Reply #1: More Here:

[WillyT]

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Earlier on Saturday, thousands of Shiites rallied in the holy city of Najaf to protest the nearly 12-hour detention of the eldest son of Iraq's most influential Shiite politician as he crossed back from Iran.

Amar al-Hakim, who was taken into custody on Friday, complained Saturday that U.S. soldiers handcuffed and blindfolded him before his release and "strongly abused" his bodyguards.

"Is this the way to deal with a national figure? This does not conform with Iraq's sovereignty," he said.

He said cell phones, licensed weapons and two-way radios were among items confiscated.

"It is not a question of offering apologies," the black-turbaned cleric told reporters in Najaf, about 100 miles south of Baghdad. "We need clear and honest measures to prevent such incidents from happening again."

Even though U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad issued a rapid apology, the decision to hold al-Hakim — and his complaints about his detention — risk touching off a backlash from Shiite leaders at a time when their cooperation is needed most to keep a major security sweep through Baghdad from unraveling. At least 13 people died in attacks on Saturday in the capital, including five in a suicide car bombing at the headquarters of the political party headed by al-Hakim's father.

It also highlights the often knotty relationship between U.S. military authorities and Iraq's leaders, whose ties to neighboring patrons — Syria backing Sunnis, and Iran acting as big brother to majority Shiites — add fuel to sectarian rivalries and bring recriminations from Washington about alleged arms smuggling and outside interference.

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Link: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070224/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq;_ylt=AkiQOUF9KeJPivggPm3TLa2s0NUE

What the HELL are we doing???

:banghead: