Fierce Violence as al-Sistani Arrives in Najaf

[Beetwasher]

Dozens killed in attack in nearby Kufa, shooting in holy city
Iraqi men tend to the injured after a mortar attack on the main mosque in Kufa on Thursday.

NAJAF, Iraq - Iraq’s top Shiite cleric made a dramatic return to Najaf at the head of a massive convoy hoping to end three weeks of fighting in the holy city, but a spate of violent incidents — including a series of attacks that killed scores of his supporters on Thursday — could undermine the peace mission.

--snip--

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5685031/

[BlueEyedSon]

1. Now comes the civil war all the doomsayers predicted.....?

[Dhalgren]

3. This is not between Sistani and Sadr.

These attacks have to be coming from Allawi (sp?). Sadr has always said that he defers to Sistani. He has said on numerous occasions that he will turn over control of Najaf to Sistani. There is just no logical reason for Sadr to attack Sistani at this particular junction - none. This powder-keg is going to blow - not as a civil war, but as a full-blown jihad against the US. When the insugents' numbers jump from a few thousand to a few million, everything will change and change fast.

[paulk]

15. why would the attack have come from Allawi?

what motive would he have? How did you arrive at this conclusion?

[Dhalgren]

17. Allawi is trying to position himself to become the next

US-backed Saddam. Sistani is the only nation-wide figure that could stand in his way. Allawi surely knows that there is not much of a schism between Sadr and Sistani (Sadr would bow to Sistani and only grow in esteem amonst Shi'ia). Sistani being killed would give the US and its Quisling pupet-government the opertunity to blame Sadr (in the eyes of the west) and an excuse for harsher measures and the unending appointment of Allawi. This sounds a lot like a Negreponte operation - his fingerprints are all over this.

[madrchsod]

5. now comes the unification

of the two branches of islam against the united states..it`s now a full blown holy war against our troops. george bush has unleashed the dogs of war and we are going to pay for generations to come...

[spinbaby]

2. Ten Sistani Supporters Killed in Iraq's Najaf

NAJAF, Iraq (Reuters) - At least 10 supporters of Iraq (news - web sites)'s top Shi'ite cleric were shot dead in Najaf Thursday when gunmen opened fire at police who were trying to control the crowd, prompting the police to return fire, witnesses said.

Hospital officials said 10 bodies had been brought to Najaf's hospital after the shooting involving the followers of Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani. Ambulance workers said it was too dangerous to return to the scene because of sniper fire.

More on this story here:

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/iraq_najaf_shooting_dc

[0007]

4. Fuses are short and time is running out on junior and his thugs

The moment of truth will soon arrive.

[MaryH]

6. I DON'T UNDERSTAND

I thought if alSistani came back things would be better. But John Burns said on Lehrer last nite that no one is really sure just what the agenda is. And that things could get worse. He said only time would tell what was going on.

I find it difficult to believe that alSadr's people would fire on alSistani.

[Kagemusha]

7. It's the police.

They don't have any reason to let Sistani grab defeat from the jaws of victory.

[Dhalgren]

8. I agree.

Sadr has every reason to want solidarity with all Shi'ites (and even Sunnis, at this point). There is nothing in it for Sadr if Sistani is killed or comes out opposed to him. I think that Negreponte has decided that the US occupation cannot afford to have Sistani call for Shi'ia solidarity. So they try to disrupt and even kill and hope it can be tagged somehow onto Sadr. It won't happen. Anything that occurs now that is seen in a negative light by the Iraqi people will be blamed on the US and its stooges.

[gatlingforme]

9. I wonder if Bush forgot about Iraq? He is pretty busy now clearing

brush at his ranch.

[Pastiche423]

10. "With officials from all sides supporting al-Sistani’s march call

it was unclear who was behind the attacks."

Should read...

With journalists from all nations being threatened and/or killed, it was unclear who was behind the attacks.

[leftchick]

11. The only ones who don't know who were behind the attacks....

are the CNN, MSRNC and Faux viewers in the US.....

[daleo]

12. I have heard people say this is Negroponte's modus operandi

Based on his history in central America. Sew discord and confusion through violence.

[Dhalgren]

13. Right.

you can see the hand of the master at work...

[maxsolomon]

14. don't the 'dead ender' baath remnants use the same tactic?

i'm not defending death squad negroponte, but re-visit your sun tzu.

the sunni reisistance, and the al queda resistance, i suppose, haven't disappeared. they have repeatedly bombed their fellow arabs for collaboration & innocent bystanding.

[daleo]

18. That could be too, I suppose

We can't know for sure, especially with the level of intimidation of journalists. Still, I tend to think that for the foreseeable future, the various factions will primarily concentrate on expelling the invader. A hunch, I guess.

[The_Casual_Observer]

16. What possible evidence is there to lead to the conclusion

that things are going to improve for the US with al-Sistani "in charge"? al-Sistani's interests lie in the formation of an Islamic state in Iraq.