A Young Radical's Anti-U.S. Wrath Is Unleashed (Baghdad - NYT)

[VolcanoJen]

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/05/international/middleeast/05SADR.html

Excellent background piece about the Shiite cleric Moktada al-Sadr, and the events leading up to Sunday's violence. It would seem that the unrest in and around Baghdad Sunday has its seeds in the newspaper that U.S. forces shut down earlier last week.

Excerpt:

For months, as American occupation authorities have focused on a moderate Shiite leader, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, a radical young Shiite cleric named Moktada al-Sadr has been spewing invective and threatening a widespread insurrection. On Sunday, he unleashed it.

At his word, thousands of disciples, wearing green headbands and carrying automatic rifles, stormed into the streets of several cities and set off the most widespread mayhem of the occupation. Witnesses and occupation officials said the disciples occupied police stations, fired rocket-propelled grenades at American troops and overran government security in Kufa, the town in south central Iraq where Mr. Sadr lives. "The occupation is over!" many yelled. "We are now controlled by Sadr!"

<snip>

On Sunday, Mr. Sadr called for his followers to "terrorize your enemy."

"There is no use for demonstrations, as your enemy loves to terrify and suppress opinions, and despises peoples," he said in a statement.

"I ask you not to resort to demonstrations because they have become a losing card and we should seek other ways," he said. "Terrorize your enemy, as we cannot remain silent over its violations."

[Chicago Democrat]

1. I heard a different translation from a person in Bagdad who

I trust more then NeoCon NYT. Its not "terrorise your enemy," its "resist your enemy". Listen folks, what little bit of info that is coming out of Iraq needs to be gone over witha fine tooth comb.


Sadr is being baited my friends. This "uprising" is completely the US's fault. First Bremer closed his paper. Second Bremer shootz unarmed demonstrators. Then and only then did Sadr issue this edict which is only recognizing the reality that protests and other "democratic means" are completely worthless and will get them shot. Then the US mistranslates a key word, "resist" becomes "terrorise". I guess they'll shoot a missle at him next.

Iraqis are a proud people. See Bremer reap the whirlwind of Sadr, the Islamic Che Guevara.

Before you go doing anything stupid like killing Sadr, remember that his Father and his Brother were killed by Saddam. Bremer, do you want to be the New Saddam?


Let's cut our losses and get out of there. John Kerry, please apologize for Bush, and get us out of there.

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. Can you say?

1920 Arab Revolt ALL OVER AGAIN

[Guaranteed]

5. I wasn't before, but I'm totally agreed now.

We just need to get the hell out. There's no reason for us to be there. It's just pointless.

[Judi Lynn]

10. Father and brother killed by Saddam!

That really adds texture to this situation. Thanks for the insight.

[Chicago Democrat]

3. Here is the PRECISE TRANSLATION! (much different than NYT crappo)

http://www.juancole.com/2004_04_01_juancole_archive.html#108109946449807198

Muqtada's words before he went into retreat in his mosque: "Make your enemy afraid, for it is impossible to remain quiet about their moral offenses; otherwise we have arrived at consequences that will not be praiseworthy. I am with you, and shall not forsake you to face hardships alone. I fear for you, for no benefit will come from demonstrations. Your enemy loves terrorism, and despises peoples, and all Arabs, and muzzles opinions. I beg you not to resort to demonstrations, for they have become nothing but burned paper. It is necessary to resort to other measures, which you take in your own provinces. As for me, I am with you, and I hope I will be able to join you and then we shall ascend into exalted heavens. I will go into an inviolable retreat in Kufa. Help me by whatever you are pleased to do in your provinces. "

[Chicago Democrat]

4. Here's an interview with Sadr's Personal Aide

PETER CAVE: In Baghdad thousands of Sadr supporters gridlocked the city centre as they laid siege to Paul Bremer's headquarters throughout the day. Shiites were repressed under Saddam Hussein and I asked Imam Hazin al Aaraji, who was leading the protest, if he now saw the American administration as the enemy?

IMAM HAZIN AL AARAJI: One hundred per cent.

PETER CAVE: Why?

IMAM HAZIN AL AARAJI: Why?… (translated) They killed two of Al Mah army yesterday and we have sixteen injured.

PETER CAVE: . . . I spoke to Amer al-Husseini, who runs the Sadr mosque and is Moqtada's chief lieutenant in Sadr City.

(To Amer al-Husseini) Are they opposed to the Americans being here in general or just the actions they've taken against the newspaper?

AMER AL HUSSEINI: (translated) In general because Saddam regime had been gone and Iraqis should have their country controlled and we know how to control our country. To be here as occupiers, they are not welcome here.

Rest at....
http://www.juancole.com/2004_04_01_juancole_archive.html#108109946449807198

[VolcanoJen]

6. Bremer says Sadr is an "outlaw"

This may be brand-new; just picked up by Reuters. Does this mean we're going to go and apprehend him? From the NYTimes article, and the subsequent info I've learned in this thread, it looks like they've made up their minds...

http://wireservice.wired.com/wired/story.asp?section=Breaking&storyId=...

Monday, April 05, 2004 3:40 a.m. ET

BAGHDAD, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraq's U.S. administrator Paul Bremer said Monday radical Shi'ite Muslim cleric Moqtada al-Sadr was an outlaw threatening Iraq's security.

"We have a difficult security situation. We have a group under Moqtada al-Sadr that has basically placed itself outside the legal authorities, the coalition and Iraqi officials," said Bremer, head of the U.S.-led Coalition Provisional Authority.

[Chicago Democrat]

7. Sadr:, the new scapegoat for the crime of the Iraq Invasion

Bremer says"We have a group under Moqtada al-Sadr that has basically placed itself outside the legal authorities, the coalition and Iraqi officials,"

Well let's see.... you shut them out of the Governing Council, shut their paper, killed their unarmed demonstraters, and backed them into a corner....

So its just like Hamas and Islamic Jihad, except these guys are pissed at the US and only the US. Thanks alot George! Thanks for this Mr. Bush.

[leftchick]

9. Hasn't The US taken Moqtada al-Sadr's nephew

into custody also? I thought that is what the uprising in Basra was about?

[nadinbrzezinski]

8. Yep they are walking into this one,

and they don't even realize it... those who refuse to learn from history, are doomed to repeat it!

[Dark]

11. Hmmmm...

The Iraqis' freedoms are being trampled on by Bu$h? Now they know how we feel.

[Moderator]

12. locking

discuss here

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x464201