U.S.: Cleric Urges Iraqis Not to Hinder Invaders

Post-9/11 Era Forum

Thu April 3, 2003 07:39 AM ET
AS SAYLIYA CAMP, Qatar (Reuters) - A U.S. commander in the Gulf said on Thursday that a prominent Shi'ite Muslim cleric in the holy city of Najaf had issued an edict urging Iraqis to remain calm and not to hinder U.S. invading forces.
"A prominent cleric, Grand Ayatollah Sistani, who had been placed under house arrest by the regime for a considerable period of time, issued a fatwa," Brig. Gen. Vincent Brooks told a news conference in Qatar.

"And it was done this morning, instructing the population to remain calm and to not interfere with coalition actions. We believe this is a very significant turning point and another indicator that the Iraqi regime is approaching its end."

A Reuters correspondent in Baghdad just one week ago saw a fatwa issued by Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani still pinned to the door of a main Shi'ite mosque in the capital saying Iraqis would "stand together against any invasion."

Interesting......as significant as this is, I notice none of the anti war folks are here to celebrate the first "fatwa" declared in favor of coalition forces. This is the first of many small realities which will become more commonplace in the coming weeks.
Bad news for the "doom and gloom" crowd.

I agree with you there Gdog. As this plays out the anti coalitioners will become more and more nasty since they are on the wrong side morally and literally.

Eventually, they'll see their arguments fall apart. They wont acknowledge this, they will move on to bashing the reconstruction efforts. If that goes well, they'll move on to N.Korea, the deficit, Iran, China,......etc.

The anti war people will only say it's a lie from the American media. their's is not any better - should have seen this Russian media i was reading. the most bias thing I have read yet.

www.iraqwar.ru

check out their intel reports

apparently 3rd ID and 1st Marines have already been destroyed several times over...

If someone has time, please add up their casualty reports, destroyed M1A2's, Bradley's, APC's etc.

There is one report/day.

and I am looking for what?

They have daily intel reports on action in Iraq.

If you read them they seem to claim that dozens of US tanks/APC's destroyed, and hundreds and hundreds killed.

It just a wee bit biased site.

okay, i was reading some of it and yeah, it is biased and one sided.
People say that about American media, but we here from both sides many times - not just one.

The site seems Geared towards Arabs - With the statements it makes, it appears it's just trying to appease them.