Two opponents of the US occupation assassinated in Iraq

[Judi Lynn]

Two opponents of the US occupation assassinated in Iraq
Two leading members of the Association of Muslim Scholars (AMS)—an organisation of 3,000 Sunni Muslim clerics calling for a boycott of the January 30 Iraqi elections—were assassinated this week.
by: James Cogan on: 26th Nov, 04

Sheik Faidh Mohammed Amin al-Faidi, one of the most prominent Sunni clerics in the city of Mosul, was gunned down in a drive-by shooting as he left his house on November 22. Faidi was the brother of the main AMS spokesman in Baghdad, Mohammed Bashar al-Faidi, who has made passionate speeches at the Umm al-Qura mosque in recent weeks, denouncing US war crimes in Fallujah and the anti-democratic character of the planned election.

The next day, a group of masked gunmen shot and killed a second cleric, Sheik Ghalib Ali Latif al-Zuheiri as he left his mosque following dawn prayers in the town of Muqdadiyah, north of Baghdad.

It is not known who carried out the killings. Suspicion, however, must fall upon the US-led occupation forces. They have the necessary personnel and the motive—silencing opposition to the rigged elections.

The individual installed by the US to head the Iraqi interim government, Iyad Allawi, has been described as a thug even by American officials. Nothing about his history gives any reason to doubt that he is capable of ordering the murder of political opponents.
(snip/...)

http://globalecho.org/view_article.php?aid=2365

[whistle]

1. The John Negroponte death squads are now operating in full force...

...in Iraq just as they were in Central America in the 1980's.

[0007]

5. John is good at this kind of stuff. It's right up his alley.

[aquart]

10. I was just about to say.

The only competent member of the BushCo administration is the Director of Assassinations? It figures.

[Ruffhowse]

2. This country deserves to burn in hell for it's atrocious human rights

record. We are no better than the Nazi's. Case after case, throughout our history, we kill innocents, terrorize people, and sponsor murder and mayhem, all for American hegemony so a few fat cats in this country can live like kings. Disgusting.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

3. American hegemony so a few fat cats in this country can live like kings

I couldn't agree with you more... and as the stranglehold that energy resources are putting around the necks of the biggest players around the globe tightens... you will see certain interests standing up to the baddie with all the nukes. It is going to be interesting to say the least.

European boycotts... China backing Iran.... U.N. in total disagreement with U.S. policies, Russia starting on a new generation of nucyoulear capable missiles... etc etc etc. This can only lead to one place... I think you know where that place is.

Only when the idea that more is less comes of age... (as it already has in some of the more advanced societies around the globe) will we be able to free ourselves from our own prison. There would be enough for everybody... if only somebodies didn't need enough for hundreds if not thousands.

[Judi Lynn]

4. Concerning your polar bear avatar.....

Just saw these polar fella prints overnight:



Prints available:
http://www.coldwatercreek.com/aspx/product.aspx?np=true&channel=1&productId=20144&deptId=3&ensembleId=20731

[montana_hazeleyes]

6. Oh Judi Lynn

They are absolutely adorable!

[Judi Lynn]

8. I was astonished when I saw them, montana_hazeleyes!

Sure hope the Republican-supporting corporations and their Congressional lackies fail to destroy all the excellent coldness these wonderful bear critters need to survive!

[leftchick]

9. sadly Judi Lynn....

That seems to be what is happening now with this country helping it along....
http://www.sundayherald.com/45902
:(

~snip~
Unless urgent action is taken to slow down global warming polar bears will be extinct by the end of the century.
The stark warning is contained in an authoritative report compiled by more than 250 scientists on the effects of climate change in the Arctic.

It predicts that the ice on which polar bears live will have melted within 100 years. This will have “devastating consequences” for the bears, the report concludes. “They are unlikely to survive as a species if there is an almost complete loss of summer sea-ice cover.”

Their only option would be to adapt to land, where they would face fierce competition from North American brown and grizzly bears and increased threats from human interaction.

[aquart]

11. Now that's just a teensy bit too naive.

Or perhaps you'd like to point out the square inch of this earth that is NOT drenched in human blood. I'm sure there must be one.

[Ruffhowse]

18. Oh, I agree this happens all over all the time. What grinds me is that

the US is so damn self righteous and sanctimonious about their history that "their shit doesn't stink". Damn people in this country are so brainwashed it's pathetic.

[izzie]

7. My bet is the US let another Middle East country do it.

The one over there they all hate so. I think it is still on our books that our CIA can not kill off people like that. I am sure Porter will get that out. Nice to be able to kill who you want if your an American King.

[aquart]

12. We've got to start teaching more world history.

Because we seem to be wildly ignorant of pretty standard practices.

[MichiganVote]

13. Freedom on the march, "..a hunting we will go!"

[MattWinMO]

14. this article demonstrates an ignorance of Iraq..

Shia extremists have a large motive to pull off such attacks. These Sunni clerics are telling Sunnis to boycott the election which means the election won't be held as scheduled. Shia want the election held as soon as possible because they'll have a majority.

US supposed "death squads" killing US opponents who they fear will be elected and tell us to leave makes no sense for two reasons.

One is that these clerics aren't running for office, they're telling followers to boycott the election.

Two is that Shia clerics like Sistani are also calling for the US to leave but the only ones murdered have been those who support the US.

If the US was going to kill clerics who want to be elected to office and then make us leave I doubt Sistani would be alive.

Actually judging by numerous NPR stories most Sunnis would prefer US troops stay longer as long as it's at the service of an Iraqi govt.

They're afraid of losing rights under a Shia majority.

[okasha]

16. Sunni assassinations

"These Sunni clerics are telling Sunnis to boycott the election which means the election won't be held as scheduled."

Which is precisely why they're a danger to Bush and Co.. The election in January is their last fig leaf covering the real motivation for going into Iraq. If it fails, then any claim to have brought "democracy" to Iraq fails with it. And we're left with the sight of naked aggression for the sake of the country's resources.

Okasha

[MattWinMO]

17. I don't think so....

I don't think we'd assassinate Sunni clerics for just telling Sunnis to boycott the election. If they were supporting a candidate for election who was anti-occupation I could see a motivation for us to kill them. But I don't think a boycott threatens the occupation. I doubt we'd kill the people who want us to stay.

[Bigmack]

15. Freepers believe we did it, too...

but their take on the "whacks" is just a little different from ours...

"I call this not an assasination, but pest control."

" have always thought that a good way to get the Islamofascists to tone down would be to start assasinating clerics.... the best way to kill a snake is to cut it's effin head off".

Another species heard from.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1287097/posts

[Mr_Spock]

20. Freeper statements are frequently childish, but they do NOT represent

the real power base in that evil elephant party. They're just sheep saying the sort of thing that justifies their position on the war started by their boys. Many of them admit in private that they wish we weren't there at all. They support this because they have to. It's the psychotic power brokers behind the neocons & PNAC that we need to focus our energy on. Sheep are just meat to eat. :D

[fedsron2us]

19. Each death of a Muslim cleric generates a little more hatred

for the US in the Islamic world. Americas rivals for world hegenomy are going to be able to tap this source of resentment for generations to come.