Waiting for the command to start killing Americans

[Barrett808]

Waiting for the command to start killing Americans
In Sadr City, a friendly young Shiite shopkeeper buys me a 7 Up, then says he wants his ayatollah to call for jihad. And he's not alone.
By Jen Banbury

Nov. 5, 2003 | SADR CITY, BAGHDAD, Iraq -- I met Ithir yesterday when I visited Sadr City, the poor, crowded area in northern Baghdad that is home to more than 2 million Shiites. Ithir works in a small shop that sells an eclectic combination of inexpensive items: stationery, pens, plastic clocks embellished with plastic flowery geegaws, picture frames rimmed with hearts, some Barbie paraphernalia, and brightly colored prints depicting the Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani. Though the young Shiite leader Muqtada Al-Sadr has attracted a lot of attention lately for his strong (albeit inconsistent) opinions about the American occupation, al-Sistani remains the most widely followed and respected Shiite leader in Iraq. Ithir, who holds a master's degree in computer science, is devoted to Sistani. He goes to his local mosque regularly and, like any good Muslim, is fasting for the month of Ramadan.

However, one issue leaves him at odds with Sistani. Ithir desperately wants his ayatollah to declare jihad on the Americans, so that he can start killing American soldiers.

(more, requires subscription)

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2003/11/05/shiite/index_np.html

[1songbird]

1. "I don't doubt this at all."

I wished we could get our troops the hell out of there.

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. Yep we need to bring the troops home

by the way, what is going on RIGHT NOW is the
revolt I was expecting, this is the leading edge