BAGHDAD, Jan. 8, 2009
Al-Sadr: Attack U.S. Troops In Iraq
Once-Powerful Shiite Cleric Calls For Retaliation Over U.S. Role In Gaza Confilct
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Followers of a radical anti U.S. cleric Muqtada al-Sadr carry his portrait in Baghdad, Iraq in this February, 2008 file photo. Al-Sadr called for attacks on U.S. troops in response to the Israeli incursion into the Gaza Strip. (AP Photo/Karim Kadim)
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The strongly worded statement signaled a threat by al-Sadr's militia fighters to renew violence against American troops after months of relative calm.
It was unclear, however, just how much influence the once-powerful Shiite leader - who is believed to be in Iran - still has. His fighters have been hit hard in U.S.-Iraqi military operations over the past year.
The U.S. State Department dismissed al-Sadr's calls, describing them as "outrageous."
"Any call for attacks against Americans is outrageous and, frankly, not worthy of much more comment," deputy State Department spokesman Robert Wood told reporters. "Outside calls to attack Americans for what's going on in the region are outrageous."
The Bush administration held off Wednesday from backing an Egyptian-French cease-fire proposal in Gaza, saying it was exploring other options to secure a lasting agreement that would end the violence.
Iraqis have expressed outrage over the Israeli offensive and what is perceived as U.S. inaction, holding protests to show solidarity with the Palestinians. The issue has again put the spotlight on Iraq's relations with Israel as the two countries remain technically at war.
Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki expressed "great pain and sorrow" over the Israeli offensive and accused the international community of ignoring the plight of the Palestinians.
"It is regrettable that this brutal crime continues with the silence of the international community," he told reporters Tuesday.
He called on other Arab and Muslim nations to "abolish diplomatic relations" with Israel and to "stop all public and clandestine contacts with this murderous regime." Only two Arab countries, Egypt and Jordan, have peace treaties with Israel.
In his own statement, al-Sadr said more action was needed "due to the continuation of Arab silence and the massacres committed by the Zionist enemy under U.S. and international cover."
"I call upon the honest Iraqi resistance to carry out revenge operations against the great accomplice of the Zionist enemy," he said, using rhetoric referring to the United States and Israel.
He also urged that Palestinian flags be raised on mosques, churches and buildings in Iraq and that all countries close Israeli embassies.
Al-Sadr and his militiamen have been staunch opponents of the U.S. presence in Iraq and waged fierce battles in 2004 followed by years of sectarian violence. He ordered his fighters to stand down in 2007 but retained a smaller force.
But his movement's popularity has suffered with the involvement of some militiamen in protection and black market rackets, as well as general fatigue from on-again, off-again fighting.
Israel says it launched the offensive to end rocketing by the Islamic militant group Hamas that has traumatized southern Israel.
Palestinian and U.N. figures show that about 300 of the more than 670 Palestinians killed so far have been civilians.
Israel has lost six soldiers since launching a ground offensive on Saturday - four in "friendly fire" incidents - and four other Israelis have been killed by rocket fire since fighting began on Dec. 27.
In Jordan, meanwhile, two Iraqi planes carrying several tons of medicine, medical supplies, blankets and water reserves containers to be sent to Gaza, landed in Amman airport Tuesday, the Iraqi Red Crescent said.
Rasoul Khedayer, the agency's representative in Jordan, said "Iraq will continue to bring aid supplies to the people of Gaza and will fly more than 10 planes in the coming few days into Jordan."
Also Wednesday, hundreds of thousands of Shiites joined processions to honor the martyrdom of one of their most revered saints. More than 30,000 policemen and soldiers were deployed in Baghdad, Karbala and on roads between the two cities to guard the ceremonies.
© MMIX The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Best-selling author Mitch Albom on his first nonfiction work since "Tuesdays with Morrie."
