It’s a crowd of Shi’ites – many Sadrists – protesting an agreement proposed by the Shi’ite-run government of Iraq. The underlying question is that we’re not seeing a protest by Sunnis, and we’re not seeing a protest by Kurds — why not? Do they get something out of the proposed deal that Iraqi Shi’ites don’t?

You make valid points. But focusing on the ethnicity, tribe, religion, etc. of these protesters is terribly misleading.

I’d be amazed if there were currently any significant Kurdish population in Baghdad. The majority of Kurds are in Kurdistan where, thanks in part to the US, they’re both insulated and isolated. Life there is comparatively prosperous and violence free. Kurdistan’s had far better relations US businesses (see Shell Oil deals) than elsewhere in Iraq. They have little to protest.

As for the Sunnis, they’ve been largely “ethnically cleansed” (a term that so makes me sick) right the frick out of Baghdad. Countless others have fled west to Jordan and points beyond. In the few remaining Sunni neighborhoods, they’re loath to call unnecessary attention to themselves. Outside of Baghdad we’re still paying Sunni tribal leaders plus their peeps to be our friends and git us some al Qaedas.

-AF
Andrew Sullivan Is A Fraud

Their protest is a celebration of their rights they have received as citizens.

Clinton did it first.

It is Obama’s fault.

Seriously though, I still say that if Bush really believes his propoganda, he would be happy to walk the streets of Baghdad totally without military or other bodyguards.

Don’t we have enough to work on here at home? What would the excess military budget do for our own infrastructure?

Fu(K oil interests. And, harsh as it may sound, fu(k other countries when our own people are being thrown into our streets, and our elderly are going without their medications and heat in their homes so that they can afford some cat food to eat. And Fu(k ANYONE who thinks otherwise. (Pissiness off).

*cough, gag*

SNARK!

Sorry about the very late posting about this, and everyone beating me to the punch. One of the hazards of doing this from work.

Right, Richard Perle?

“a year from now, I’ll be very surprised if there is not some grand square in Baghdad that is named after President Bush.”

(stated in a speech delivered to AEI entitled “Turkey at the Crossroads”, 9.22.03)

Nov 22 is the 45th anniversary of the assasination by the CIA of President John Kennedy.

It is also, in the kind of unbearable irony that cannot be accidental, the 8th anniversary of the Brooks’ Brothers Riot at the Miami-Dade Election bureau which ended the Florida recount.

phuque-nozzles and shit whistles rejoice…

I don’t see a single rose that they are throwing at the effigy.

That’s exactly right; you could see a whole lot more actual Iraqi’s standing outside the square just watching.
Also, the rag-tag mob who attacked the statue seemed to move on que precisely at 9:00 am. EST.

¶ AIO

And no, I’m absolutely not sorry for either saying that or thinking it.

Favorite song too.

Smiling face and loving eyes
But you keep on telling me all those lies
How do you expect me to believe
Honey I ain’t that naive
Baby I got my eye on you
But you do all the things that I want you to
Stop your crying and dry your tears
I ain’t that wet behind the ears
You can throw me lefts
And you can throw me rights
The way we do this night
Beating around the bush
-AC/DC

November 21st, 2008 at 10:45 am
________

Because it’s a critical detail in the story. It’s not a mixed crowd of Iraqi Sunnis, Shi’ites, Kurds, and assorted minorities protesting. If it were, that would be a very different story, and a banner headline unto itself. Like it or not, Iraqi politics is all about ethnicity and tribe and religion.

It’s a crowd of Shi’ites – many Sadrists – protesting an agreement proposed by the Shi’ite-run government of Iraq. The underlying question is that we’re not seeing a protest by Sunnis, and we’re not seeing a protest by Kurds — why not? Do they get something out of the proposed deal that Iraqi Shi’ites don’t?

‘Beating around the Bush’

In the “Cradle of Civilization”?

Sounds more like prophecy.

PEACE