Independent: City of defiance
They came from across Iraq, marching in solidarity with Shia brothers. Civilians they bear no arms, for the moment anyway who are willing die on the steps of the Imam Ali shrine. Thehuman shields have arrived in Najaf.
Hundreds have come to what is one of the most holy Shia sites on solidarity marches in recent days. Many more have made their way in smaller groups from nearby towns and neighbourhoods. More than 2,000 have now pledged their allegiance to the Shia cleric Muqtada Sadr and are based in the compound at the shrine.
Sheikh Ahmed Shaibani, a Sadr spokesman, said the presence of the civilians was intended to deter American forces. By simply turning up, they have maximised the loss of human life that could result from any attempt to storm the holy sites, a course already fraught with danger because of the outrage that serious physical damage to the shrine would provoke across Iraq and well beyond. The human shield supporters also appear ready to take up arms left by insurgents killed or wounded in the fighting.
police lieutenant arrived at the hotel at 6.30pm in a convoy of two Toyota Land Cruisers from the local police station. He demanded to know the whereabouts of correspondents from al-Arabiya and the Reuters and AP news agencies.
As journalists protested, the lieutenant said above the hubbub: "We are going to open fire on this hotel. We are going to smash it up. I will kill you all. You did this all to yourselves." In a threat that did not immediately appear to have been carried out, he said four snipers would be positioned on the roof of the police station to fire at any journalists who left the hotel.
Tuesday, August 17, 2004
SITE OF THE DAY
CHECK: JUANCOLE.com
Weblog from Juan Cole. Thoughts on the Middle East, History, and Religion
Juan Cole is Professor of History at the University of Michigan
Weblog from Juan Cole. Thoughts on the Middle East, History, and Religion
Juan Cole is Professor of History at the University of Michigan
IRAQ: NAJAF RESISTANCE
Reuters: Shi'ite militia destroy U.S. tank in Baghdad
BAGHDAD, Aug 16 (Reuters) Fierce clashes raged in Baghdad's mainly Shi'ite suburb today with militiamen destroying a U.S. tank, witnesses said.
U.S. forces had sealed Sadr City, a slum of two million people on the edge of the capital, earlier today after days of skirmishes that coincided with a radical Shi'ite uprising in at least eight cities in central and southern Iraq.
The witnesses said Mehdi Army militiamen loyal to firebrand cleric Moqtada al-Sadr hit a tank with a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) and set it ablaze.
Reuters Television footage showed the tank on fire. There was no immediate comment from the U.S. military.
BAGHDAD, Aug 16 (Reuters) Fierce clashes raged in Baghdad's mainly Shi'ite suburb today with militiamen destroying a U.S. tank, witnesses said.
U.S. forces had sealed Sadr City, a slum of two million people on the edge of the capital, earlier today after days of skirmishes that coincided with a radical Shi'ite uprising in at least eight cities in central and southern Iraq.
The witnesses said Mehdi Army militiamen loyal to firebrand cleric Moqtada al-Sadr hit a tank with a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) and set it ablaze.
Reuters Television footage showed the tank on fire. There was no immediate comment from the U.S. military.
IRAQ: NAJAF
Counterpunch: The Ultimate Stupidity The Attack on Najaf By GARY LEUPP
Oppose the oppressor and support the oppressed.
Imam Ali, Last Will and Testament (39 AH; 661 CE)
I have been thinking for months that if those commanding U.S. forces in Iraq really wanted to perform the ultimate stupidity, and ratchet up exponentially the degree of hatred they face in Iraq and throughout the Muslim world---then they'd surely attack the Imam Ali Shrine in Najaf, or be drawn into a situation where they'd damage it. This is the most important Shiite site in the world, and is holy not only to Shiites (about 120 million people) but also to all the billion-plus Muslims on the planet. It sits atop the tomb of Ali, cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet, fourth caliph ("successor" of Muhammed and political and religious leader of the expanding Muslim world), assassinated by opponents in 661. Ali's partisans supported his son Hussein as next caliph, but Umayyad foes defeated Hussein and 72 followers in battle at Karbala in 680, their martyrdoms producing the enduring division between Sunni and Shia Islam.
