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Politics : Idea Of The Day -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: IQBAL LATIF who wrote (43956)	4/3/2003 6:53:03 PM
From: IQBAL LATIF	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 50167

Encountering "almost no Iraqi opposition," the US forces swept into Baghdad airport in pitch darkness, on late Thursday night, securing it with ground forces and armored units, the ABC news website reported. An AFP correspondent, however, quoted a military source as saying that the coalition forces took partial control of the Saddam International Airport, 20 miles (12 kilometres) south-west of Baghdad. The forces launched the assault on Baghdad's Saddam

To: IQBAL LATIF who wrote (43956)	4/3/2003 8:46:28 PM
From: Sajjad	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 50167

I notice some comments and wanted to point out a few things Firstly let us not jump to quick conclusions, undermining the importance of certain elements quickly especially a figure like the Ayatollah Sistani. Secondly he never said to the help the US forces, he simply said not be a part of the war. Though the US armed forces and the media are still circulating it as a big story. It obviously has importance. Ayatollah Ali Sistani is a very powerful figure and holds more power for not just the people there but in Iran and Shias around the world. If an illiterate mullah has the power to incite religious zealousness, ayatollah has a much bigger power and leverage to hit that nerve. He has the valid powers to provide “Fatwa” that could be a binding edict on millions. Thirdly, the Ayatollah’s blessing will be needed especially now, not later, in order to get things under control. Realizing this aspect, even Brig. Gen. Vincent Brooks told reporters in Qatar specifically this to be an important event. Intelligence forces realize the power of this man. Read below: “Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani was also likely to ease tensions around Iraq's holy cities of Najaf and Kerbala, scenes of tough fighting earlier in the week, and to limit the risk of clashes between ordinary believers and U.S.-led soldiers. "Neither the occupying army nor the local officials, in the presence of such an ayatollah, have authority more legitimate than his," said Hamid Dabashi, a professor at Columbia University and an expert on the Shi'ites and their world.” My Comment: Under shia law, he could have said this specifically in order to do “Takkiya” to protect the sanctity of the shrines so no confrontation takes place inside the city

To: IQBAL LATIF who wrote (43956)	5/29/2003 11:28:47 PM
From: Bilow	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 50167

Hi IQBAL LATIF; Re: "As Baghdad is about to fall and Ayotallah of Najaf issues fatwa to help coalition in present ground realties I can only say see the equivalence to North Vietnam if Hanoi was about to fall and Giap had issued a 'fatwa' to help the US forces. The end game starts on the 14th day." (1) The fatwa was not to "help" US forces, but instead not to get in their way. (2) The guy who gave it is dead now, killed by the Iraqis themselves. (3) Hanoi was the capital city of the Vietnamese. Cairo or Riyadh is the capital city of the Arabs, so your comparison fails logically. Our problem in Vietnam was that Vietnamese speaking rebels, supported out of parts of Vietnam that we did not occupy, supported the rebels in South Vietnam. Similarly, our (long term) problem in Iraq is that Arab speakers outside of Iraq will support rebels in Iraq against us. The basic problem is that peoples who share a language tend to help each other out against foreigners. Other examples of this abound. The German speaking parts of Europe supported Hitler. The English speaking parts of the world have a long history of mutual support. The ancient Greek colonies united against Persia. That the Arabs would do the same thing against us as they did against Israel (that is, provide support to rebels in occupied territories) was entirely predictable. -- Carl