Who Benefits from Shia-Sunni strife in Iraq?

Category: Middle East, World Affairs Topics: Baghdad, Conflicts And War, Iraq Views: 4101
4101

The most important question to ask regarding the bombings of the Golden Mosque in Samarra on February 22nd is: Who benefits?

Prior to asking this question, let us note the timing of the bombing. The last few weeks in Iraq have been a PR disaster for the occupiers. 

First, the negative publicity of the video of British soldiers beating and abusing young Iraqis has generated a backlash for British occupation forces they've yet to face in Iraq.

Indicative of this, Abdul Jabbar Waheed, the head of the Misan provincial council in southern Iraq, announced his councils' decision to lift the immunity British forces have enjoyed, so that the soldiers who beat the young Iraqis can be tried in Iraqi courts. Former U.S. proconsul Paul Bremer had issued an order granting all occupation soldiers and western contractors immunity to Iraqi law when he was head of the CPA...but this province has now decided to lift that so the British soldiers can be investigated and tried under Iraqi law.

This deeply meaningful event, if replicated around Iraq, will generate a huge rift between the occupiers and local governments. A rift which, of course, the puppet government in Baghdad will be unable to mend.

The other huge event which drew Iraqis into greater solidarity with one another was more photos and video aired depicting atrocities within Abu Ghraib at the hands of U.S. occupation forces.

The inherent desecration of Islam and shaming of the Iraqi people shown in these images enrages all Iraqis.

In a recent press conference, the aforementioned Waheed urged the Brits to allow members of the provincial committee to visit a local jail to check on detainees; perhaps Waheed is alarmed as to what their condition may be after seeing more photos and videos from Abu Ghraib.

Waheed also warned British forces that if they didn't comply with the demands of the council, all British political, security and reconstruction initiatives will be boycotted.

Basra province has already taken similar steps, and similar machinations are occurring in Kerbala.

Basra and Misan provinces, for example, refused to raise the cost of petrol when the puppet government in Baghdad, following orders from the IMF, decided to recently raise the cost of Iraqi petrol at the pumps several times last December.

The horrific attack which destroyed much of the Golden Mosque generated sectarian outrage which led to attacks on over 50 Sunni mosques. Many Sunni mosques in Baghdad were shot, burnt, or taken over. Three Imams were killed, along with scores of others in widespread violence.

This is what was shown by western corporate media.

As quickly as these horrible events began, they were called to an end and replaced by acts of solidarity between Sunni and Shia across Iraq.

This, however, was not shown by western corporate media.

The Sunnis where the first to go to demonstrations of solidarity with Shia in Samarra, as well as to condemn the mosque bombings. Demonstrations of solidarity between Sunni and Shia went off over all of Iraq: in Basra, Diwaniyah, Nasiriyah, Kut, and Salah al-Din.

Thousands of Shia marched shouting anti-American slogans through Sadr City, the huge Shia slum area of Baghdad, which is home to nearly half the population of the capital city. Meanwhile, in the primarily Shia city of Kut, south of Baghdad, thousands marched while shouting slogans against America and Israel and burning U.S. and Israeli flags.

Baghdad had huge demonstrations of solidarity, following announcements by several Shia religious leaders not to attack Sunni mosques.

Attacks stopped after these announcements, coupled with those from Sadr, which I'll discuss shortly.

Shia cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani, shortly after the Golden Mosque was attacked, called for "easing things down and not attacking any Sunni mosques and shrines," as Sunni religious authorities called for a truce and invited everyone to block the way of those trying to generate a sectarian war.

Sistani's office issued this statement: "We call upon believers to express their protest ... through peaceful means. The extent of their sorrow and shock should not drag them into taking actions that serve the enemies who have been working to lead Iraq into sectarian strife."

Shiite religious authority Ayatollah Hussein Ismail al-Sadr warned of the emergence of a sectarian strife "that terrorists want to ignite between the Iraqis" by the bombings and said, "The Iraqi Shiite authority strenuously denied that Sunnis could have done this work."