"CHECK IT"
Oppose the oppressor and support the oppressed.
Imam Ali, Last Will and Testament (39 AH; 661 CE)
I have been thinking for months that if those commanding U.S. forces in Iraq really wanted to perform the ultimate stupidity, and ratchet up exponentially the degree of hatred they face in Iraq and throughout the Muslim world---then they'd surely attack the Imam Ali Shrine in Najaf, or be drawn into a situation where they'd damage it. This is the most important Shiite site in the world, and is holy not only to Shiites (about 120 million people) but also to all the billion-plus Muslims on the planet. It sits atop the tomb of Ali, cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet, fourth caliph ("successor" of Muhammed and political and religious leader of the expanding Muslim world), assassinated by opponents in 661. Ali's partisans supported his son Hussein as next caliph, but Umayyad foes defeated Hussein and 72 followers in battle at Karbala in 680, their martyrdoms producing the enduring division between Sunni and Shia Islam.
"CHECK IT"
VENEZUELA
IPS: International Observers Ratify Chávez's Triumph in Referendum
CARACAS - Although the opposition complained of fraud, the international election observer missions monitoring the recall referendum in Venezuela agreed Monday that President Hugo Chávez had won, and said they found no signs of fraud.
Nobel Peace laureate and former U.S. president Jimmy Carter and Organization of American States (OAS) Secretary-General César Gaviria said in a joint news briefing in Caracas that Chávez survived Sunday’s referendum.
"Our information coincides with the partial results presented by the National Electoral Council (CNE)," said Carter.
"The results are compatible with our figures, and we have not found any elements of fraud," said Gaviria.
CARACAS - Although the opposition complained of fraud, the international election observer missions monitoring the recall referendum in Venezuela agreed Monday that President Hugo Chávez had won, and said they found no signs of fraud.
Nobel Peace laureate and former U.S. president Jimmy Carter and Organization of American States (OAS) Secretary-General César Gaviria said in a joint news briefing in Caracas that Chávez survived Sunday’s referendum.
"Our information coincides with the partial results presented by the National Electoral Council (CNE)," said Carter.
"The results are compatible with our figures, and we have not found any elements of fraud," said Gaviria.
Monday, August 16, 2004
IRAQ: DEMOCRACY
Reuters: Iraqi police threaten to arrest reporters in Najaf
NAJAF, Iraq, Aug 15 (Reuters) - Iraqi police brandishing rifles threatened to arrest journalists unless they left Najaf on Sunday, raising fears among local reporters they were attempting to impose a news blackout on the holy city.
At least 20 reporters had travelled to the southern Iraqi town, where Shi'ite militiamen fought fierce battles with U.S. and Iraqi forces, after the collapse of peace talks aimed at ending fighting that has killed hundreds.
Najaf police chief Ghaleb al-Jazaeri told a news conference all media should leave by noon (0800 GMT), saying he would not be able to guarantee their safety after the deadline passed.
KCTV5: Iraqi government evicts reporters from Najaf as fighting continues
Iraq As fighting resumes between U-S forces and Shiite militants, Iraqi police have ordered all journalists to leave the holy city of Najaf.
The order doesn't specify consequences of violating the request. But journalists say the police told them any reporters remaining would be arrested.
Police also told them cameras and cell phones would be confiscated -- and that all cars coming into the city will be searched.
The ban would mean the only news coverage of the ongoing fighting in Najaf would come from reporters embedded with the U-S military.
NAJAF, Iraq, Aug 15 (Reuters) - Iraqi police brandishing rifles threatened to arrest journalists unless they left Najaf on Sunday, raising fears among local reporters they were attempting to impose a news blackout on the holy city.
At least 20 reporters had travelled to the southern Iraqi town, where Shi'ite militiamen fought fierce battles with U.S. and Iraqi forces, after the collapse of peace talks aimed at ending fighting that has killed hundreds.
Najaf police chief Ghaleb al-Jazaeri told a news conference all media should leave by noon (0800 GMT), saying he would not be able to guarantee their safety after the deadline passed.
