US Downplays Civil War Threat in Iraq Despite Horrific Mosque Attack

[sabra]

http://www.aina.org/news/20060222202303.htm

US Downplays Civil War Threat in Iraq Despite Horrific Mosque Attack

State Department (VOA) -- State Department officials are downplaying the prospect of civil warfare in Iraq despite Wednesday's bombing of the Golden Mosque in Samarra which they say was aimed at promoting sectarian conflict. They say the current social tensions are partly a legacy of Saddam Hussein.

The bombing of one the holiest sites in Shi'a Islam led to crisis meetings among senior administration officials and vigorous condemnations of what the White House termed a senseless crime.

...

Briefing reporters, State Department Deputy Spokesman Adam Ereli said Iraq's current religious and ethnic tensions are partly a legacy of 30 years of divide and rule tactics by Saddam Hussein, aggravated more recently by the insurgents.

...

"There are some savage and unprincipled elements out there that are going to stop at nothing, including attacking one of Shi'a Islam's holiest shrines to promote the kind of unrest that the great majority of Iraqis have clearly demonstrated they don't want to see," he said. "I don't call that civil war, I call that attempts to undermine understanding and an emerging compact among Iraqi society for a peaceful political future."

[MGKrebs]

1. Fucking morons.

Sorry.

[uppityperson]

2. I'll second that.

I also read that the administration thinks it may be al qaeda since fomenting discord is what al qaeda wishes to do.

[John Q. Citizen]

3. ISF - It's Saddam's Fault! I wonder what they are saying now that

90 or so Sunni Mosques have been attacked.

Is that also not civil war? And Saddam's fault?

[janx]

4. Yes, 90 mosques is a lot of mosques.

It's out of control.

[CAG]

8. I thought it was all s'posed to be Clinton's fault...:-) nt

[tanyev]

14. Well it's certainly not going to be their own fault.

Never is.

[ewoden]

5. lessons learned or not

"There are some savage and unprincipled elements out there that are going to stop at nothing, including attacking one of Shi'a Islam's holiest shrines to promote the kind of unrest that the great majority of Iraqis have clearly demonstrated they don't want to see," he said. "I don't call that civil war, I call that attempts to undermine understanding and an emerging compact among Iraqi society for a peaceful political future." from above spokesman



"Now we are engaged in a great civil war. . .testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated. . . can long endure." A. Lincoln

Hmm, nope don't seem to have gotten the lession from a hundred and 40 years ago.

[madrchsod]

6. here ya go

http://baghdadtreasure.blogspot.com
http://www.aviraqi.blogspot.com/
http://twentyfourstepstoliberty.blogspot.com/
all these people are young iraqi`s

[USA_1]

7. Question ...

Do we know that it was Sunnis who committed this act?

Do we know that it wasn't CIA or Mossad undercover agents?

[Behind the Aegis]

9. Do we know it wasn't the Romulans?

Seriously, sometimes I really wonder about people. There are other bad people in the world with their own fucking agendas! Not everything is the fault of the US and Israel (saw you had to sneak that in too).

[USA_1]

17. Romulans???

If it had been Sunni Jihadists, why did they wear masks and run away rather than take martyrdom which is their normal course of action. And why burn Korans when it is against their principles to do so?

[Azathoth]

10. Nothing to see here folks, now step away from the charred smoking wreckage

and pay no mind to the Iraqi militias behind us who happen to be slaughtering each other. It's all wine and roses, children and teddy bears here. Did you hear that we just finished building another elementary school in southern Iraq? They don't have water or electricity yet, but hey, you gotta focus on all the good things we're doing, right?

Sigh.

[Hekate]

11. Terry Moran said "civil war" and "tipping point" over & over on Nightline

Terry Moran said "civil war" and "tipping point" over & over on Nightline tonight, as did the people he interviewed. And that, folks, counts as Mainstream Media!

Hekate

[radfringe]

12. which excuse will be used?

ummmmmm--pResident didn't know?

errrr--not to be taken literally?

[auburngrad82]

13. You mean it's not Al Qaeda???

:sarcasm:



Liberal bumper stickers

[against all enemies]

15. Can't you people recognize their "Last Throes" when you see it?

[IndianaGreen]

16. I am surprised they didn't blame Clinton for this fiasco!

Iraq has been in civil war for some time, while we have been in denial fearful that to admit it would lead to demands for troop withdrawals, something that the Republicans and the Democrats don't want.

[PurityOfEssence]

19. No, no: it's Carter's fault

Silly you.

[Roland99]

18. Maybe they're downplaying it because they were behind it?

tinfoil hat time, perhaps:

http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&ct=us/1-0&fp=43ffec1d8c022f2a&ei=uN3_Q--5LcqwaujfwcIC&url=http%3A//www.turkishpress.com/news.asp%3Fid%3D109533&cid=1104526093