He also said, "Of course it is not Sunnis who did this work; it is the terrorists who are the enemies of the Shiites and Sunni, Muslims and non Muslims. They are the enemies of all religions; terrorism does not have a religion." 

He warned against touching any Sunni Mosque, saying, "our Sunni brothers' mosques must be protected and we must all stand against terrorism and sabotage." He added: 'The two shrines are located in the Samarra region, which [is] predominantly Sunni. They have been protecting, using and guarding the mosques for years, it is not them but terrorism that targeted the mosques..."

He ruled out the possibility of a civil war while telling a reporter, "I don't believe there will a civil or religious war in Iraq; thank God that our Sunni and Shiite references are urging everyone to not respond to these terrorist and sabotage acts. We are aware of their attempts as are our people; Sistani had issued many statements [regarding this issue] just as we did."

The other, and more prominent Sadr, Muqtada Al-Sadr, who has already lead two uprisings against occupation forces, held Takfiris [those who regard other Muslims as infidels], Ba'thists, and especially the foreign occupation responsible for the bombing attack on the Golden Mosque in Samarra. 

Sadr, who suspended his visit to Lebanon and cancelled his meeting with the president there, promptly returned to Iraq in order to call on the Iraqi parliament to vote on the request for the departure of the occupation forces from Iraq. 

"It was not the Sunnis who attacked the shrine of Imam Al-Hadi, God's peace be upon him, but rather the occupation [forces] and Ba'athists...God damn them. We should not attack Sunni mosques. I ordered Al-Mahdi Army to protect the Shi'i and Sunni shrines."

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader of Iran, urged Iraqi Shia not to seek revenge against Sunni Muslims, saying there were definite plots "to force the Shia to attack the mosques and other properties respected by the Sunni. Any measure to contribute to that direction is helping the enemies of Islam and is forbidden by sharia.""

Instead, he blamed the intelligence services of the U.S. and Israel for being behind the bombs at the Golden Mosque. 

British Prime Minister Tony Blair stated that those who committed the attack on the Golden Mosque "have only one motive: to create a violent sedition between the Sunnis and the Shiites in order to derail the Iraqi rising democracy from its path."

Well said Mr. Blair, particularly when we keep in mind the fact that less than a year ago in Basra, two undercover British SAS soldiers were detained by Iraqi security forces whilst traveling in a car full of bombs and remote detonators.

Jailed and accused by Muqtada al-Sadr and others of attempting to generate sectarian conflict by planting bombs in mosques, they were broken out of the Iraqi jail by the British military before they could be tried.

Dahr Jamail is one of the few independent US journalists who has spent considerable time  in Iraq. His dispatches are recognized as an important media resource and he is now writing for the Inter Press Service, The Asia Times and many other outlets. His reports have also been published with The Nation, The Sunday Herald, Islam Online, the Guardian and the Independent to name just a few. Dahr's dispatches and hard news stories have been translated into French, Polish, German, Dutch, Spanish, Japanese, Portuguese, Chinese, Arabic and Turkish. On radio as well as television, Dahr reports for Democracy Now!, the BBC, and numerous other stations around the globe.


  Category: Middle East, World Affairs
  Topics: Baghdad, Conflicts And War, Iraq
Views: 4101

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Older Comments:
NAJJAR FROM MOROCCO said:
Assalamou alaikoum Akhi Zinedine. Jazzak Allah Khairan. You are correct. I am in fact a wood worker, thus the screen name I choose. I liked your analogy, but honestly it has never been my intention to use my saw on anyone's head, far from that, dear brother. I just try to understand the way some people think (if they ever do) and advance statements that contradict they stand on issues at hand. I was only trying to use the debaters reasoning and see where and how far their own logic will take them. I must admit that it was a courteous response from D. Thomas, but I had to move on because it was nothing else but like a fish coated with soap, on top of being elusive, or as we say in our popular language "houta madhouna bi saboon", Although there is always a way to pin down this kind of species, but sometimes one wonders if it worth valuable time? There are times when we can only shake our heads at the absurdity and move on. May Allah bless you and yours and may HE keep you all healthy.
2006-04-10

