Hero's Welcome In Baghdad For Iran Leader `Ahmadinejad

[Purveyor]

Source: Gulf News - Dubai,United Arab Emirates

Baghdad: The Iraqi capital on Sunday seemed more divided not because of the political parties' stand on the visit of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, but because sectarianism has already deeply influenced daily lives in the city.

Slogans on the walls of many houses and public markets in Al Sadr district welcomed Ahmadinejad describing him as a hero. Sunni neighbourhoods condemned him as a villain and an architect of all the violence.

Hamza Al Rubaie, a resident of Al Sadr City, told Gulf News: "Ahmadinejad is a champion because he is the first president who visits Iraq in this security condition and frankly I wished that Arab leaders take the first step to visit Iraq before Ahmadinejad. It is not a sectarian matter."

'Brave' visit

A Baghdad resident, out shopping at a supermarket, said the popularity of Ahmadinejad has doubled and a political and economic tie-up might be realised between Iraq and Iran or between Iran and Shiite centre and south territory, which the Iraqi Shiite leader Abdul Aziz Al Hakim wants to establish.





Read more: http://www.gulfnews.com/region/Iraq/10194422.html

[Middle finga]

1. How Ironic, Bush "the liberator" has to sneak into Iraq under the cover

of darkness while Ahmadinejad makes a planned grand entrance.

[skooooo]

2. Don't worry....

...the "honeymoon" should last about 2 weeks. These two populations hate each other.

[Purveyor]

3. 2 weeks after the last US soldier leaves perhaps but for now, Iraq and Iran

have a common cause...

[skooooo]

5. Well we'll see...

These nations have hated each other for thousands of years. I doubt our little foray into Iraq will make much difference.

[JNelson6563]

4. I disagree

Sometimes a common enemy or shared misery can bring former enemies together. For keeps.

Julie

[Lone_Star_Dem]

6. The enemy of my enemy is my friend.

I never thought I'd see they day Iraqis were welcoming an Iranian leader with open arms.

[bemildred]

7. It is kind of stunning. Bush has accomplished a miracle, just not the one he wanted. nt

[Homer Wells]

8. Oh Yeah

We have SOOOOOOO won the hearts and minds of the Iraqui people!!!

:sarcasm:

[spanone]

9. but npr said there were protests all over the place