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See all 104 CommentsHOw many peple are aware of Israel''s perfidious and deliberate murder of 34 American servicemen on the USS Liberty in 1967....of the Lavon affair, of the millions of Germans directly and indirectly murdered by Jews during and AFTER WW2,( the blatantly genocidal policies of Ehdrenburg, Lindemann, Morgenthau, Kaufmannn etc.) of the holocaust hoax, Dier Yassin, that colin Powell got his info. on weapons of mass destruction from his under-secretary Michael Grossman, who got his info from the head of the CIA George Tennat, who was inspired by Richard Perle and Paul Wolfowitz (all but Powell being Jewish Zionists. etc. etc.
Zedd Zorander is a fictional "person", calling "people" stupid. Not sure what the point is.
Posted by drmaqazi at 04:37 PM : Jan 08, 2009
+ report abuse
What enslaved muslim countries are you talking about? The only "enslavers" are other muslims, i.e. Saddam Hussein and yes Moqtada Sadr in Iraq and the Taliban in Afghanistan. Look around, see if you can figure out who started this stuff. Maybe then you will get a clue.
Who''s post are you refering to??
Stay divided America. Keep blaming others for what you have been too apathetic to do.
"People are stupid; given proper motivation, almost anyone will believe almost anything. Because people are stupid, they will believe a lie because they want to believe it''s true, or because they are afraid it might be true. People''s heads are full of knowledge, facts, and beliefs, and most of it is false, yet they think it all true. People are stupid; they can only rarely tell the difference between a lie and the truth, and yet they are confident they can, and so all are easier to fool." -Zedd Zorander
Only after they realized how many jews were moving in (& starting their own country/homeland) and how they (the jews) turned a worthless, arid/swampy land into a productive, viable, profitable, region; ONLY THEN did they "care". That is when they started saying "kill the jews", "get them out of here", "give the land back to the poor Palestinian refugees".
They other countries/tribes don''t care a hoot about the Palestinians and really don''t want the Palestinians to make peace with Isreal. They''d rather use them as an excuse (pawns) to keep harrasing Isreal/jews until they leave (so then they can come in and scoop up the now productive/viable land). If that ever happened (jews leave) then watch who gets/takes over the land and see what will happen to the Palestinians...nothing!
That is why anytime the Palestinians make "peace" with Isreal, "other factions" start causing trouble, like Hamas, like hezbullah, etc.., not usually the Palestinias. These factions come in from other arab countries, like Syria, Lebenon, etc. Just watch, if the P''s make peace with Isreal, in about 6 months some other "non-Palestinian" faction will start trouble non the "plaestinians" behalf. That is what has Really been going on thin the region for the last 60 yrs.
BTW, I''m not Jewish, just well read/educated on the region/subject.
After they got their loot, the "other" arab princes, booted the Palestinians off the land they just sold to the Jews; and since no other arab "country" would take in these "gypsie" nomads they were left fend on their own on the little bit of land the "other" arabs had not sold off. Really, the "other" arab tribes had/have more direct responsibility for the plight of the Palestinians, than the Jews or Americans (BTW the British & U.N. are the second biggest reason for this regions screw up, not the USA). If you don''t believe me read up on it.. Study the true history of what happend to Palestine begining around WWI.
Also ask yourself; if all the other arab factions/tribes/countries are really SO concerned about the plight of the Palestinians why hasn''t any other arab country EVER taken in the Palestinians since they''d been displaced/sold them out?!?!?!?!? They don''t really like them and don''t really care what happens to them; they never did. That is why they sold their "worthless" land to the Jews in the first place.
More american blood will be shed to continue our ''''friendship'''' with israel.
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Posted by melchg at 01:14 PM : Jan 08, 2009
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I agree with you whole heartedly, this is a quick way to get our boys over there killed.
Posted by hungry681 at 12:04 PM : Jan 08, 2009
Once again, Hungry, because YOU say it is so, does not mean it is so.
Posted by TexHillGirl
Osama Bin Laden, the one who attacked us, said it was so.
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