U.S. And Iraq Forces Raided Shiite Areas During Prayers

U.S. and Iraqi forces detained nearly 200 people during operations that targeted two prominently Shiite Muslim neighborhoods during Friday prayer services, the U.S. military said Saturday.

The searches occurred between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on the Muslim sabbath in the Bayaa and Amal sectors of Baghdad. U.S. and Iraqi forces stormed a prayer service that was being held in an office belonging to anti-American Shiite cleric Muqtada al Sadr and detained several of the participants.

More than 500 people were questioned, the military said, and a weapons cache was found near the office.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[McSameisthegame]

Give me a friggin' break here-didn't the Arabs attack Israel on YOM KIPPUR, the holiest of Jewish holidays, in 1973??? And isn't THAT why that war is called "the Yom Kippur" WAR?? Answers are both YES!!! I know the lefty terrorist -lovers here don't give a crap about Jewish holidays-but since when was daily "prayer time" off limits for war???

[Trueheart]

What was wrong 34 years ago is wrong today. But you're right. This eye for an eye bloodthirsty vendetta mentality has gone on for thousands of years. There will never be peace in the Middle East. It has become a raison d'etre. Who are we to think we can stop it?

[ObamaLover]

yep, geneva convention paragraph 4 reads "thall shall not be any raids during muslim prayers, however, homocide bombers can kill innocent people any time, and shall not be restricted by religous services or ceremonies."
paragraph 7 reads "terrorist my hide amongst the mosques and schools and hospitals and are allowed to protest of collateral deaths occur when attacked"

[rwe]

well , i will try again ... The raid was NOT on the mosque but on offices where known criminals were...This is a lame anti american spew .This is a war . Sorry prograssives, This is like justifying Wright

[1differentdrummer]

I see, and when did Congress declare war? That's what it takes, you know, or did you not learn that in your Republican-weakened schools? Justify Rev. Wright? Since when does anyone need to "justify" what another American says while exercising his constitutional right to free speech? Perhaps you would care to "justify" Pastor Hagee's enlightened discourse in his sermons?

[eddietru]

History will not judge us kindly. But just as we are not immune to history, history is not immune to us. Power is not the only truth that matters. We, the people, are better than this. We can speak up. We can refuse to take part in what is done in our name, with our money, in this day and age. We have freedom of expression. We have the right to vote.

[Trueheart]

Incidents like this create insurgents and terrorists out of men, women and chldren. People don't forget the outrage or the injustice. It becomes enshrined in their souls. The desire for revenge stews, boils over and blows the lid off in an erruption of righteous fury and indignation. There are surges of action and lulls when plans for retaliation are nurtured. Perpetual conflict like this is generational. We cake-walked into this nightmare, and the only shock and awe that has resulted has been that of the American people when they finally realized what our leaders have done. We could be involved for 100 years.

[Ramirez]

Oh please. The US and Iraqis raided an office and took their friggin weapons cache. That's their job.

And everyone is upset because the targets of the raid were praying in the office? Who cares? They're always praying.

They shoulda prayed harder, IMO. Maybe they could have kept their weapons.

[Trueheart]

My, my, my. You're a tough guy, Ramirez. When did you last see combat duty? Be interested to know what made you such a hardass.

[McSameisthegame]

They did pray harder-but since noone heard their prayers-what good did it do?? Now they get 72 messy virgins to play with!!!

[Counterglow]

In all fairness, some of these people pray five times a day.

Sometimes it seems that the only acceptable excuse for a fundamentalist Moslem to miss his prayers is because he's busy slaughtering a little girl who had the temerity to attend school.

[truthbrigade]

"These people", yeah! Goober nation rejoices. You are a blight on this country; these are the ones who want to liberate themselves of a sinister occupation started and perpetuated based on lies and deception."These people", yeah! Goober nation rejoices; you are a blight on this country. "These people" are the ones who want to liberate themselves of a sinister occupation started and perpetuated based on lies and deception. If you know anything about the history of this part of the world (and you don"t) and if you care (and you don"t), then you would appreciate their absolute rejection of occupation, humiliation and subjugation by foreign powers.

