Iraqi Shi'a Views of the Lebanon Crisis

About a month ago, on MichaelTotten.com, I asked who the moderate Imam leader would be.

The name suggested for that role was G. Ayatollah al Sistani. = TG

"Via Memri - "

MEMRI is a fake news organization created by Israeli military intelligence "for Israel advocacy and education":

MEMRI was founded in 1998 by its president Yigal Carmon, a retired colonel from Israeli military intelligence, and the academic Dr. Meyrav Wurmser.
...
Notable donors include the Lynde & Harry Bradley Foundation, $100,000 (for the "support of general operations") [3]; the Randolph Foundation, $100,000 [3]; the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, (per annual report, for "Israel advocacy") [4]; the Koret Foundation, $20,000 (per annual report: "for Israel advocacy and education")[5]; the Ronald & Mary Ann Lachman Foundation, $7,500 [6]; and the John M. Olin Foundation, $5000 (for the "Jihad and Terrorism Project")[3].
...
Vincent Cannistraro, a former counterintelligence official with the CIA, said that MEMRI "are selective and act as propagandists for their political point of view, which is the extreme-right of Likud [...]. They simply don't present the whole picture." [9] Cannistraro claims he was asked to join MEMRI, but he refused "because I saw this was capped by Israeli intelligence and because it was too political."[9]

Hussein Ibish, a spokesman for the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee comments that "There is of course some horrific stuff in the Arab press, but one tends to forget that the American press can also be very nasty. Memri performs a useful function but unfortunately they have a pro-Israel, right-wing agenda." [9]

Brian Whitaker, the Middle East editor for the UK Guardian newspaper, wrote that "the stories selected by Memri for translation follow a familiar pattern: either they reflect badly on the character of Arabs or they in some way further the political agenda of Israel."[10] Whitaker [10] has noted that in 1998 the institute had emphasized on its website, its support for "the continuing relevance of Zionism to the Jewish people and to the state of Israel", a phrase that has since been removed, although still available in internet archives [4].

Ibrahim Hooper, a director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, claimed in Washington Times that "Memri's intent is to find the worst possible quotes from the Muslim world and disseminate them as widely as possible." [10]

William Rugh, former US ambassador to the United Arab Emirates and Yemen, describes MEMRI as a service which "does not present a balanced or complete picture of the Arab print media. Its owners are pro-Israeli and anti-Arab. Quotes are selected to portray Arabs as preaching hatred against Jews and westerners, praising violence and refusing any peaceful settlement of the Palestinian issue." [11]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MEMRI

Bob,
Baghdad Bob, is that you?
Why do you bother? With every word you type we are reminded of what we stand against. Fuel to our fire, personally I thank you.
enough

What we need to remember in all of this is that most of the United Iraq Alliance are parties acked by Iran (Dawa, SCIRI, and the Sadrists being the big ones). The deeper reality is that, sadly, Iran has managed to get its claws deep into the Iraqi Shiite community.

In order for Iraq to become a successful state with a republican form of government. Iran must be liberated. Difficult? Yes. Necessary? Also yes.

Sistani's words are just words. Purely symbolic. Iraqi's don't have two dimes to rub together in support of Hizballah. Most of the Lebanese don't even support Hizballah. They just found it convenient to ignore them until now. Most Lebanese wanted no part of this and many blame Hizballah.

Israel has made the point that states will be held accountable for the actions of terrorist proxy armies on their border, and they have degraded Hizballahs war machine. Not to the degree that I would have like, but they're on the Litani and will further degrade Hizballah as they are engaged moving south. France, Turkey, Brazil and other nations will be somewhat invested in peace on the Lebanese border. Israel is very capable of taking care of themselves and they know we've got their back when the rubber hits the road.

Regarding Iraq, there is no real popular support in Iraq for foreign jihadis. There is no real popular support for the homegrown sectarian terrorists. The Iraqi people are fed up to hell with terrorist killers and war. Most Iraqi provinces are peaceful and governed by popularly elected local officials. The sectarian violence in Baghdad is a HUGE problem that must be brought under control immediately. We must continue to build up the Iraqi security forces and Iraqi democracy. All Iraq needs is time and continued focused effort.

Iran chose now to unleash Hizballah to try and distract the international community from action against their nuclear ambitions (unsuccessful), and to get the Arab world spotlight off of the Muslim on Muslim terrorist violence in Iraq. The Iranians were desperate because their strategy in Iraq has not been successful. It is not in Iran's interests for Muslims to start looking at each other sideways. Have you noticed the leaders of the Arab world are not nearly as "on script" as they used to be?

Iran's Hizballah trist has been successful in one aspect only: garnering support for Hizballah on the Arab street. But, the Arab street HAS NEVER HAD ANY REAL POWER.

We need to put the lid back on the pot now. The only action we need to take against Iran is to consolidate the international community against their nuclear ambitions. Iranians may very well take care of the Iranian regime themselves. Saudi, Egypt, and other powerful Sunni managed states will cooperate to curtail Iran's power. They will not allow the indulgence of Iranian/Syrian Shia Caliphate fantasies.

Sistani's words are just words. Purely symbolic. Iraqi's don't have two dimes to rub together in support of Hizballah. Most of the Lebanese don't even support Hizballah. They just found it convenient to ignore them until now. Most Lebanese wanted no part of this and many blame Hizballah.

