Gunmen Open Fire on Liquor Stores in Iraq, 11 Dead

[Hissyspit]

Source: Associated Press

GUNMEN OPEN FIRE ON LIQUOR STORES IN IRAQ, 11 DEAD

By SAMEER N. YACOUB

— May. 14 2:57 PM EDT

HEROR, Iraq (AP) — A convoy of gunmen opened fire on a row of liquor stores in eastern Baghdad immediately after sunset on Tuesday, killing 11 people and wounding five others, officials said.

Police said the gunmen were in four cars that had stopped in the area and attacked shortly after sunset. Hospital officials confirmed the casualties. All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak to media.

The attack in the Zayouna neighborhood came as the stores were at their peak business time, when commuters buy alcohol on the way home from work. Police say the four liquor stores hit had been rebuilt after bombers destroyed them in a previous attack last year.

Nobody claimed responsibility, although Islamic extremists have frequently targeted liquor stores in Iraq, where alcohol is available in most cities.

Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/1st-kurdish-fighters-enter-iraq-turkey

[Victor_c3]

1. I was going to say "that's funny", but it's not really funny at all

When I was in Iraq, there was a brothel operating in Baqubah. Everything else in Baqubah was constantly getting attacked and bombed except for that brothel. I would have guessed that liquor stores would have been relatively safe as well.

[Jenoch]

2. Liquor stores in Iraq?

Why are there liquor stores in Iraq?

[Aristus]

3. Because before we invaded them in order to steal their oil,

they were a secular state, the government of which was not run according to Q'uranic principles. People could drink alcohol, women could pursue education and careers, men and women dressed as they pleased, etc.

Due to the social upheaval caused by our invasion and occupation, religious extremists are seeing their opportunity to turn Iraq into an Islamic state like Iran or Saudi Arabia.

Yet another of the millions of reasons why our invasion was fucked up beyond belief...

[Jenoch]

4. A good muslim would never drink alcohol.

(Steal their oil?)

[Aristus]

6. 'Good' is a matter of definition.

I've known of Muslims who drink alcohol. And in a secular Muslim-majority state, like Turkey, adherence to Q'uranic guidelines is a matter of personal choice, not a government-imposed stricture.

Saddam Hussein was a secular leader. And an awful leader, too. But secular. He only played up Islamic themes when it was politically expedient for him to.

In any power vacuum, power will most likely devolve upon extremists; looks like this is starting to happen in Iraq...

And yes, we went in there to steal their oil; and for no other purpose. What? Did you think it really was to 'give Iraqis freedom'?

Think of all the rationales given for the invasion in the first place, and then ask yourself why we didn't invade North Korea as well.

Hint: North Korea doesn't have oil...

[jakeXT]

7. More like reminding them to support the World Reserve Currency

Luaibi, in Seoul to strengthen ties between the two nations, said Iraq was exporting 200,000 bpd of crude to South Korean refiners in 2013 under term contracts, but gave no details.

Asian refiners are scouring for alternative supplies as they continue to reduce dependence on Iranian oil to ensure they qualify for a six-monthly exemption from U.S. sanctions, or risk getting cut off from the U.S. financial system.

South Korea cut Iranian crude imports by 36 percent to 153,000 bpd in 2012.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/04/30/iraq-oil-exports-idUKL3N0DH1KL20130430

[Jenoch]

9. I think it hypocritical

for an otherwise devout muslim to drink. I wonder how many of the radical, jihadist muslims drink?

Sure, we invaded Iraq to protect the supply of oil. We did it twice. Do you have a link (not to a blog) that has evidence of the U.S. stealing oil from Iraq? I'm no Bush supporter, but I get tired of hyperbole from either side.

We're not invading North Korea because they pose little threat to us, either militarily or economically.

[The Stranger]

12. You think invading Iraq for its oil was hyperbole?

Then you turn right around and claim we haven't invaded North Korea because "they pose little threat to us?"

You have it exactly wrong.

Completely -- 180 degrees.

[Jenoch]

13. Huh?

You said the U.S. 'stole oil from Iraq'. I am unaware of any specifics and asked for links. I also believe North Korea does not pose a direct threat to the U.S. Do you believe President Obama should order a strike on North Korea?

[Ash_F]

15. You are able to type that many words, you can type a few more into google to find what you seek

http://www.cnn.com/2013/03/19/opinion/iraq-war-oil-juhasz

[Jenoch]

16. I did what you suggested.

(Hey, great idea by the way, that goggle is really something!)

I check the first five results and none of them support your claim. Then I went to your link and discovered the same.

Of course the wars in the middle east are about oil. When did you come to that conclusion?

[pennylane100]

20. I think that muslims should be able to practice their religion any way they want to.

If they want to drink alcohol, that is their business. Do you also have an opinion on whether Muslim women should sit at the back of the mosque and should men be able to take more than one wife. How do you feel about catholics that practice birth control and gay marriage. What about Sharia law, a lot of devout Muslims would like to bring this abhorrent version of their religion here and make it legally binding. Is that OK.

People have a right to decide how they wish to practice their religious beliefs. The other option is to join a cult and get brain washed.

[Jenoch]

21. Now you are just being silly.

[valerief]

11. Kinda like our 2000 coup with the Religious Right, only with less obvious violence. nt

[happyslug]

14. About 10% of the Population of Iraq are Christian, and thus "Legal" for them to buy Alcohol.

Through the Christians have been attacked by radicals, the real issue is who did this and why? Iraq today is a civil war between the Shiites and Sunnis with the Christians caught in the middle (and the remember, in these countries, the religious name used is just the name we give to the sides, the actual sides are much more secular in that they first concern is to their tribe, the religious name used reflects more what family, tribe and clan they belong to more they what religion they follow, thus the Kurds who can be Christian, Sunni or Shiite tend to be referred to as "Kurds" for that is the clan they belong to, the "Shiites" and "Sunni" tend to be larger groups then any one tribe or clan, but they are all inter-related, often through trade and thus best way to define who will side with whom is to call them Sunni or Shiite).

Thus who wants to attack these Liquor stores, all run by Christians (again more a group of people who interact together then their actual religion)? I suspect it is an attempt to show the Christians that someone can NOT protect them and they should support the other side (yes, much like a "Protection Racket" in the US).

Just a comment this is more then an attack on the Sale of Alcohol, it is showing that whoever the Christians are supporting can NOT protect them and they should switch sides.

[riderinthestorm]

17. [phone]. nt

[GeorgeGist]

5. your headline says '11 deaf'

[Blandocyte]

8. I bet it was quite loud.

[dawn frenzy adams]

10. We've seen this movie

Not only did we destroy an ancient civilization, we allowed looting of the Iraqi Museum. It was the world's greatest museum of antiquities. Now while we steal their wealth, we'll keep them distracted with alcohol, drugs and pornography. You know, the same way the ruling class fleeced America.

[Pterodactyl]

18. Why do they have to destroy what they don't understand?