KCTV5: Iraqi government evicts reporters from Najaf as fighting continues
Iraq As fighting resumes between U-S forces and Shiite militants, Iraqi police have ordered all journalists to leave the holy city of Najaf.
The order doesn't specify consequences of violating the request. But journalists say the police told them any reporters remaining would be arrested.
Police also told them cameras and cell phones would be confiscated -- and that all cars coming into the city will be searched.
The ban would mean the only news coverage of the ongoing fighting in Najaf would come from reporters embedded with the U-S military.
IRAQ: RESISTANCE
KR: Offensive resumes in Najaf, prompting desertions of Iraqi troops
BAGHDAD, Iraq - U.S. and Iraqi forces launched a renewed assault Sunday on Shiite Muslim militiamen in the southern holy city of Najaf in a risky campaign that was marred from the onset by an outcry from Iraqi politicians and the desertion of dozens of Iraqi troops who refused to fight their countrymen.
The latest siege began Sunday afternoon, a day after Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi's administration announced that fighting would resume after negotiations between government officials and aides to Muqtada al-Sadr failed to end the militant cleric's 10-day rebellion. The failed cease-fire talks, desertions and renewed fighting further undermined Allawi's leadership just as Iraq was poised to take its first step toward free elections by picking a national assembly.
Independent: Battle for Iraq's future
Democracy was a long way from Najaf yesterday. As fighting resumed in the Shia holy city, Iyad Allawi's government moved to impose an authoritarian media clampdown before any full-scale assault on the holy sites which insurgents have made their base.
Despite indications that any full-scale assault in the city might await completion of the conference in Baghdad, most Arab television crews and other reporters left the city last night after armed police came to the Bar Najaf hotel, where nearly all foreign and Arab journalists are staying, to order them to leave for Baghdad. Journalists who protested were told: "You have been warned. You have two hours. If you don't leave you will be shot." "Rember Jenin?"
During the day two bullets were fired at the gate to the hotel entrance and through the open doorway of the hotel. The second bullet hit a glass panel inside the hotel, which slightly injured an Arab journalist when it fractured. Although there was no confirmation that the bullets had been fired by police, the hotel is only a few hundred metres from the local police station and much farther from the main positions of Sadr's insurgents.
The attempted media ban reminiscent in its own way of the Saddam Hussein regime toppled 15 months ago is in contrast to the media savvy of Sadr spokesmen who have welcomed reporters to the Imam Ali shrine and made visits to the Bar Najaf hotel to give press conferences.
BAGHDAD, Iraq - U.S. and Iraqi forces launched a renewed assault Sunday on Shiite Muslim militiamen in the southern holy city of Najaf in a risky campaign that was marred from the onset by an outcry from Iraqi politicians and the desertion of dozens of Iraqi troops who refused to fight their countrymen.
The latest siege began Sunday afternoon, a day after Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi's administration announced that fighting would resume after negotiations between government officials and aides to Muqtada al-Sadr failed to end the militant cleric's 10-day rebellion. The failed cease-fire talks, desertions and renewed fighting further undermined Allawi's leadership just as Iraq was poised to take its first step toward free elections by picking a national assembly.
Independent: Battle for Iraq's future
Democracy was a long way from Najaf yesterday. As fighting resumed in the Shia holy city, Iyad Allawi's government moved to impose an authoritarian media clampdown before any full-scale assault on the holy sites which insurgents have made their base.
Despite indications that any full-scale assault in the city might await completion of the conference in Baghdad, most Arab television crews and other reporters left the city last night after armed police came to the Bar Najaf hotel, where nearly all foreign and Arab journalists are staying, to order them to leave for Baghdad. Journalists who protested were told: "You have been warned. You have two hours. If you don't leave you will be shot." "Rember Jenin?"
During the day two bullets were fired at the gate to the hotel entrance and through the open doorway of the hotel. The second bullet hit a glass panel inside the hotel, which slightly injured an Arab journalist when it fractured. Although there was no confirmation that the bullets had been fired by police, the hotel is only a few hundred metres from the local police station and much farther from the main positions of Sadr's insurgents.
