U.S. troops raid Sunni clerics' Iraq office

[leftchick]

http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2006-01-08T140209Z_01_SPI839124_RTRUKOC_0_UK-IRAQ-RAID.xml&archived=False

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - U.S. troops, some in helicopters, launched a pre-dawn raid on Sunday on the headquarters of the influential Sunni Arab Muslim Clerics' Association and detained six people in what they said was an anti-terrorist operation.

An association spokesman slammed the raid as a "crime" to punish his group for its stand towards the U.S.-led occupation.

Witnesses said American soldiers slid down ropes from helicopters as troops on the ground simultaneously burst into the Umm al-Qora mosque complex in western Baghdad at 3 a.m. (12:00 a.m. British time), blowing doors off hinges and ransacking offices.

U.S. military spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Barry Johnson said they had been reacting to a tip-off of "substantial terrorist-related activity" in the complex.

Reuters Television footage showed spent shotgun shells and special explosive charges used to blow out door locks lying on the ground. Many office doors showed signs of forced entry.

In one room, cupboards used to store the shoes of those attending prayers had what appeared to be Christian crosses scrawled on them. Other footage showed papers strewn on office floors and windows smashed.

[acmavm]

1. Dumbasses...

<snip>
Reuters Television footage showed spent shotgun shells and special explosive charges used to blow out door locks lying on the ground. Many office doors showed signs of forced entry.

In one room, cupboards used to store the shoes of those attending prayers had what appeared to be Christian crosses scrawled on them. Other footage showed papers strewn on office floors and windows smashed.

<snip>

Oh yes, way to handle the Sunnis guys. You're in their country and they already hate you. So why not scrawl some Christian symbols in their mosques and tear up the place. Thing they'll start to like you then? Thing they'll start to believe you have their best interests at heart?

So much of what's going wrong (and believe me I understand it's ALL wrong) in due to intentionally ignorant behavior of the American military.

[marylanddem]

2. Fanning the flames of hatred...to keep those war dollars rolling

in?

[Jane Austin]

3. "substantial terrorist-related activity" in the complex.

The military sure does throw that "terrorist" word around a lot lately.

I noticed one of the generals (Casey?) being interviewed using it, too.

I thought these people were insurgents.

[leftchick]

4. it isn't just the military using the terrorist word

I saw a MSRNC reporter in Baghdad this morning giving the morning hell hole wrap up. He was talking of a paticular attack on a "coalition" convoy and how it made no sense to attack it. He said it was an act of pure terrorism. :eyes:

[leQ]

5. winning hearts and minds, the bushite way (eom)

[zann725]

6. One day the Karmic wheel for all we've done (these soldiers we "support")

for actions like these...will come back to haunt us a hundred times more.

I do NOT "support" our troops in actions such as these. Attacking clerics' houses of prayer (on a "tip"...when our "intelligence has been so faulty in the past). Then while they're in prayer, we draw "crosses" on their walls. These are Christian values, and ways? My tax dollars go to this?

[tatertop]

10. I, too, do NOT "support" our troops in actions such as these.

[bpilgrim]

7. It descends from the heavens, Ironically it unleashes hell

more...
http://GLobalFreePress.com

peace

[leftchick]

8. and that looks like how it went down....

excellent photos bpilgrim!

:hi:

[bluerum]

9. So,,,, if my next door neighbor pisses me off,,,, I can call homeland

security and say I saw "substantial terrorist-related activity" taking place at his house then stand back and watch them come and drag him off into the night?

Sweet!

Whats the number?

:patriot:

[occuserpens]

11. GWOT needs sacrifices

I am sure that reading Krauthammer and Ledeen can hurt certain delicate sensibilities. But this is the only reasonable way to explain recent GU article on Jesus and cannabis. Never mind how this is going to affect religious and ethnic tensions in Europe, in the US and globally. The apparent goal is to help the neocons in their PR operations, it is all part of GWOT.

1. GU. Duncan Campbell. Jesus 'healed using cannabis': http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,869273,00.html
2. C.Krauthammer. The Truth about Torture: http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/006/400rhqav.asp
Our scrupulousness extends even to providing them with their own Korans, which is the only reason alleged abuses of the Koran at Guantanamo ever became an issue. That we should have provided those who kill innocents in the name of Islam with precisely the document that inspires their barbarism is a sign of the absurd lengths to which we often go in extending undeserved humanity to terrorist prisoners.
3. Michael Ledeen. Iranian Fission: http://www.nationalreview.com/ledeen/ledeen200508010809.asp
The Koran, whatever the particular exegesis employed, is no obstacle to tactical alliances, any more than Mein Kampf prevented the Fuhrer from surrounding himself with a variety of distinctly non-Aryan thugs (not many blue-eyed blondes in the bunker), or Hitler, Mussolini, or Stalin from changing strategy, or even making alliances with their presumed mortal enemies (remember the Nazi-Soviet pact?), when circumstances warranted.
4. U.S. troops raid Sunni clerics' Iraq office: http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2006-01-08T140209Z_01_SPI839124_RTRUKOC_0_UK-IRAQ-RAID.xml

[TheBaldyMan]

14. I fail to join the dots here

I've read all the articles but can't see how Mr Campbell's article springs inevitably from Krauthammer's fundamentally flawed statements and Ledeen's analysis of Iran on the brink of civil war.

The report of the raid on the Mosque in W. Baghdad came after the cannabis oil article.

Please be kind enough to explain to me how these articles and events are linked.

[HuffleClaw]

12. what asshole was behind this i wonder

they haven't done this sort of thing in some time. i wonder who they are pandering to this time?

and crap like this? "In one room, cupboards used to store the shoes of those attending prayers had what appeared to be Christian crosses scrawled on them." seems some commander needs to be keeping a tighter rein on their troops. its stuff like this that don't endear the occupiers to the locals.

[occuserpens]

13. Unfortunately

this is natural, they must be trained this way :-( This is same way as with Abu-Ghraib. Soldiers don't invent much, it all comes from the top.