HUDD FROM CANADA said:
Jesus Christ,Doin Phine! What the heck are you saying? You have no knowledge of Islam, all you know is from propaganda and the misinterpretations you assume by reading Quran unprepared or from spurious sources. A lesson for you in sharia. Any Muslim society will choose shariah as law. There isn't a book called shariah at the level of the Quran or Bible, if you will. Shariaa is the result of a process. The starting point is the Quran, where things like:"Male and female has He(God) created them; equal members of one another" are mentioned. The American Constitution stated that every man is equal under the law. How on earth was black slavery tolerated then? Maybe now you begin to understand or I will for ever believe that you were hopelessly retarded. The Shariah is drawn from the Quran as well as laws are drawn from the Constitution. Problem is that either the shariah or certain laws have no connection to the Quran or Constitution. Muslims are not following Quran in its entirety, unfortunately, but introduce local or tribal practices in the body of law,i.d.,shariah thus creating very so often a shariah that is almost if not entirely illegal according to the Quran. The men that wanted to introduce shariah for Muslims in Ontario were very enlightened. They wanted to create an Ontarian shariah based solely on Quran and authentic hadiths. It would have been a prototype for all Islamic world of a right and truthful shariah. Ontarian Muslims would have shown the whole world the differnce between a true Islamic shariah and a claimed Islamic shariah. But the enamies of Islam doidn't want this truth to come out but continue in their vilan propagation of Islamophobia in the direction of maintaining that Islam was backwood and unpracticle. All this in order to convince Muslims to forego Islam and follow the Western pattern of life and thought. Doin Phine, read my lips:"It won't happen!" Islam is here to stay and prosper whether you accept it or not. Muslims are everywhere!
2006-03-16

DOIN PHINE said:
Hi Hudd, hope you are doing well, happy to see that you find Canada better then any Muslim country, on that part I can agree. Sorry but I can judge Sharia law if I want, and it is primitive, unjust and biased in favor of men. I have the right to judge it because some less enlightned people have tried to bring it to Canada. Remember Canada your favorite country. I also have the right to judge Islam and the actions of the followers of Islam.

I think the efforts of Canada in Afghanistan are noble, but also naive and doomed to failure. If the Western community succeeds it will be a miracle, which will be hard for me to accept since I'm an atheist!

About Khomeini you say first that he said commendable things, but then you say you wouldn't follow them, sorry but I don't follow. Anyway we agree he was a hypocrite!

I also agree with you if I tried to free Iran of Sharia law I would be dead, and probably beaten and tortured just like the Canadian journalist! I see that you didn't disagree with me that Iran is a facist state, and which if you like it or not is also a Muslim country!
2006-03-14

DOIN PHINE said:
Its funny but in the Kurdish part of Iraq things are going very well. If it was going as well as this in the rest of Iraq, the occupying forces would of left by now. This just proves that it is a Sunni-Shia problem with no end in sight because it has been going on so long. The only people who benefit from this Shia-Sunni violence are the people who don't want a Democracy and Freedom as we have in the West. This is because in the Koran, it is not permitted to "imitate" the infidels.

Some Sunnis and Shias are moving to the Kurdish part of Iraq due to the security and peace, which just proves that the average Iraqi wants peace and security and it is the terrorits who are destroying Iraq.
2006-03-14

AHMED ASGHER FROM BAHRAIN said:
it seems that your views are formed by the extremes as in equal distribution curve, since by association you are with those on the extremes of this curve and seem to ignore the majority who lie in the middle of the curve and they normally stay home, far away from your reach, sadly. again look whose has interferred in whose affairs for the last 100 years and no need to go further coz it gets murkier. if you but try to put yourself at the receiving end of such interference then you might have some understanding. my sincerity for brotherhood of man is deeply rooted in my upbringing and all i can say to you is smile and hope that one day you will have a similar heart to like those who you do not understand. i have 2 brothers and one sister and we are all married to foreigners including christians and none arabs. this is not to prove anything to anyone but to debunk your theory that you can not judge a book by its cover. read it all BUT with an open mind. there is a reason why any human being re-acts the way they do and once the reason is known then the problem is solved. don't judge an entire people by the actions of few. i can't change your mind but i will bid you peace.
2006-03-14

