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| Iraq-Jordan |
| WaPo: Al-Q seizes Qaim, Establishes "Islamic Kingdom" |
| 2005-09-05 |
| BAGHDAD, Sept. 5 -- Abu Musab Zarqawi's foreign-led Al Qaeda in Iraq took open control of a key western town at the Syrian border, deploying its guerrilla fighters in the streets and flying Zarqawi's black banner from rooftops, witnesses, residents and others in the city and surrounding villages said. A sign newly posted at the entrance of Qaim declared, "Welcome to the Islamic Kingdom of Qaim." A statement posted in mosques described Qaim as an "Islamic kingdom liberated from the occupation." Zarqawi's fighters were killing officials and civilians seen as government-allied or anti-Islamic, witnesses, residents and others said. On Sunday, the bullet-riddled body of a woman lay in a street of Qaim. A sign left on her corpse declared, "A prostitute who was punished." U.S. Marine spokesman Capt. Jeffrey Pool said Marines had no word of any unusual activity in Qaim, but added it was possible that insurgents were acting in areas out of Americans' sight. Qaim, within a few miles of the Syrian border, has been a major stronghold for insurgents ferrying fighters, weapons and money from Syria into the rest of Iraq along a network of Euphrates River towns. Many of the towns along the river have appeared to be heavily under the insurgents' domination, despite repeated Marine offenses along the river since May. Residents and Marines have described insurgents escaping ahead of the offensives, and returning when the offensives are over. |
| Posted by:Mrs. Davis |
| #15 Well Green is the colour of Islam, probably due to the positive connotations the colour had due to Oases in ancient Arabia. The Prophet supposedly carried a black flag into battle. I think the use of Green Flags came later, and even later still came the use of the Crescent and Moon as a symbol of Islam. But since Salafis are back to basics kind of people, they usually use the oldest symbolism. |
| Posted by: Paul Moloney 2005-09-05 22:56 |
| #14 Thanks, Paul. Where then, do the green banners come in? I read the history of the conquest of the Indus Valley, and I recall that the Arab armies had green banners. |
| Posted by: 11A5S 2005-09-05 22:16 |
| #13 So when is Cindy and LA, etal. going to declare local independence from Dubya and America's New Orleans-destroying federalist system andor republican form of Gummint, and demand international protection from the Commie Airborne!? Hillary now has to become POTUS in order for the USA to conduct diplomatic negotiations with Cindy!? |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2005-09-05 21:17 |
| #12 11A5S, The Black Flag with the Kalima in white text is regarded as the flag of Jihad, while the inverse is the flag of the Khilifah. Most hardcore Jihadi groups affiliated with Al Qaeda uses some variation of the black flag. Basayev's has a sword beneath the text, Zarqawi's Tawhid Wal Jihad used a Sun etc. |
| Posted by: Paul Moloney 2005-09-05 20:36 |
| #11 Thank you, editor. |
| Posted by: Mrs. Davis 2005-09-05 19:46 |
| #10 Black banners? Is Z-man claiming to be the Mahdi? |
| Posted by: 11A5S 2005-09-05 18:31 |
| #9 The 1% that get it right can't redeem them all mhw. I wish it could. The MSM is trying to remake this country into something they want, not what we need or want. If that is their desire I think they should run for office not subvert our society and cultures. You can't get anything done in the country without having to screw with Lawyers. For instance why do we import so much of our energy? Ask the lawyers that sue every times someone tries a project. You don't have a person that truly represents you in Congress or the Senate? Oh yea thats right the trial Lawyers and Lobbists (ex lawyers) have their ears. BTW that Senator or Congressmsn might just be a multi-millionare trial lawyer too. Last time a lawyer protected me? Never happened that I know of. The game is rigged. "We are a nation of laws." Laws that profit whom and are written by whom? Oh yea Lawyers. Not me or you. They should be in fear of us not the other way around. Against the wall or a 22 LR into the base of the skull. Get our Bill of Rights and Constitution back. We can't attack Sir, the lawyers say we can't. Right, that's going to win us the WOT. |
| Posted by: Sock Puppet O´ Doom 2005-09-05 18:13 |
| #8 Sock I don't lump all the journos and lawyers together, although I admit I've lumped all of CNN and NPR together. There are some good reporters even at these orgs. And many lawyers have done greatwork in the GWOT. After all lawyers are representing antiCAIR for free, suing the Arab Bank and PA, etc. You are correct of course in the general sense. Frankly I'm not sure how to put this to convey the general sense and also allow for the fact that there are exceptions. I guess I could use standard qualifiers but it seems stupid sounding |
| Posted by: mhw 2005-09-05 17:19 |
| #7 Won mhw? They have always been full blown supporters unless they were imbeds. When the civil war comes the lawyers and Jurnos will be the first against the wall. They are as a whole group on the other side and against everyting and I mean everything most of us hold dear about our country and way of life. One town near the Syrian boreder does not a country make or a problem create, it's just one more spot to hunt them down and kill them in. |
| Posted by: Sock Puppet O´ Doom 2005-09-05 15:39 |
| #6 i think the coalition's tactics against terrorist urban control centers has been getting better ever since Fallujah. Once the operations are concluded in a neighboring sector, the lessons and intel is used in the next center. The terrorists long ago won the hearts and minds of the BBC, CNN, NPR, etc. However, these hearts and minds were already inclined in their direction anyway. |
| Posted by: mhw 2005-09-05 15:17 |
| #5 Yeah, that's how they think. Too bad they don't understand how the Marines think. The question will be whether they have enough civilian population hostage to hold us back. |
| Posted by: Omerens Omaigum2983 2005-09-05 15:07 |
| #4 Hmm. My crazy theory... It's about New Orleans. No, really. I mean that. Rational reason: Zarqawi's mob has always pursued a strategy that was about winning a battle of wills with the US. Given public opinion polls about Iraq, and the beating that Bush is taking about New Orleans, they see this is a chance deliver a fatal body-blow to US resolve. They'll try to force a bloody, Fallujah-like battle in Qaim that will be a decisive military loss for them, but a political victory as the Dems and MSM does an utter meltdown and declares that we've lost in Iraq. Irrational reason: Allah has sent a mighty storm to punish the infidels! Now is the time to strike! With His aid, we will destroy the Americans and thier Shia / Kurdish allies! |
| Posted by: Pat Phillips 2005-09-05 15:05 |
| #3 Don't you just LOVE it when they assemble in one place openly? A place that shows up nicely on visual imagery and for which we have the coordinates will mapped? Idiots. Let them get nice and comfy there, so that the leaders settle in .... first. |
| Posted by: lotp 2005-09-05 14:18 |
| #2 All is lost. World ends today v128.3 |
| Posted by: Captain America 2005-09-05 13:01 |
| #1 I screwed up the posting some how. EFL. Also go to the link for the WaPo nifty on-line casualty counter. Not exactly, but close. |
| Posted by: Mrs. Davis 2005-09-05 11:09 |