Thousands take to Iraqi streets to protest "terrorism"

Edan · December 10, 2003, 19:15

Quote:

Thousands take to Iraqi streets to protest "terrorism"
Wed Dec 10,11:27 AM ET Add Mideast - AFP to My Yahoo!

BAGHDAD (AFP) - Thousands of Iraqis, some watched over by US Apache helicopters, demonstrated in Baghdad and other cities to condemn "terrorism" in their country.

AFP Photo

More than 200 protesters from the Iraqi National Congress and other political parties, women's groups and sheikhs in traditional dress gathered near the National Theatre in Baghdad and marched to a central Baghdad hotel.

"This is the national campaign against terrorism and sabotage," said Abo Thaer, 55, a member of the Iraqi Communist Party. His party members turned out with giant red flags bearing the hammer and sickle.

Participants Wednesday said the rallies marked International Human Rights Day.

A similar protest last Friday in the capital attracted about 1,000 Iraqis.

American-led occupying forces who toppled dictator Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) in April are battling daily attacks by insurgents whom they regularly brand terrorists.

On Monday a suicide car bomber wounded 58 US soldiers at their base near the northern capital of Mosul while in Baghdad a bomb killed three worshippers at a Sunni mosque.

"Terrorism .... will delay the process of rebuilding," said Eklass Khudhir, 30, one of four women holding a banner from the Iraqi Women's Organization.

She said it was their first protest against terrorism.

Hussein al-Musaya, a former Iraqi exile who helped organize the rally, said numerous political parties had come together to state their opposition to terorism.

"It's also a message of thanks to the coalition force for liberating Iraq (news - web sites) from the dictator," said Musaya, an official with the Liberal Republic Iraqi Party.

"We will not allow the fascists to come back," added Farook al-Shamari, 63.

"I don't belong to any party but I am against terrorism and fascism. We lived under the aggression of fascism for 40 years," he said.

He said he lost his teaching job and was jailed for six months for refusing to join the ruling Baath party in 1979, the year Saddam Hussein gained control of the country.

Qutaiba Khalid, and his wife Taghreed Jasin, both 28, said they were representing students as well as the Communist Party.

With a red neckerchief and purple-tinted sunglasses, Khalid said violence "will endanger the lives of innocent people and it will delay the departure of the occupying force."

American helicopters flew above the protesters and at least seven Iraqi police cars were stationed nearby. Several US soldiers watched from a discreet distance away.

More than 2,500 protesters marched in the holy Shiite cities of Najaf and Karbala south of Baghdad. They asked for the transfer of security from the coalition to Iraqis.

A banner carried by the demonstrators in Najaf read, "Killing children is not resistance."

Another said: "Saddam Hussein and (Osama) bin Laden are two sides of the same coin."

In the Sunni town of Ramadi west of Baghdad, a hotbed of anti-US sentiment, about 100 people protested after a call by the local council.

They gathered under the protection of American troops while a counter-demonstration of about 70 people carrying photos of the Koran and Mecca threw stones at the Americans. Iraqi police dispersed them.

Other demonstrations also took place in Baqubah just north of Baghdad, and at Suleimaniya in Iraqi Kurdistan.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...o_031210162701

From
this article the estimates are between 5,000 and 10,000 people protested in Baghdad.

Ramo · December 10, 2003, 19:20

Yep.

SlowwHand · December 10, 2003, 19:42

But they don't want our effort, some here say?

JCG · December 10, 2003, 19:45

Too bad that the terrorists probably won't care though..they never do.

DinoDoc · December 10, 2003, 19:51

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"terrorism"

Why the " " marks?

Edan · December 10, 2003, 19:54

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Originally posted by DinoDoc

Quote:

"terrorism"

Why the " " marks?

Hey, I just copied and pasted - they were in the article.

Ramo · December 10, 2003, 19:54

Quote:

But they don't want our effort, some here say?

They don't want our effort in doing inane, irresponsible things, like our recent creation of a paramilitary force based on the 5 main party militias.

Nubclear · December 10, 2003, 20:15

Quote:

Originally posted by SlowwHand
But they don't want our effort, some here say?

1. This wasn't an "I love America!!!" demonstration. This was a "I hate terrorism!!!" demonstration

2. There have been many demonstrations, some numbering in at around 10,000+ people, which were anti-american

I'd want the US in too....If it could just begin looking out for Iraq instead of it's own interests.

GePap · December 10, 2003, 20:19

Good for them.