HUDD FROM CANADA said:
My,my,Doin Phine,you are alive? I'm 'doin phine',brother. Hope you are doing great too, now that Stevie Harper payed a visit to Afghanistan. I believe an early election would be called for and the Liberals or the NDP would repossess the parlement, God willing. Otherwise I see our brave young Canadians coming home in body-bags. Not a pretty site.

What do you know about Imam Khomeini? What I quoted from him was generous. What you quoted from Nitzsche was spurious. I could say this, there were several things Imam Khomeini said that were commendable. Unfortunately there were too many discrepancies between what he preached and what he practiced. One reason among a carload of other grievances he produced that I wouldn't follow his teaching,but nontheless I'd quote that which he meant as good and is good.

My friend, do not put your words into my mouth, they stink! Are you flossing? I didn't say Iran was a great place to live. If you followed me saying anything of a place being great that was Canada. I wouldn't exchange Canada for any country. Whether high or low, Canada is my home, all I love and care for most is here in the great city of Toronto!

What Iran really is cannot be said in a blunt sentence like yours:"Iran is a facist country or some people would call Islamofacist." Islamophascist is an oxymoron, like you would say a "beligerent pacifist". Any regime pleases some and grieves others. Pro-Khomeini Iran pleased the prostitutes,the charlatans,the thieves,the imoral and the decadent. Nowadays Iran displeases those people. Although having a hard line political agenda Iran still pleases more people than Persia. And what is most important,Iran is a Muslim country. Shariah is not for you to judge. You are not an Iranian subject living under that constitution. If you were you could attempt to attack the validity of any of its practices with incriminating evidence from the Quran. I don't think you would live it through,but you'll be definitely a martyr.
P
2006-03-14

PAUL FROM BRITAIN said:
Erm - After reading the article, I'm nearly speechless for once. Surely it was written for a reaction from the nodding green heads?

The article stretches the limit of 'responsible journalism' and its suggested conclusion is pure fantasy.

How does 'Divide and Rule' equal 'Inclusive Democracy'?

To the inane conspiracy theorists & 'nodding green heads to the right,' I say "Slobodan Milosevic - he was poisoned by the West."

'Erm, Ah, erm'.

Peace for the troubled mind.
2006-03-14

D. THOMAS said:
To ahmed asgher, thanks for your mostly polite reply to my comments. I don't know how you can make statements about my personal relationships however. No I have never lived in a Muslim country, but I have had friends who were Muslim, and they are from Lebanon and Iran. I also have talked to Westerners who have lived in Algeria and Morocco for many years. Actually my present girlfriend is an ex-Muslim, and she is a source of much knowledge and comfort to me. I'm a student of the world like you and enjoy reading about Islam and Muslims. Also I made acquaintance with a Nigerian Christian, and he explained his countries situation with Islam. Which closely resembles the Philippines situation with Islam, which I have many Filipino friends.

Your call to brotherhood rings hollow to me, with what I have read, seen, been told, and discussed with Muslims. I know you will say that it is because I only get the Western viewpoint. But that is not true, and reading pro-Islam sites/books/news/propaganda have been confirmation to me on my beliefs.

You talk about me expanding my brotherhood, how outrageous. In Islam, for me to be your brother I would have to be a Muslim, because it is written in the Koran that Muslims can't have non-Muslim friends! For me however, I don't make a distinction based on religion, sex, sexual orientation, race, or politic viewpoint. The only distinction I make is that my friend doesn't want to blow me up!

