Iraq Liquor Store Murders Raise Concerns

[Barrett808]

Iraq Liquor Store Murders Raise Concerns
By MATTHEW ROSENBERG, Associated Press Writer

BASRA, Iraq - By most accounts, Sameer got off easy — the 42-year-old Christian liquor merchant received only a warning from the masked men who waved Kalashnikov rifles in his face and trashed his house in search of booze.

Others weren't as lucky. Abid Slewa was shot in the head as he unlocked the front door of his liquor store. Bashir Elias, caught selling alcohol from the back of his car, was shot to death Christmas Eve on a street crowded with cheering onlookers.

The sale and consumption of alcohol is legal in secular Iraq (news - web sites), even if many Iraqis avoid it for religious reasons. But as many as nine liquor store owners, most of them Christians, have been killed in Basra since the fall of Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) in April, according to merchants.

The slayings have raised concerns within the U.S.-led coalition about the prospects for a tolerant and democratic society emerging in a region dominated by increasingly powerful — and conservative — Shiite Muslim clerics.

...

"These liquor shop owners, we talk to them and tell them that by selling alcohol they are injuring the whole community, bringing shame on all of us," said Sheik Abu Salaam, the Basra representative of hard-line cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.

(more)

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=540&ncid=736&e=10&u=/ap/20040119/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_liquor_crackdown

[aquart]

1. Civil war in progress.

Whatchagonnadoaboudit, George?

[Benhurst]

2. Who would have ever thought?

Obviously not Bush. He never thinks.

[Jacobin]

3. Saddam's rule was secular. The new rulers are going to be

islamic fundamentalists. The Pretzledent will have NOTHING to say about it. We are about to be run out on our asses.

This is just a taste of what is to come. Women, get your buhrkas from the dry cleaners.

[saigon68]

4. Sounds like a "tolerant and democratic society" to me

NOT--- Wait til the "hard-line cleric" Muqtada al-Sadr. wimns an election or a CIVIL WAR!!!! Saddam will be viewed as moderate.

[mbperrin]

5. After all, what can a few Christians selling booze to the locals hurt?

Never did any damage on THIS continent!

[madrchsod]

6. as usual

the dumb assed American government has backed the wrong people. should have cut a deal with Saddam to have him go away and made deals with his party but no-bush had to show up his daddy and the others wanted all the rest. but they fucked everything up,now they have to deal with a brewing tribal-religious war. it`s going to be a long hot summer for our men and women fighting Georgie's war and for the people of Iraq nothing but misery.

[The_Casual_Observer]

7. Hey, it's just like home

Liquor stores are constantly being robbed and the clerks shot at and killed all over the US.

Sounds like we are making "Good Progress" towards democracy and freedom!