St Leo · December 10, 2003, 21:39

Ah, reminds me of pre-War pro-Saddam "demonstrations"...

lord of the mark · December 11, 2003, 13:32

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Originally posted by St Leo
Ah, reminds me of pre-War pro-Saddam "demonstrations"...

You think we used the same methods to manufacture a demo as Saddam did?

7 out of 10.

lord of the mark · December 11, 2003, 13:33

healingiraq has some great pics of this demonstation.

chequita guevara · December 11, 2003, 13:36

Didn't LotM post this a couple days ago?

Edan · December 11, 2003, 13:46

Quote:

Originally posted by chegitz guevara
Didn't LotM post this a couple days ago?

A thread about a rally that took place yesterday?

Honing your visionary skill, LotM?

chequita guevara · December 11, 2003, 13:47

1000 Iraqis March Against Terrorism in Baghdad.

Theben · December 11, 2003, 14:14

Quote:

A similar protest last Friday in the capital attracted about 1,000 Iraqis.

Read the article, dumbass.

lord of the mark · December 11, 2003, 16:24

apparently the demo on Friday was organized by a different group then yesterdays rally. The one yesterday was coordinated with rallies in other cities as well, including in Ramadi in the "sunni triangle" while Fridays was ONLY in Baghdad. Looks like yesterdays was better attended as well.

Guevera's confusion is quite understandable, givin the proliferation of groups, rallies, etc.

Let a thousand flowers bloom.

lord of the mark · December 11, 2003, 16:29

Special For Guevara - this scene from the demonstration:

lord of the mark · December 11, 2003, 16:32

heres another (not commies this time)

lord of the mark · December 11, 2003, 16:34

Iraqi National Congress (pro-western group, definitely not Commies)

chequita guevara · December 11, 2003, 16:35

That fat guy in the commie picture with the leather jacket? I think I know him.

lord of the mark · December 11, 2003, 16:36

you mean the guy with the clipboard, not the guy with the flag?

PLATO · December 11, 2003, 16:36

Quote:

Originally posted by Edan

From
this article the estimates are between 5,000 and 10,000 people protested in Baghdad.

Considering that the amount of resistors is estimated to be less than 5000 people this should tell anyone really willing to listen that the Iraqis are really glad that we are there.

chequita guevara · December 11, 2003, 16:38

Quote:

Originally posted by lord of the mark
you mean the guy with the clipboard, not the guy with the flag?

Yeah. I can't be sure, but really, how many Iraqi commies are there in the world?

chequita guevara · December 11, 2003, 16:39

Quote:

Originally posted by PLATO

Considering that the amount of resistors is estimated to be less than 5000 people this should tell anyone really willing to listen that the Iraqis are really glad that we are there.

That or that they don't want the "resistence" killing Iraqis to get at the Americans.

lord of the mark · December 11, 2003, 16:43

Quote:

Originally posted by chegitz guevara

Yeah. I can't be sure, but really, how many Iraqi commies are there in the world?

Quite alot actually. In the 1950's the Iraqi Communist Party was major force, especially among the poorer Shiites, who were BY NO MEANS all fundamentalists. In fact they came close to taking over, and there are rumours that the CIA backed the original Baathist coup (pre-Saddam) to avoid a communist takeover. I presume the Saddam years devastated them, but its certainly quite possible that they will revive now. They would certainly represent the only major secularist force that is both Anti-Baathist and highly skeptical of the Americans. (IIUC theyve recently withdrawn their earlier support for the Iraqi Governing Council)

chequita guevara · December 11, 2003, 16:45

I know they got the first paper up and running after the fall of Hussein.

atawa · December 11, 2003, 16:47

Quote:

Originally posted by PLATO

Considering that the amount of resistors is estimated to be less than 5000 people this should tell anyone really willing to listen that the Iraqis are really glad that we are there.

Yes, those other millions of Iraqi's would also have protested if it wasn't for the 5000 resistors

chequita guevara · December 11, 2003, 16:49

Quote:

Originally posted by atawa

Yes, those other millions of Iraqi's would also have protested if it wasn't for the 5000 resistors

Since more Iraqis are being killed right now that Americans, that is actually a possibility. Just cuz Hussein isn't in power doesn't mean he still doesn't have many in the grip of terror.

PLATO · December 11, 2003, 16:51

Quote:

Originally posted by chegitz guevara

Yeah. I can't be sure, but really, how many Iraqi commies are there in the world?

It is quite possible that the communist in Iraq could end up with more than just a token role in government. The party is obviously pretty highly organized there.