Just for fun you talk about having mixed sunni-shia in your family. In my extended family I have 7 different nationalities, and we all have a great time, and we don't worry about "imitating" each other, as is forbidden in the Koran. Actually we take great joy in learning and benefiting from each others cultural background.

Whoever blames the West for Shia-Sunni conflict, is sticking their head in the sand.
2006-03-13

AHMED ASGHER FROM BAHRAIN said:
thomas. firstlky the only reason i referred to myself as shia is to show you that in our wider community there was not such thing as shite ans sunni. secondly i listed some facts gained thro my 56 years of existance and travel, speaking to variety of cultures and living with them extended periods. there are two types of knowledge. one you acquire thro reading or by association. the other thro experience. i venture to say that you have not lived in any muslim countries or understood their culture first hand. but i have lived for over 25 years amongst western people of all colours as well as asians, africans and none arabs muslims. to divide people into lots your book-educated brain understands is to do injustice to humanity. it pays to elevate oneself to brotherhood of man but it may be a challenge for you even to live amongst others for longer than weeks. but it would a very worthwhile excercixe if you choose to expand your brotherhood. i have read a lot of phoilosophy and there is far more knowledge and wisdom contained in a grain of sand my friend, if you but contemplate that grain.
2006-03-12

DOIN PHINE said:
Hi Hudd, hope you are doing well. When I quoted "Nietzsche" you gave me a hard time because of his beliefs and now I see you are quoting "Imam Khomeini". So do you agree with everthing he has said/done or just this quote? Thanks. ;-)

Yes you are right Iran is a great place to live. I talked to an Iranian woman who has left Iran, and I don't think she would agree with you. Iran is a facist country or some people would call Islamofacist. I think there are a lot of people who were happy when change came to Iran, who now find out that it is worst with even less liberties. But the Iron fist keeps the people down, and if you try you are put in your place by the brutal Sharia law and the goons of the gov't.
2006-03-10

D. THOMAS said:
A Call for Shia Sunni Dialog: Why and How
1/13/2006 - Religious Social - Article Ref:
By: Abdul Malik Mujahid

Read this article and put the responsability where it lies. To blame the West for Shia-Sunni strife is the thinking of losers, and people who want to manipulate it for something that it is not. This strife has been going on much much longer then the existance of Western intereaction with the Middle East.
2006-03-10

HUDD FROM CANADA said:
Imam Khomeini had said:"Whoever differenciates between a Shiite and a Sunite is against Iran and an enamy of Islam." There were many negative things claimed to this great personality, but hey, who could boast with what he achieved? He won back the American colony of Persia to Islam. That my friends is enough to gain our respect across all unfavourable lots.

My Islamic make-up accommodates both Suni and Shia. I belong to the most recent trend in the Islamic school of thought: which follows all that is common in the five schools: Hanafi,Sha'afi,Malaki,Hanbali and Ethna-'asharah. That which differs is optional. I understand that there are extremistic views in some trends in both Suni and Shia. However, those followers are in minority and they could not pose the threat presented by the Western media. I have friends, both Suni and Shia . I felt no rancour from the side of the Shia, nor rebuffal from the side of the Salafi. This is an indication to me that down under deep beneath the skin we are brothers and we can live in peace and prosper. Hatred is propagated by the hate-mongers and in my experience there are no greater hate-masters than the Zionists! Just listen to the Israeli media or ask an innocent question in the streets of Israel about Muslims and especially about Arabs. What you will hear will make your hair stand up and your skin run with goosebumps! I think the Nazi Germans referred to the Jews similarly as the Israelis refer to the Arabs. There is the birth place of HATE: Eretz Israel! Thus the godly task of the Israelis would be to kill the mechanism of hate that harbours in their hearts! They are the protected by USA & UK, the onus is on them to extend their hand to a people they have decimated,killed and humiliated for over 60 years! War needs hate to function. Stop the hate in any form, be that defamation of prophets,dehumanization of Arabs or Islamophobia.
Peace out!
2006-03-10

BOHARI MASHLI FROM MALAYSIA said:
The iraqi has been played into the hand of the devil right from Saddam Hussein time. They want to obliterate the entire of iraqi population for the sake of their ancestors dream.
2006-03-10

YAHYA BERGUM FROM USA said:
The invasion seems to have benefited al Qaida more than most others. So by that was it their idea?

