Friday, August 15, 2003

qWagmire

Drew Brown and Hannah Allam of Knight Ridder write:

Shiite Muslim clerics urged followers during prayers Friday to resist the U.S.-led occupation of Iraq and demanded that American troops leave the country, but they stopped short of calling for violence.

"America did not come here to liberate Iraq, as some misguided people think," said Sheik Abdul Hadi al Daraji. "The United States does not seek the good will of Muslims and Arab people. They did not come here for the interests of Iraqi people, but for their own designs."

Unrest in Sadr City broke out Wednesday after an American helicopter hovered close to a telecommunications tower bearing a sacred religious banner, inscribed with the name of Muhammed al Mahdi, the "Hidden Imam," a mystical figure who is revered by Shiites worldwide.

U.S. military officials say rotor wash from the helicopter may have blown down the banner. But residents say a helicopter crew member tried to tear it down. After shots rang out, American troops fired into a crowd of 3,000 who had gathered to protest the incident. U.S. officials say one man who fired a rocket-propelled grenade was killed, but residents claim the victim was a child.

Winning hearts and minds...