[Counterglow]

I guess you missed the part where I referred to fundamentalists, not average Moslems. For one thing, I have reasonable knowledge of the history...perhaps more than you.

You should read "Chasing a Mirage: The Tragic Illusion of an Islamic State" by Tarek Fatah. I won't hold my breath waiting. Your mindless outpouring of rage and unwarranted assumption makes it pretty likely that you don't have the self discipline or patience to read a book.

[McSameisthegame]

"THESE PEOPLE"-Arab terrorists-(these guys had a weapons cache-were they going to play "bridge" with those rifles???) should get, what-our applause and a warm meal??? Get a life-and a brain!!!

[Meatball1]

Memorial Day is on Monday!

You can write a heartfelt "Memorial Day Tribute" for our Fallen Heros in time for Memorial Day at http://www.djgoski.com

Write a tribute thanking those that have gone before us and sacrificed everything for your right to spout your hatred for them and Our Great Nation.

Or you can write a something in thanks to our current heros for fighting against a worldwide caliphate that would force you to be a devout Muslim or die in a mass grave with a bullet lodged in the back of your head. They don't like athiests.

Or you can write something for our current heros that stand guard against any other threat that may come to your precious freedoms.

Many of us will be placing American Flags on Fallen Heros' graves on Memorial Day while many of you will probably be pissing on them.

It is not too late to write a Memorial Day Tribute, do so at http://www.djgoski.com

[Paul]

This is not the way to prosecute a war in the 21st century.

When will the military understand this?

[wmbear]

THIS IS NOT A WAR...

It is a military occupation of Iraq by U.S. forces. If occupying forces do not respect the religion of the occupied country, they can expect it's inhabitants to rebel and promote and insurgency. I think that is the point....

[1differentdrummer]

Someone else can worry about hearts and minds, the military occupiers don't need to. Where did my USA go?

[dadw5boys]

Compare the Iraq war to the Vietnam War here. See how similar.

http://www.youtube.com/user/pinkyshow

[awcbuddy8]

Moderates don't care, those that would are already trying to fight us or died 1,000 years ago.

[JessWonderin]

Note it is the Iraqi Sunni government that is banning public Shiite prayer and leading attacks on Shiite Muslim prayer meetings with the muscle of America support . . . and we wonder why the Shiite leader Sadar questions the county's leadership. No mention was made on why this specific raid was needed but sure makes it hard for America to appear "non-partisan" while supporting a Sunni government installed by the U.S., raiding Shiite prayer meetings.

[wiseapple]

Baghdad is more Sunni than Shite, but alSadr and his followers are the Shites in Baghdad. The Iraqi gov't in Baghdad is mainly Shite which is the same religious sect that is dominant in Iran. I hope I haven't had a "McCain Moment".

[nanotubz]

Numnum, the government is overwhelmingly Shite, not Sunni. Where have you been for the last five years?

[wadenelson1]

So what? the Japanese hit us on Sunday morning. War is war.

[wiseapple]

And it angered us enough to kick the shit out of them.

Our goals in Iraq are drifting farther and farther from our grasp. This doesn't help. They can cause enough trouble to keep us there for as long as they want. We can't afford this scenario. The current administration has to begin to think, and eventually, it will come to this rational conclusion as well.

[1differentdrummer]

When you get into eighth grade I hope you are taught logic and history.

[TheShadow]

Did the Japanese raid a church service with parishioners inside? The answer is no.

Nice try, but your analogy to the article missed the boat by a mile.

[Meatball1]

TheShadow,

You know for a fact that not a single Church service was hit my a bomb or two on that Sunday morning? Maybe you should look into that. Lots of boats were not missed that day and I am sure that a Church wasn't either.

Have a Good Memorial Day full of Free Speech.