Iraq: Insurgent group unveils new rocket (named after 14-year-old Iraqi girl)

[sabra]

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1162378320078&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

Iraq: Insurgent group unveils new rocket
By ASSOCIATED PRESS

BAGHDAD, Iraq

A major Iraqi insurgent group claimed Friday to have successfully built and tested a rocket with a range of 20 kilometers, naming it after a 14-year-old Iraqi girl allegedly raped and killed by a US soldier.

In video footage posted online, the Islamic Army in Iraq said the "Abeer" rocket carried a payload of 20 kilograms of explosives - enough to level a house.

"We called it 'Abeer' to remind the Islamic nation of the wounds of our sister ... whose virginity was violated by the worshippers of the cross," the Islamic Army, said in a statement posted together with the footage on a Web site frequently used by insurgent groups to publish announcements.

"Worshippers of the cross" was an apparent reference to Christians.

[tblue]

1. Can you imagine if that had been an American girl, and in our own country?

[truthisfreedom]

2. there's no news coming out of Iraq that doesn't sicken me.

it's the greatest debacle in the history of our country, at this point. except the civil war.

[razors edge]

3. Round two of that civil war

may not be too damn far off.

Hope not, but I fear so.

[Poll_Blind]

4. I really can't argue with you on that one... I mean, I'm a...

...Democrat and a Progressive and a pretty flaming liberal but that doesn't mean that it's not possible for me to drop some of the subjectivity and try to really assess where we are, even with my hatred for Bush and his evils, who are named Legion.

  And, even cutting him the most breaks I possibly could in this mental exercise I still think he's got to be the worst president in American history. A history buff like Lithos or The Magistrate would probably be able to give a much clearer evaluation about how this thing (X) was worse (or not as bad) as this other (historic) thing (Y), but still...I've never heard of any president groping for power so much as Bush as, especially with so little reason to do so, domestically.

  Iraq also seems worse than any other war. Vietnam being arguably the worst although I've heard Korea mentioned as well. Still, in Vietnam at least some of the locals were for us. We had a South Vietnamese government who made some effort to fight with us.

  In Iraq, it's just like holding onto a firecracker. You can hold on to it as long as you like but that's not going to keep it from blowing up.

PB

[coalition_unwilling]

7. U.S. Civil War was the worst, imho. This is really a battle

between various militia, the U.S. armed forces being just e pluribus unum.

[Ian David]

5. Bush DID call it a "Crusade" at least twice.

<snip>

"We called it 'Abeer' to remind the Islamic nation of the wounds of our sister ... whose virginity was violated by the worshippers of the cross," the Islamic Army, said in a statement posted together with the footage on a Web site frequently used by insurgent groups to publish announcements.

"Worshippers of the cross" was an apparent reference to Christians.

---

Can't say I blame them on this one.

This is where the phrase, "creating enemies faster than we can kill them" comes from.

BTW, in case someone doesn't know, "Crusade" means "War Of The Cross."

Crusades
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crusade



President Rallies the Troops in Alaska
They stand with us in this incredibly important crusade to defend freedom, this campaign to do what is right for our children and our grandchildren. ...
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/02/20020216-1.html

Press Briefing by Scott McClellan
How is the President made aware of 14 deaths -- Iraqi prisoner deaths? ... some people see this as a "great crusade," a word which the President, himself, ...
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/05/20040505-3.html

President: Today We Mourned, Tomorrow We Work
This crusade, this war on terrorism is going to take a while. And the American people must be patient. I'm going to be patient. ...
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/09/20010916-2.html

Press Briefing
Q Well, but this has happened twice before -- the use of the word "crusade," which ... In a perverse way, Iraq appears to have rallied both Iran and Israel, ...
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/11/20011130-6.html



See also:

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
November 30, 2001
<snip>

Q A question about the responsible cooperator program, that the administration announced yesterday. One of the main Arab-American organizations in the country says that the word "cooperator" has a very negative connotation in the Arabic language, that it suggests something more akin to collaborator, someone who sells out, in fact, and that this is likely to inhibit cooperation among Arab Americans in the program. Is there any thought being given to reconsider the name of this program?

MR. FLEISCHER: This program was named by the Department of Justice. The President is very pleased with the announcement. The President thinks that will be constructive and useful in preventing future acts of terrorism. And the President, obviously you saw him, he was there with the Attorney General yesterday. So if you have any questions about the nomenclature, I'd refer you to Justice.

Q Well, but this has happened twice before -- the use of the word "crusade," which created some ripples in the Arabic world, and also "Infinite Justice." There have been two gaffs of this kind. This appears to be the third one. Is there any concern about this?

MR. FLEISCHER: Well, again, I would refer you to Justice, to see if it fits that category.

Q On the anti-terrorism war. In a perverse way, Iraq appears to have rallied both Iran and Israel, getting them to pressure the U.S. not to attack Iraq, perhaps out of fear that the retaliation will come to Iran and Israel. Is the U.S. at all deterred by their arguments?

MR. FLEISCHER: Well, again, the President is focused on the ongoing military operation in Afghanistan. And the President has said that he will focus on phase one of the war on terrorism, and I don't have anything to go beyond that.

Keith? Oh, wait a minute, you can't get two before others have had one. Very good try, even on a Friday. (Laughter.)

More:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/11/20011130-6.html

[rodeodance]

6. oh boy. We once were a proud nation!

[OneAngryDemocrat]

8. PHOTO

The REAL question that I ask, is: How on Earth can the Pharisee Evangelical cheerleaders for Bush's religious crusade against Islam, in Iraq, top this?

Here is a photo of the thing:



Please visit my anti-war website, www.shockedandawful.com

[David__77]

9. There are tens of thousands of Iraqis to be avenged.

Their blood is on the hands not just of Bush but of all Americans who do not actively resist this aggression.