The invasion and subsequent occupation continue to cost Americans dearly in terms of loss of life, increasing demands on military personnel, lost economic opportunities, resistance to foreign trade, soaring fuel prices, diminished ease of travel and so forth. So by that did Americans have nothing to do with the present state of affairs in Iraq?

Hopefully one can see how reliance on inaccurate assertions and exaggerated reports - or whatever else you wish to call such things - has increasingly disadvantaged those who invaded Iraq in the first place. So why would any such behavior be perceived as some sort of formula for success? Who benefits from having made false claims during effective appeals for public action or more to the point for action on the part of a republic? More often than not it seems to be someone other than those who made such claims.

Personally I'm thinking the long-term victors in Iraq will be the kind who value honesty. And who practice patience. But then of course who really knows for certain what the future holds for any of us wherever we are?
2006-03-10

D. THOMAS said:
To ahmed asgher, The bombing of Japan by the US, has no similarities sorry but,thats a no go. Then you rant against Western Media and in the same breath talk about the UN reports on Iraq's WMDs, totally incoherent. Hello, the Western Media did report the fact that the UN reports said there were no WMDs. So the point you are trying to make is of no value. Actually you prove the opposite! So all I have to say is keep your arguements coming, because they aren't helping your own belief system.

Concerning your second comment, the conflict between Muslims is so well documented, why do you even try to argue the point. I find it great that your family has intermariage between Shias and Sunnis, I think that gives great hope to the future. I wish you and your family well by the way. Of course if you listen to the #2 guy in Al-Quada he doesn't think Shias are even Muslim. Also it is also well known fact that Saudi's don't consider non Saudi Muslims as equals.
2006-03-10

ZINEDINE FROM MOROCCO said:
Salaamu alaikum,

I did read Salahdeen's comments and in fact I read everyone comment before I write a word. This is my habit. I do this so that I don't have to repeat what others have already said. Better than that I don't need to read Salahdin's comments because what he says is a known fact and there is no need to have it repeated. besides I am just trying to correct misconceptions and for knowledge I see the facts and learn my lessons from the Quran. It has answered all my questions.
My advise to you is to read very carefully what I said again. If you still don't understand it then read what Najjar & Ahmed Asghar said know very well that Iraqi society is a tribal society and not a sectarian society i.e Northern Ireland.
2006-03-10

AHMED ASGHER FROM BAHRAIN said:
by the way thomas: i was born shia but in my larger family there are many sunni brides and we have given our daughters to sunni men. sure there is a historical rift between us but never to kill each other. never. why does your western powers of today take advangae of this rift? i tell you why because those powers invented the policy of 'divide and rule'. kashmir, pakistan, kuwait, afghanistan, africa, asia, palestine, now iraq, next iran. since the advent of zionists, the west had never stopped colonising others. these days it is done under UN flag but we all know who is behind it. sure the masses suffer and they are ignorant and some follow their pent-up frustrations and passions of years of deprivation ALL supported and abetted by Britan/USA/France with their historical interference in our countries. Try reading some history please. We lived thro it but you try reading it with an open heart. ignorance is not a virtue to presist on.
2006-03-09

AHMED ASGHER FROM BAHRAIN said:
thomas: here is what you wrote: "I do believe that while it is possible that there were no WMDs in Iraq during the time of the invasion, they were definitely used by Saddam in the past, and it could be argued that he would use them in the future, for me that is enough." You could apply the same argument against US since it nuked Japan but who is there to take US to task? and who gave saddam those weapons? besides you are like all others who read western media and take it as gospel. have you not read all the un inspector reports and those iraq scientists who defected saddam's regime? they all confirmed that all iraqi wmd had been destroyed. google for PNAC and try reading it to see that those neocons had this planned. next stop for them is iran and just take a look at how they are using the same lies and would not hear one bar of iran's justification which is their right under npt which they signed, yet israel had never done so but they continue to weave intellectual words for brains like yours who swallows them like hungry fish, line, hook and sinker. tel me how many arab or muslim military camps are there in the west? how many of our soldiers roam your cities? and drop DU bombs on your cities? why does us now support india's nukes against all npt promises that america had signed? my friend you are barking at the wrong tree!!
2006-03-09