The attempted media ban reminiscent in its own way of the Saddam Hussein regime toppled 15 months ago is in contrast to the media savvy of Sadr spokesmen who have welcomed reporters to the Imam Ali shrine and made visits to the Bar Najaf hotel to give press conferences.
IRAQ: RESISTANCE
Aljazeera: Al-Mahdi Army digs in, hopes for deal
In an exclusive interview with Aljazeera, a Muqtada al-Sadr spokesman has said the al-Mahdi Army is prepared for any attack against Najaf, but is also ready to accept any peace intitiative.
Ahmad al-Shibani stressed that any peace move initiated by the interim government - which he branded as a proxy agent of the US occupation of Iraq - would be welcomed by al-Sadr.
"We want to stop the bloodshed, maintain the honour and integrity of the Iraqi people, and bring this crisis to an end," he told Aljazeera.
In an exclusive interview with Aljazeera, a Muqtada al-Sadr spokesman has said the al-Mahdi Army is prepared for any attack against Najaf, but is also ready to accept any peace intitiative.
Ahmad al-Shibani stressed that any peace move initiated by the interim government - which he branded as a proxy agent of the US occupation of Iraq - would be welcomed by al-Sadr.
"We want to stop the bloodshed, maintain the honour and integrity of the Iraqi people, and bring this crisis to an end," he told Aljazeera.
IRAN
Reuters: Iran Warns Missiles Can Hit Israel
A senior Iranian military commander has Israel and the United States would not dare attack Iran since it could strike back anywhere in Israel with its latest missiles.
Iranian officials have made a point of highlighting the Islamic state's military capabilities in recent weeks in response to some media reports that Israeli or U.S. war planes could try to destroy Iranian nuclear facilities in air strikes
A senior Iranian military commander has Israel and the United States would not dare attack Iran since it could strike back anywhere in Israel with its latest missiles.
Iranian officials have made a point of highlighting the Islamic state's military capabilities in recent weeks in response to some media reports that Israeli or U.S. war planes could try to destroy Iranian nuclear facilities in air strikes
FINANCE
The Federal Observer: Elite Bankers Now Pulling Plug On US Economy & Currency!
This collapse will knock you out cold, flat on your back, with violence, and most of mankind will never get back up. While the elite are sending signals to their friends that the switch has been thrown, that final preparations for safety are now in order, they are not saying how bad it will be. That is why I began this site, because I could not find anyone, even doomsayers, who spelled out clearly what is at stake here. I believe that even the elite, such as Sir Templeton (more below) do not fully understand the implications of this crash - that this is the end of America as we know it.
That great criminal enterprise - the Federal Reserve - has accomplished step #1, trashing and ending the dollar system, culminating a multi-year, massive, insane inflation of money supply and credit. The Illuminati corporations such as Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae, Farmer Mac, FHA, GM, Ford, and GE (which are actually banks), worked hand-in-hand with the Bank Cartel on this sickening, twisted game, switching from pumping credit cards and cars (which have gone to zero percent financing 12 months ago) to a last-ditch horrendous push into mortgage lending. This insane lending will destroy the lending institutions themselves, as Ford and GM are well aware, but the elite do not care, as after this collapse, there will only be one corporation in the world, and they are all pulling together to put everyone as deep into debt as possible, to assure than no American state or corporation or region will survive when the debt mountain suffocates all life.
This collapse will knock you out cold, flat on your back, with violence, and most of mankind will never get back up. While the elite are sending signals to their friends that the switch has been thrown, that final preparations for safety are now in order, they are not saying how bad it will be. That is why I began this site, because I could not find anyone, even doomsayers, who spelled out clearly what is at stake here. I believe that even the elite, such as Sir Templeton (more below) do not fully understand the implications of this crash - that this is the end of America as we know it.
That great criminal enterprise - the Federal Reserve - has accomplished step #1, trashing and ending the dollar system, culminating a multi-year, massive, insane inflation of money supply and credit. The Illuminati corporations such as Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae, Farmer Mac, FHA, GM, Ford, and GE (which are actually banks), worked hand-in-hand with the Bank Cartel on this sickening, twisted game, switching from pumping credit cards and cars (which have gone to zero percent financing 12 months ago) to a last-ditch horrendous push into mortgage lending. This insane lending will destroy the lending institutions themselves, as Ford and GM are well aware, but the elite do not care, as after this collapse, there will only be one corporation in the world, and they are all pulling together to put everyone as deep into debt as possible, to assure than no American state or corporation or region will survive when the debt mountain suffocates all life.
