Al-Jazeerah editorial note regarding the purported Iraqi Shi'i-Sunni civil war:
It is inaccurate to describe the war in Iraq as if it is fought between Muslim Shi'is and Muslim Sunnis, as the US corporate media have been trying hard to do.
It is more accurate to describe it as fought between US-led forces and Iraqi resistance fighters. Even killing civilians is part of the war, as the evidence earlier demonstrated that Interior Ministry death squads and British soldiers were caught either targeting or attempting to target civilians to make the war appear as if it is between Shi'is and Sunnis.
This purported Shi'i-Sunni civil war in Iraq aims at distracting Iraqis and dividing their country into three regions, in preparation for a final partition and dismemberment of Iraq. Previous statements of Iraqi elected officials pointed fingers to death squads of the Interior Ministry.
Moreover, on September 19, 2005, two British soldiers were arrested by Iraqi police for driving a car bomb in a Basra street. They were freed by British forces before being interrogated by Iraqi police. This incident sheds some light on who might be behind car bomb explosions in Iraq.
Al-Jazeerah certainly takes criticism for its reporting. Looks like they want to share the blame.
Iraq Information Discrepancy
Iraq Information Discrepancy
Pentagon press conference, November 29, 2005
Q: Mr. Secretary, are you concerned over -- and in fact, is the United States looking into growing reports of uniformed death squads in Iraq perhaps assassinating and torturing hundreds of Sunnis? And if that's true, what would that say about stability in Iraq?
SEC. RUMSFELD: I'm not going to comment on hypothetical questions. I've not seen reports that hundreds are being killed by roving death squads at all. We know for a fact that it's a violent country. We know for a fact that there have been various militias. We know that there have been some militias that have been Iran-oriented. We also know there's been some militias in the north that have been very helpful. The Peshmerga have been very constructive in what they've done. But I'm not going to get into speculation like that.
Q: But, sir, that's not a hypothetical, I don't believe. The Sunnis themselves are charging that hundreds have been assassinated, people shot in the head, found in alleys.
SEC. RUMSFELD: What you're talking about are unverified -- to my knowledge, at least -- unverified comments. I just don't have any data from the field that I could comment on in a specific way.
So much for "intelligence". Guess they just read the papers and wait for headlines?
Q: Mr. Secretary, are you concerned over -- and in fact, is the United States looking into growing reports of uniformed death squads in Iraq perhaps assassinating and torturing hundreds of Sunnis? And if that's true, what would that say about stability in Iraq?
SEC. RUMSFELD: I'm not going to comment on hypothetical questions. I've not seen reports that hundreds are being killed by roving death squads at all. We know for a fact that it's a violent country. We know for a fact that there have been various militias. We know that there have been some militias that have been Iran-oriented. We also know there's been some militias in the north that have been very helpful. The Peshmerga have been very constructive in what they've done. But I'm not going to get into speculation like that.
Q: But, sir, that's not a hypothetical, I don't believe. The Sunnis themselves are charging that hundreds have been assassinated, people shot in the head, found in alleys.
SEC. RUMSFELD: What you're talking about are unverified -- to my knowledge, at least -- unverified comments. I just don't have any data from the field that I could comment on in a specific way.
So much for "intelligence". Guess they just read the papers and wait for headlines?
Iraq Information Discrepancy
Rumsfeld seems to be the last to know anything about what's going on over there..
You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say will be misquoted, then used against you.
Iraq Information Discrepancy
zinkyusa wrote: Rumsfeld seems to be the last to know anything about what's going on over there..
I find it hard to believe.
I find it hard to believe.
Iraq Information Discrepancy
koan wrote: I find it hard to believe.
i meant that tongue in cheek of course;)
i meant that tongue in cheek of course;)
You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say will be misquoted, then used against you.
Iraq Information Discrepancy
zinkyusa wrote: i meant that tongue in cheek of course;)
well done
unfortunately, Rumsfeld seems to be counting on people believing it though.
well done
unfortunately, Rumsfeld seems to be counting on people believing it though.