D. THOMAS said:
To Najjar, thanks for the read on my comment. I will try to respond the best I can. Personally I never made these claims, and it is not my government since I'm not American. However I do believe that while it is possible that there were no WMDs in Iraq during the time of the invasion, they were definitely used by Saddam in the past, and it could be argued that he would use them in the future, for me that is enough. If Saddam would use WMDs on his own people he would certainly use it on anybody if given half a chance. Look at Saddam's behavior during his war with Kuwait. His behavior was disgusting. If the West had not pushed, he certainly would have had them when the invasion did happen. Anyway I will let you defend Saddam if you wish. Personally I believe that it was a naive mistake for Bush to try to put in place a democracy in Iraq. With hundreds of years of hatred between Sunnis, Shias and Kurds, it is mission impossible. I remember along time ago when I was a youngster a Muslim friend told me that there were two kinds of Muslims and they don't get along, now I understand.
To Zinedine, for every action there is a reaction. Try to figure that riddle. ;-). A hint read the comment of Salahdin.
To the editors, does comment Ref: 36140 comply with your rules, just wondering. Sounds a little violent to me.
2006-03-09

ZINEDINE FROM MOROCCO said:
Salaamu alaikum, especially my Moroccan fellow country man Najjar.

Najjar means carpenter and you have indeed used your skills and your saw & intellectually ...

Thomas never stick to the issues discussed in articles, he goes on & on to play the devil advocate all the time. You know well that most Muslims don't hate the west or white peoples. The majority of us Muslims hate Western govs not the masses. We hate their international policies towards Muslims and we simply want them to mind their damned business. A 5 year old will understand this if you two D.Thomas find & TGraff find it too hard to understand. Go vote or protest and ask your criminal liberators to stop invading Muslim lands. Tell them to stay in your...countries.
2006-03-09

SALAHDIN FROM USA said:
Salaam:
There are various issues that are occuring around the world but if we look at it from the islamic perspective than the finger should be pointed towards no other than, well, us. God says that he does not change the condition of people unless they change whats within themselves. If they persist, than God will replace them with a better nation who prospers and upholds Gods word and cultivates the earth, not increase and spread fitnah or take part in killing people (or the Noble Prophets (pbuh) words 'Harj'). The condition of todays Muslim world revolves around being nice to oneself yet being harsh towards others, but the orginal great Muslims had the theory of being good and nice towards others yet being harsh towards oneself. Hope this opinion helps.
2006-03-08

NAJJAR FROM MOROCCO said:
D. Thomas, you quoted Sagan's famous phrase, you are right, I could not agree more with you. Now, you just invited me to challenge you to produce for us, RIGHT HERE AND RIGHT NOW your "extraordinary evidence" of Iraq's Weapon of Mass Destruction and all other "extraordinary claims" you and your governments have made.

Intelligent and aware person like you must be too reasonable and too proud not to post any other comment on this web site until we obtain your extraordinary evidence to your extraordinary claims. I am certain that you believe that this is fair enough? I am counting on your honor.

By the way, I am confident that you will always use the same screen name "D. Thomas" on this web site. But then again, I am an equal opportunity debater, and this challenge is for any one else who shares your reasoning.

