U.S. and Iraqi forces raid leading Shiite mosque in Baghdad

[Rose Siding]

BAGHDAD, Iraq - A U.S. military spokesman on Thursday hailed a joint American-Iraqi raid on Baghdad's leading Shiite Muslim mosque as proof of that the Baghdad security plan is being applied evenly against all sides of the country's sectarian divide.

The raid, which took place Wednesday, angered the mosque's imam, who took the unusual step of canceling Friday prayer services at the historic Baratha mosque, where, Shiites believe, Muhammad's son-in-law, Ali, converted a Christian missionary to Islam in the seventh century.

Sheik Jalal al-Din al-Saghir, a member of parliament from the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq, denounced the raid, which the U.S. military said had turned up a cache of illegal weapons. The Supreme Council is one of Iraq's largest political parties and part of its governing coalition.

Searching mosques has been a particularly sensitive issue since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion. In delivering the decree that legalized the security plan earlier this week, Iraqi army Lt. Gen. Aboud Qanbar said soldiers would enter mosques only if they were used "for illegal purposes" or to protect citizens from harm.

http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/16708016.htm

[IndianaGreen]

1. Not happy with having the Sunnis as enemies, we are now going after the Shia

We already pissed the Kurds off when we bombed a Kurdish position in Norther Iraq a couple of weeks ago. At this rate the only Iraqis that support America will be our lapdogs in the Green Zone.

[rodeodance]

2. its 'balanced" like Fox news

[POAS]

6. Exactly my thinking

The Shiites "were" happy to have the Sunni dictator overthrown and "were" relatively co-operative in regards to toning down the violence while the Sunni were pissed and have been the primary instigators of the violence against US occupying forces.

Gradually the policies of our dear leader have changed what little good will may have remained among the Shiite and it is putting the troops at more risk as they try to hold Iraq from a complete implosion.

Why would dear leader do this? Iran! Gotta have another war. He is after all a "war President".

[Up2Late]

3. Oh Crap! Well, I hope they at least took off their shoes before RAIDING THE MOSQUE!

Oh Boy! They really DO want to LOSE this one, and LOSE it Spectacularly!:banghead:

[Amonester]

4. It's already lost. It's been lost since day one of the Busche illegal ...

invasion for oil and no-bid contracts for his base, at the expense of the taxpayers (blood & money).

[Doondoo]

5. Just imagine how the cons would scream if the army was storming into churches