Sistani Threatens US over Israeli War on Lebanon

[leftchick]

http://www.juancole.com/

Sistani Threatens US over Israeli War on Lebanon

The US punditocracy and ruling elite is fixated on Hizbullah as a "terrorist group" even though the organization hasn't engaged in international terror against American civilians in many years. What they forget about Hizbullah is that it is also a Shiite religious party, and that that is how it is perceived for the most part by Iraqi Shiites. Some 45 percent of Lebanese are probably Shiites.

The other thing to remember is that the United States is now a Shiite Power in part, insofar as it semi-rules a Shiite-majority country, Iraq.

The Associated Press is carrying the story that Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani has demanded an immediate ceasefire in Israel's war on Lebanon, in the wake of the Qana massacre:


' `Islamic nations will not forgive the entities that hinder a cease-fire,'' al-Sistani said in a clear reference to the United States.

``It is not possible to stand helpless in front of this Israeli aggression on Lebanon,'' he added. ``If an immediate cease-fire in this Israeli aggression is not imposed, dire consequences will befall the region.''

[leftchick]

1. bush will ignore this warning like all of the others...

<snip>

The US is already not winning against a Sunni Arab insurgency, backed by around 5 million Iraqis. If 16 million Shiites turned on the US because of its wholehearted support for Israel's actions in Lebanon, the US military mission in Iraq could quickly become completely and urgently untenable. In this case, the British troops in particular would be lucky to escape the country with their lives.

Sistani does not issue threats lightly, and he has repeatedly shown a willingness to back them up with action. Bush and US ambassador to Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad will ignore him to their peril.

:(

[Virginia Dare]

2. Do you feel another "bring it on" type brain fart coming?....

that's probably all it would take at this point.

[leftchick]

3. no doubt about it!

and as our troops and Iraqis die by the hundreds he will be calling it a success. :(

[Yupster]

4. He's a guy both sides would listen to

I wish we could get him to take a more active role in the world. The Shi-ites sure could use him.

[NNN0LHI]

5. Is this the moderate fellow who wants all gay people killed? n/t