I am waiting, please do not delay and do not disappear for too long. My shortcoming is impatience with intellectuals like you.
2006-03-08

HANNAHZARAH AVARRASCHILD FROM USA said:
My reaction to the bombing was one of who really benifits by it. The answer of course is the occupying forces and their puppet government. One of the oldest tatics around to keep an occupied population under control is to create divisions between them. A divided people can't fight back if they are busy fighting each other.
2006-03-08

NATIVE FROM USA said:
Finally a good article on Islamicity stating how things really are!
2006-03-08

NAJJAR FROM MOROCCO said:
Assalamou Alaikoum, To everyone and in particular to the Iraqis: Every time sabotage and shameful acts like this take place, blame only the American and her filthy rats. Point your fingers and your GUNS at anyone who is there to work for the American criminals, be it the Iraqis Muppets or Danish and Japanese mercenaries, or any stupid Arab diplomats that accepted to be there while the country is still under humiliating and criminal occupation. If you don't, then you are committing greater crime against your own brothers and sisters. Wassalam
2006-03-08

KHAN FROM USA said:
Dear brothers & Sisters :

There was no doubt about this and other violence on muslims are done directly/indirectly by non-belivers to turn the attention off, to stay long & have perm.military bases, to further divide the muslims,muslim countries including into 3 parts-sunnis, Shiites, Kurdish states(as INDIA).

We need an United/International ISLAMIC Organisation/Nation & MEDIA to monitor the non-belivers as they monitor us thru UN & NATO.

We can solve our issues too thru the same Islamic Commission consisting of IMAMS of Aqsa, Kaaba ,Medina & great people in all fields.

They do not want the muslim countries to progress/prosper in any field & want us to depend totally on them. They have global plans only against muslim-countries, resources, economy, islamic scholars & institutions and so on.

But the GOD/ALLAH is a GREAT planner and HAS great Universal plans for everybody and HIS UNIVERSE.
2006-03-08

D. THOMAS said:
I doubt this article. Then again, maybe this person is right, maybe all Shia-Sunni violence past and present is actually done by undercover agents of the the "Great Satan" otherwise known as Western secular society. But then again didn't the #2 guy in Al Quada, soon to be #1 say something about Shia's not even being Muslim. Oh yes and what about the bombing of the wedding in Jordan we could all see that the failed female suicide bomber was an undercover spy, and not that convincing at that! Well you have to have somebody to blame, so the West must be it. Of course! Sure right, I agree with the article, it must be right, the evidence is so convincing. Don't believe the obvious when we can blame the West!
2006-03-07

AMEER FROM USA said:
Good article. The world can never win the war against the media so therefore there is no trying to do that. However, the Oppressed can win the war with actions and good actions. Patience is stressed and reliance upon God makes u blessed, so no forces can harm in the external and internal view, everything backfires and truth will come out.
2006-03-07

TGRAFF FROM UNITED STATES OF AMERICA said:
This is purely propaganda in accordance with all that is wrong with the sunni and shiite sects inabilities to come to terms with their differences in the power sharing---blame the liberators and not the desenters in their own ranks. Just another attempt to falsify the truth--these two parties will not accept resposibilities for the great divide, but prefer to blame others because they themselves have no controls over their own peoples and the acts of violence they perpetuate on each other.Truth is somtimes the hardest thing to face. Stop the LIES. Enough is Enough!!! Liberty takes honesty if it is to succeed. All people lose when lies are substituted for facts
2006-03-07

NA FROM US said:
Golden Mosque in Samarra on February 22nd who benfits from this, Of course the US/Israeli.
Keep the two fighting or causing a civil war and
rest is history. The old British policy - divide and conquer. US benfits from Oil and Israeli
from giving up the land it's wants and needs to home the Jews.
2006-03-07

BOHARI BIN MASHLI FROM MALAYSIA said:
We know all along who is the devil behind these, not the Sunni or Syiah. We will never believe until doomday the Sunni and Syiah will do these devil acts. Allah will sack you out from Iraq.
2006-03-07

BASHAR SALEH FROM KOLKATA, INDIA said:
The question is who started all these rurmoils in Iraq. Definitely, USA wants to to save its position and to wrigle out by creating any kind of turmoils. And then to fish in the troubled water. This is actually the the work of most wiccked nation in the world.
2006-03-07