VENEZUELA: CHAVEZ WINS
Vheadline: President Hugo Chavez Frias wins the RR with 58.2%
Shortly after 4:00 a.m. this morning, National Elections Council (CNE) president Francisco Carresquero went on linked radio/TV to announce preliminary results in yesterday's recall referendum with 94.49% of votes already tallied: President Hugo Chavez Frias got 4,991,483 votes (58.25%) while the opposition mustered only 3,576,557 votes (41.74%).
Independent: Chavez claims victory in referendum
President Hugo Chavez survived a popular referendum to oust him in a vote that attracted so many Venezuelans that they overwhelmed ballot stations, according to results announced today.
Backers of the leftist populist president immediately set off fireworks and began celebrating in the streets of the capital in the pre-dawn darkness.
Under Chavez, the government has paid for literacy programs, scholarships and free medical care for the poor. Thousands of Cuban doctors, dentists and nurses work in poor barrios across this South American nation.
Chavez called on the opposition to accept the results, and pledged that he would also do so.
ZMAG: The Calm Before the?
The Opposition Plan
One can put together the comments of the various opposition figures (please see the previous entry on the Mendoza press conference) and get a picture of what the opposition plan is. Short of some kind of violent provocation (and there have been warnings of that as well) to try to discredit the whole electoral process, the opposition has signalled repeatedly that it plans to announce the results at 2pm. Then, when the real results are announced after the polls close at 6pm, the opposition will say (assuming that the opposition loses the referendum, which it will if there is not fraud) that its results disagree with the official results and argue that a fraud has occurred. At that point things will depend on the integrity of the Carter Center and the OAS (gulp). That is not strictly true. There are all kinds of observers here, more media than ever before, so things will depend on the ability of everyone with integrity to get the truth out past all of those who are going to lie about the result. My own suspicion, based on the highly unscientific methods of watching the SI rallies and talking to random people, is that the result will be closer than the NO forces might like, but quite decisive
Shortly after 4:00 a.m. this morning, National Elections Council (CNE) president Francisco Carresquero went on linked radio/TV to announce preliminary results in yesterday's recall referendum with 94.49% of votes already tallied: President Hugo Chavez Frias got 4,991,483 votes (58.25%) while the opposition mustered only 3,576,557 votes (41.74%).
Independent: Chavez claims victory in referendum
President Hugo Chavez survived a popular referendum to oust him in a vote that attracted so many Venezuelans that they overwhelmed ballot stations, according to results announced today.
Backers of the leftist populist president immediately set off fireworks and began celebrating in the streets of the capital in the pre-dawn darkness.
Under Chavez, the government has paid for literacy programs, scholarships and free medical care for the poor. Thousands of Cuban doctors, dentists and nurses work in poor barrios across this South American nation.
Chavez called on the opposition to accept the results, and pledged that he would also do so.
ZMAG: The Calm Before the?
The Opposition Plan
One can put together the comments of the various opposition figures (please see the previous entry on the Mendoza press conference) and get a picture of what the opposition plan is. Short of some kind of violent provocation (and there have been warnings of that as well) to try to discredit the whole electoral process, the opposition has signalled repeatedly that it plans to announce the results at 2pm. Then, when the real results are announced after the polls close at 6pm, the opposition will say (assuming that the opposition loses the referendum, which it will if there is not fraud) that its results disagree with the official results and argue that a fraud has occurred. At that point things will depend on the integrity of the Carter Center and the OAS (gulp). That is not strictly true. There are all kinds of observers here, more media than ever before, so things will depend on the ability of everyone with integrity to get the truth out past all of those who are going to lie about the result. My own suspicion, based on the highly unscientific methods of watching the SI rallies and talking to random people, is that the result will be closer than the NO forces might like, but quite decisive
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