Huge Protest in Iraq Demands U.S. Withdraw: Tens of Thousands chant "Death to America"

[Herman Munster]

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/10/world/middleeast/10iraq.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

BAGHDAD, April 9 — Tens of thousands of protesters loyal to Moktada al-Sadr, the Shiite cleric, took to the streets of the holy city of Najaf on Monday in an extraordinarily disciplined rally to demand an end to the American military presence in Iraq, burning American flags and chanting “Death to America!”

Residents said that the angry, boisterous demonstration was the largest in Najaf, the heart of Shiite religious power, since the American-led invasion in 2003. It took place on the fourth anniversary of the fall of Baghdad, and it was an obvious effort by Mr. Sadr to show the extent of his influence here in Iraq, even though he did not appear at the rally. Mr. Sadr went underground after the American military began a new security push in Baghdad on Feb. 14, and his whereabouts are unknown.

Mr. Sadr used the protest to try to reassert his image as a nationalist rebel who appeals to both anti-American Shiites and Sunni Arabs. He established that reputation in 2004, when he publicly supported Sunni insurgents in Falluja who were battling United States marines, and quickly gained popularity among Sunnis across Iraq and the region. But his nationalist credentials have been tarnished in the last year, as Sunni Arabs have accused Mr. Sadr’s militia, the Mahdi Army, of torturing and killing Sunnis.

Iraqi policemen and soldiers lined the path taken by the protesters, and there were no reports of violence during the day. The American military handed security oversight of the city and province of Najaf to the Iraqi government in December, and the calm atmosphere showed that the Iraqi security forces could maintain control, keeping suicide bombers away from an obvious target. In March, when millions of Shiite pilgrims flocked to the holy cities of the south, Iraqi security forces in provinces adjoining Najaf failed to stop bombers from killing scores of them.

[EFerrari]

1. Great. Iraqi "security" forces keep the peace while the crowd

chants "Death to America".

I couldn't imagine a more appropriate outcome.

[Erika]

2. And W and the GOP idiot enablers

think democracy is possible.

[cliss]

3. Muqtada Al Sadr - a very powerful man.

So powerful, that a section of Baghdad was renamed after him - Sadr City.

He is 2nd only after the Ayatollah Ruhollah Al-Sistani who is Iranian. THESE are the real power holders, NOT the sham "government" in Iraq. They are just puppets.
When it was time to vote about 2 years ago (remember the purple fingers?) it was because Al Sistani ordered it, NOT because the US wanted it. And people voted exactly as he wanted them to.

It's my understanding the U.S. advisors basically groveled before Al Sistani. He has never visited personally with any US delegation, though.

[EFerrari]

4. The resistance ramped up when the "coalition" shut down Sadr's paper.

Does anyone remember that?

[Monkeyman]

5. Yep

[TankLV]

6. Democracy on the march! Didn't bunkerboy claim we'd leave if/when they asked us to?!

Seems pretty clear to me what the Iraqis want now...

but maybe I've "missunderstood" something again...

[ClintonTyree]

8. To leave now would send them the wrong message....

mainly that Bush gives a shit about what they want. I mean, who knows more about what the Iraqis want: the Iraqis or George Bush himself? It's plain to see that Bush knows what's good for them and if they weren't so selfish they'd allow Bush carte blanch to do whatever he wants. The NERVE of these people! :sarcasm: George Bush is SO DAMNED GOOD that he can tell what Iraqis want from his pig farm in Crawford better than the Iraqis can standing on their own soil. HE'S THAT DAMNED GOOD! :puke:

[Decruiter]

7. Shades of deja vu ----

Over and over again. Remember Iran in the Carter era? Here it is again. "Death to America". Wonder why?

It is just a g'ded shame we can't learn from our history.

Just wants to make me cry and cry some more. We will never learn.

[Chipper Chat]

9. Wow. The Iraqi people are demonstrating and want us out.

Who could have predicted this?

[bowens43]

10. Winning the hearts and minds........nt

[shaniqua6392]

11. But our soldiers died to make them free......

and now they can burn our flag and want all of us dead. Isn't that wonderful?? :sarcasm:

[B Calm]

12. Iraqi people are surging!!

[NuttyFluffers]

13. what? no flowers? no candy?

but, but, but... i was told differently! i thought iraqis would be gracious hosts, happy to have us there, for years... and years... with no end in sight... ...