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Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
US using Saddam death to stoke Sunni-Shi'ite discord: Iran cleric |
2007-01-06 |
An influential Iranian cleric said yesterday the United States wanted to use Saddam Hussein’s execution to stoke tensions between Shi’ite and Sunni Muslims. A mobile phone video of Shi’ite Iraqi officials taunting the former Sunni president on the gallows has inflamed sectarian passions inside Iraq, already on the brink of civil war, and sparked growing outrage from Sunni Arabs. Saddam, who was executed on Saturday, was tried in a US-sponsored court but the US military says it had no role in the hanging and would have handled it differently. “America’s method is to start sectarian differences,” Ahmad Khatami told worshippers at Friday prayers in a sermon broadcast on state radio. “They want to use Saddam’s death to portray divisions among Shi’ites and Sunnis. Dictators have no religion. Saddam was not a Sunni and he did not believe in any religion,” he said. “Saddam did not kill just Shi’ites.” “Do not doubt that the enemy’s plan in Iraq and Iran is to inflame differences among Shi’ites and Sunnis. In Iran and Iraq, for years, Shi’ites and Sunnis have been living together peacefully,” said Khatami, a member of a powerful clerical body, the Assembly of Experts and a regular leader of Friday prayers in the capital, Tehran. Officials in predominantly Shi’ite Iran, which fought Iraq from 1980 to 1988 when Saddam was in power, have said the former president’s execution was a victory for Iraqis. |
Posted by:Fred |
#6 In Iran and Iraq, for years, Shi’ites and Sunnis have been living together peacefully.” Yeah sure there has been a few centuries of acrimonious relations but except for that little eight year war that kilt a couple mill. And…come to think of it those pesky death squads reeked a little havoc. Oh yeah…there were some occasional retaliatory bombings and assassinations. But aside from that and some of those indiscriminate slaughters here and there, overall, it’s been pretty damn peaceful. |
Posted by: DepotGuy 2007-01-06 14:22 |
#5 #2: It's always someone elses fault! Sounds exactly like my wife speaking. |
Posted by: Redneck Jim 2007-01-06 13:05 |
#4 Missed that elementary bit of logic, did they? |
Posted by: Fred 2007-01-06 10:16 |
#3 FRED BARNES hit it on the head this AM, at least where Sunnis are concerned > says Sunnis are now realizing made a huge Huge HUGE mistake both in not voting + protecting armed pro-Shia/Iran militias just becuz are fellow Muslims. |
Posted by: JosephMendiola 2007-01-06 09:16 |
#2 It's always someone elses fault! ShiÂ’ites and Sunnis killing one another, inspite of the best efforts to rebuild and bring democracy - and the United States is to blame again. |
Posted by: Ebberetle Snetch5772 2007-01-06 02:03 |
#1 United States wanted to use Saddam HusseinÂ’s execution to stoke tensions between ShiÂ’ite and Sunni Muslims. Blazing infernos of tension need little "stoking." But feel free to blame the US anyway. |
Posted by: Besoeker 2007-01-06 01:22 |