Killing of cleric undercuts Allawi’s bid for unity

[Call me Deacon Blues]

The Associated Press
Updated: 3:07 p.m. ET Nov. 22, 2004

MAHMOUDIYA, Iraq - Gunmen on Monday assassinated a member of an influential Sunni clerics group that has called for a boycott of national elections, just a day after Iraqi officials announced the balloting would be held Jan. 30 in spite of rising violence in Iraq.

Sheik Faidh Mohamed Amin al-Faidhi, a member of the Association of Muslim Scholars, was shot by gunmen at his home in northern Mosul — a sign of the continuing violence that wracks the country.

The slaying could further alienate Iraq’s Sunni Arab minority ahead of the election. The association is already calling for a boycott of the vote, and if many Sunni heed its call, the legitimacy of the election could be deeply undermined.

Boycott backers labeled ‘eventual losers’
In an interview with the Associated Press on Monday, Iraqi interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi said his government was determined to hold the election as scheduled. He described those calling for a boycott as “the eventual losers” and “a small minority.”

“The forces of darkness and terrorism will not benefit from this democratic experience and will fight it,” Allawi said. “But we are determined that this experiment succeeds.”

Yeah, right. Allawi is probably behind the assassination in the first place. Gotta hand it to Bushco, they know how to pick'em. Totally amoral killers -- it's like looking into a mirror, isn't it Junior?

For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind -- Hosea 8:7



On Edit: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6403689/

[Tempest]

1. Link?

Link to stories in LBN are required.

[Kagemusha]

2. Either it's intimidation to end the boycott, or it's that a boycott

will be ideal for permanent Shiite control.

Which we're gonna get either which way now.

[cubsfan forever]

3. I found this link that discusses the boycott

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/E4D19123-9DD3-11D1-B44E-006097071264.htm

Professor 2