Mosque Adds Problems for U.S.

BARRY SCHWEID, AP

Aug 18, 2004

WASHINGTON - The Bush administration is supporting the Iraqi government as it uses diplomacy and the threat of force to oust radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's militia from a holy shrine in Najaf. At the same time, it is trying to steer clear of becoming the target of an angry Muslim world.

Arab leaders — already suspicious of U.S. intentions throughout the Middle East — are cautioning the United States to avoid damage to the Shiites' third holiest site.

By contrast, al-Sadr's use of the mosque and his drive against a U.S.-blessed interim government in Baghdad is getting scant attention, even though many Arab leaders are privately leery of him.

"If the U.S. doesn't do anything, al-Sadr is likely to grow even stronger, and the United States cannot afford to let that happen," said Jim Phillips, an analyst at the Heritage Foundation. On the other hand, the United States faces criticism if al-Sadr is confronted directly.

In fact, Phillips said, "In the Arab tradition, storing weapons in a mosque is not beyond the bounds of war." But the United States is trying to minimize the damage by having the Iraqis do any final assault — if it becomes necessary — on the shrine, he said.

It is unimaginable that Christian Churches would store such weapons within.  That is because such an act violates the New Testament teachings.  But not so with the Koran.

The tree [Koran] is known by it's fruit [what it produces]

Al-Sadr accepted a peace plan Wednesday that would disarm his militia and remove its members from their hideout in the shrine. But al-Sadr has made contradictory statements in the past, and aides to the cleric said he still wanted to negotiate details of the deal.

Kenneth Katzman, senior expert on Iraq at the Congressional Research Service, said, "Any major damage to that mosque is going to be, undoubtedly, blamed on the United States, whether it is justified or not."

The fact that al-Sadr's forces are using the mosque as a hiding place complicates efforts by the Iraqi government and U.S. forces to squeeze him into submission.

Secretary of State Colin Powell, at a news conference last week, spoke as much to the Muslim world as to reporters at the State Department when he said, "We do not, in any way, wish to get involved with the mosque. It's a very holy place for all Shiaa."

Still, Powell denounced al-Sadr and his militia as outlaws and said they must be disarmed.

Iran and Saudi Arabia called Monday for the United Nations to intervene in Iraq to stop the fighting in Najaf.  The U.N. couldn't get out of Iraq fast enough when they were attacked.  Such a request from the Muslim world is rediculous!

Non-Arab and predominantly Shiite Iran is deeply interested in the security of Iraq's holy sites. On Wednesday, Iran Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi said entry of U.S. forces into the gold-domed mosque of Imam Ali bin Abi Talib "would be provocative for Muslims worldwide," according to Iran's official news agency.  Then shouldn't it be just as provocative for Muslims to be living in America? Since the Muslim world hates America so much? [this is a double standard]

Arab League spokesman Hossam Zaki said in Cairo, meanwhile, "If force is used in a context that would harm sacred places, it will have very serious and negative repercussions on public opinion."

[Since it is acceptable for Islam to store weapons in their mosques,  U.S. authorities owe it to the American people to search them on a regular bases]