Reuters: Iraq Clerics Killed in Sectarian Strife

[Hissyspit]

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2005-05-18T042525Z_01_N18581827_RTRIDST_0_INTERNATIONAL-IRAQ-DC.XML

Iraq clerics killed in sectarian strife
Wed May 18, 2005 12:25 AM ET
By Michael Georgy

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Insurgents have assassinated three clerics in Baghdad in an escalating wave of violence that authorities fear is aimed at sparking civil war.

Al Qaeda's wing in Iraq also warned the country's Sunni Arabs to take no part in drafting a new constitution, in another sign militants are trying to fuel sectarian tensions.

Guerrillas shot two Shi'ite clerics in Baghdad on Tuesday.

Mani Hassan, a member of a leading Shi'ite Islamist party, was killed outside his house, and Muwaffaq Mansour was ambushed in his car by gunmen.

MORE AT LINK

[The_Casual_Observer]

1. Insurgents, Al Qaeda wing, militants, guerrillas, gunmen

and a partridge in a pear tree.

[Hissyspit]

2. "Aimed at starting civil war"?

They ARE in civil war! It's a civil war WITH an occupation force.

[oblivious]

3. The Savador Option

Unraveling Iraq’s Secret Militias
Ruthless U.S. tactics are propelling the country toward civil war

According to a report by the Wall Street Journal from February 16, numerous “pop-up militias” thousands strong are proliferating in Iraq. Not only are many of these shadowy militias linked to Iraqi politicians, but the Pentagon is arming, training, and funding them for use in counter-insurgency operations.

Most disturbing, one militia in particular—the “Special Police Commandos”—is being used extensively and has been singled out by a U.S. general for conducting death squad strikes known as the “Salvador option.” The Police Commandos also appear to be a reconstituted Hussein security force operating under the same revived government body, the General Security Directorate, that was formerly tasked with suppressing internal dissent.

...A column by David Ignatius in the February 25 Washington Post notes that Thabit “commands a force of about 10,000 men,” which would make them larger than the British military, the second largest foreign force in Iraq.

http://zmagsite.zmag.org/Images/guptapr0505.html

[LightningFlash]

4. Seems to me they don't want to place a civil government here...

But would rather have a dictatorship with alot of strong-arming, and open free Oil reserves for the United States along with thousands of christian soldiers.