Baghdad on strike against Fallujah offensive

[skooooo]

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/04/11/1081326987895.html

Most of Baghdad closed down yesterday after a prominent religious leader called for a strike to protest against the US military's bloody offensive against insurgents in Fallujah.

Most shops, banks, government ministries and schools across the capital kept their door closed, particularly in the Sunni Muslim neighbourhood of Aadhamiya, in sympathy with the restive town where hundreds have died.

The neighbourhood's main Mustansiriya University was deserted.

Across the city, traffic moved easily along roads which are usually jammed throughout the day.

During his weekly sermon yesterday, prominent Sheikh Harith Sulaiman al-Dhari, a prominent Sunni Mulsim cleric, called for a three-day strike to protest against US army offensives.

[Ohio Dem]

1. This is just a small number of insurgents.

Nothing to see here. Move along now.

[Barrett808]

2. When Sistani calls a general strike, then it wil be mellow n/t

[ex_jew]

6. I bet you he doesn't

Sistani isn't into conflict, even with non-violence. Just my perception.

[daleo]

8. Sistani is canny, but not stupid

He is holding back, but if he looks like he won't respond regardless of the provocation, events will overtake him and a new leader will take his place. While non-violence is admirable, it doesn't look like it will work on the likes of Bush, Cheney, Rummy, etc. These people would have sent an Apache helicopter against Ghandi.

It is in the U.S., that a new Ghandi needs to step up and be heard. If the Kerry of 1971 could just make an appearance.

[0007]

10. The dance is only in it's infancy, slow motion like, Sistani moves

like one doing Tai Chi Chuan.Soon the Whirling Dervish dance will begin with lightning like speed.

The Whirling Dervishes played a vitally important part in the evolution of Ottoman empire.

[aneerkoinos]

9. Non-violent conflict

is exactly what Sistani is into. That's how he nearly got democratic elections in Iraq, but was betrayed by UN (and US and IGC of course).

[sspiderjohn]

3. Punishing the entire city of Fallujah was our HUGE mistake

It's having ramifications not only over all Iraq but across the Middle East and around the world.

[fearnobush]

4. Just a small little skirmish. Yes, we lost more solders last week than

any other week since the start of this conflict, but hay, it's just a few non-believers who hate freedom.
Or, may be it's you Mr. Selected King Bush that hates freedom. May be so many of your own subjects hate you, because it's you...who really hate freedom. God forbid if we had a paper trails for voting accuracy. God forbid if we had a President who could actually read!!!
Wouldn't it be nice if Mr. Bush displayed who smart he was by showing us all his grades from Harvard? Why must they all be blacked out? C- and D+'s I guess.
So I'll just assume that Mr. Bush's GPA was D+.
Get everyone... Bush's GPA - likely a D+
D+ D+ D+ D+ D+ D+ D+ D+ D+ D+ D+ D+ D+ D+ D+ D+ D+ D+ D+ D+ D+ D+ D+

[jimshoes]

7. * has made it acceptable

to be intellectually lazy... preferable even.

[lostnfound]

11. Sometimes I think that explains his appeal

to the freepers etc.

[RedEarth]

5. Sounds like they're winning the hearts and minds of the Iraqi people

....let all the women and children out and then kill all the men in Fallujah.....that will get them over to our side.

[lostnfound]

12. Totally appropriate and possibly effective, IF reported here..

but of course this story comes from Australia, not US press.