning. They were saying how the "outside terrorists" who were coming into Iraq to fight coalition troops WERE FROM SYRIA. They stated this as a fact. Syria is being targeted by the media because the neocons are gearing up. Note the news coming from State and Pentagon recently...billions of Saddam's money showed up in Syria/Syrians are helping the Palestinians kill Israeli's/Syria has WMD, and on and on.

Just watch as the new graphics start being introduced...the drumbeat to war will be SHOWDOWN WITH SYRIA this time. Maybe taking that holiday to Syria next spring isn't such a good idea.

Israeli troops will do the fighting for us this time, except for some special forces we provide.

[Judi Lynn]

5. How wise WAS it for Dubya to demand "Bring 'em on!"

U.S. commander reports increase in daily attacks on forces in Iraq

CHARLES J. HANLEY, AP Special Correspondent Wednesday, October 22, 2003


(10-22) 07:09 PDT BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) --

Ambush bombers struck Wednesday in the center of Baghdad and in the tense Sunni Muslim area west of the capital, as the commander of American forces reported an increase in attacks against occupation troops.

The Baghdad attack caused light casualties, a U.S. officer at the scene reported. Witnesses said four Americans were carried away on stretchers after a strike on a three-vehicle convoy on the western end of the flashpoint city Fallujah, but there was no comment from U.S. officials. Residents cheered and looted one of the vehicles.

During a press conference, the commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, confirmed an increase in the number of attacks on American troops. Sanchez said the average of 20 to 25 attacks daily had increased over the last three weeks "to a peak of 35 attacks a day." He did not elaborate. (snip/...)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2003/10/22/international1009EDT0574.DTL

[Ripley]

6. Look what the Iraqi's are doing now...

"Reuters television footage showed a Humvee lying in a ditch off a main road outside the restive Sunni Muslim town. Local people were throwing petrol onto the blazing vehicle and shouting "Allahu Akbar (God is great."

This is becoming more common. The local people are cheering and dancing and exacerbating these events. They are not offering food, flowers, praise or even medical assistance to our guys.

It is deteriorating quickly.

[leftchick]

7. This Iraqi sure knows the PNAC agenda...

<snip>On the other hand, Al-Khafaji believes the US administration needs a certain amount of resistance to justify the continued occupation.

"They have a global war on terror, as they call it. They can't pin down al-Qaida, but the longer they stay in Iraq, the more international jihadis they are sucking in from Iran, Saudi, Syria, Jordan, Yemen etc who may have links to international Islamist movements.

"This is what the Americans want - it is the only thing they can use to justify remaining in a country they occupied illegally.

"If there was no resistance, what excuse could the US use not to hand over control to the Iraqi people immediately?"

....too bad most Amurkins don't.

[Neutrino]

8. How will History remember George W. Bush? Not kindly.

It is unfortunate that events such as the destruction of Iraq will
only be truly analyzed 30 years after the fact. A "war" for no
valid reason, destruction of a 6000 year old Culture, the slaughter
of thousands of Iraqi women and children, the pillaging of Iraqi Assets
and Resources--for the sole purpose of exorcising Mr. Bush's personal
animosity toward Saddam Hussein, and the lust for Iraqi Oil. The
Bush Doctrine of Pre-emption has changed the profile of America from
a nation of good people with good minds and hearts, to its opposite
in a blazingly short period of time. How it will end is not hard to
predict. For the Iraqi people, life will never be peaceful again.