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Thousands Denounce U.S. in Baghdad Shiâite Protest
Thousands of Shiâite Muslims poured into the streets of a Baghdad neighborhood Wednesday to denounce U.S. troops who they said had defiled a religious school by flying low in a helicopter, which struck its flag. "No, no to America!" shouted protesters who flooded the streets of a sprawling suburb populated mainly by poor Shiâites, who form a long-oppressed majority of Iraqâs population. Arab television aired film showing a U.S. helicopter flying low over a tower where a black flag was flying. Its wheel appeared to touch the religious banner.Funny how Arab television just happened to be there, and just happened to be filming the flag when the chopper just happened to fly over, isnât it. A military spokesman said he knew of no incidents in the area. "I dun know, theyâre always bitchin about something." A Shiâite cleric in the neighborhood said U.S. troops had defiled a sacred place, and demanded they stay away. "We request that no American soldier enter this city. The presence of American soldiers shakes security and causes terrorism. This is an aggression on the sacred Muslim places," Sheikh Qays told Reuters. "In fact, the whole country is sacred. Git out." The area was known as Saddam City under Saddam Hussein, who maintained a tradition of oppressing the Shiâite majority, but locals now call it Sadr City after a prominent late cleric. Most leaders of Iraqâs Shiâites, who account for about 60 percent of Iraqâs 26 million people, have largely avoided confrontation with their countryâs occupiers, and some work with a U.S.-appointed council aimed at forming an Iraqi government. But you can always find enough to form a spittle spewing mob when thereâs a camera crew around. Washington has made clear, however, that it disapproves of suggestions by some Shiâite clerics that Iraq should follow the theocratic style of government adopted by Shiâite Iran. Need to make it clearer, got some slow learners. Posted by: Steve 2003-08-13 |
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