Israel has made the point that states will be held accountable for the actions of terrorist proxy armies on their border, and they have degraded Hizballahs war machine. Not to the degree I would have liked, but they're on the Litani and will further degrade Hizballah as they are engaged moving south. Israel is very capable of taking care of themselves and they know we've got their back when the rubber hits the road. France, Turkey, Brazil and other nations will be somewhat invested in peace on the Lebanese border.

Regarding Iraq, there is no real popular support in Iraq for foreign jihadis. There is no real popular support for the homegrown sectarian terrorists. The Iraqi people are fed up to hell with terrorist killers and war. Most Iraqi provinces are peaceful and governed by popularly elected local officials. The sectarian violence in Baghdad is a HUGE problem that must be brought under control immediately. We must continue to build up the Iraqi security forces and Iraqi democracy. All Iraq needs is time and continued focused effort.

Iran chose now to unleash Hizballah to try and distract the international community from action against their nuclear ambitions (unsuccessful), and to get the Arab world spotlight off of the Muslim on Muslim terrorist violence in Iraq. The Iranians were desperate because their strategy in Iraq has not been successful. It is not in Iran's interests for Muslims to start looking at each other sideways. Have you noticed the leaders of the Arab world are not nearly as "on script" as they used to be?

Iran's Hizballah trist has been successful in one aspect only: garnering support for Hizballah on the Arab street. But, the Arab street HAS NEVER HAD ANY REAL POWER, so who cares?

We need to put the lid back on the pot now. The only action we need to take against Iran is to consolidate the international community against their nuclear ambitions. Iranians may very well take care of the Iranian regime themselves. Saudi, Egypt, and other powerful Sunni managed states will cooperate to curtail Iran's power. They will not allow the indulgence of Iranian/Syrian Shia Caliphate fantasies.

dang it

Yes, the problem is 'Islamic fascism'
By WILLIAM SHAWCROSS

It took President George W. Bush to tell the truth to Britain about the massive plot to blow US-bound airliners out of the sky. In his first comment on the apparently foiled attempt to explode airliners flying from Britain to the US, Bush put it simply: "This was a stark reminder that this nation is at war with Islamic fascists."

He is right. But in the early news reports in Britain the words "Islamist" or "Muslim" were hardly emphasized. Let alone "extremist" or the dread word "fascist." Instead the common code words on television were that the 24 men arrested were "British-born" and "of Pakistani origin."

No mention of their Islamist ideology. Did the BBC think they might turn out to be from Pakistan's embattled Christian minority? I don't think so.

In Europe the truth is so terrible that we are in denial. Perhaps it is understandable. We simply do not wish to face the fact that we really are threatened by a vast fifth column - that there are thousands of European-born people, in Britain, in France, in Holland, in Denmark, everywhere - who wish to destroy us. They are part of a wider war, what Tony Blair rightly calls an "arc of extremism" - Islamist extremism.

YOU SEE this denial in the coverage of Israel's war against Hizbullah.

Civilian deaths in Lebanon are utterly tragic. But if you watched only British television, particularly the BBC, you would be hard-pressed to understand that Israel has been forced into a war for its survival, one in which Iran has empowered its proxy, Hizbullah, to undertake the final solution of "the Zionist entity." ...-

More:
http://www.paulding.net/bin/url.cgi/13374.10

bob- you inform us that Memri is a biased news agency. What you are ignoring is that Wikipedia is also biased and sits firmly on the 'left' of the opinion-sets. I'd suggest that you rely less on Wikipedia and engage in a more professional and unbiased search for information about Memri.

Tom Penn - very nice analysis. Many thanks. I fully agree with your analysis of Iran's starting the Hezbollah/Hamas attacks - to divert attention from their nuclear plans and also, I think, to try to involve the West in active warfare in the region. Iran wanted Israel to take out Lebanon- so that Syria could move back into control of Lebanon. Then, Iran also wants to move into Iraq. Its agenda is control of the ME under a 'Persian empire'.
As you point out - the Arab states in the area, Egypt, Jordan, SA, have suddenly realized Iran's agenda - and have no desire for it.

I agree with you - that the West should not move in - but 'enable' Israel to look after itself, and enable Iraq to strengthen its democratic identity. The other Arab States can deal with Iran's imperial ambitions.

That leaves two issues. One, is Palestine - and I've come more and more to the conclusion that there were three 'fault lines'. One, is Israel's own refusal to acknowledge and enable a Palestinian state - by its self-deluding assertion that 'there's no such people as Palestinians; they are really Jordanians and ought to be 'absorbed' by Jordan; and by its occupation; and, by its settlement of the Palestinian lands. Disastrous. Then, there was Arafat's refusal to enable a Palestinian state for he'd lose power. But - there was also the Arab States refusal to enable a Palestinian state which they didn't want! We've ignored their rejection; and the reason they didn't want it would be because it would be a democracy and they don't want democracies in the midst of their tribalism.

The other problem is Islamic fascism, which has nothing to do with Israel-Palestine and is instead rooted in an unreformed, utopian tribal ideology, immune to questions and analysis. When you get individuals, emotionally seduced by this cult - and I'll call it a cult - and ready to kill themselves and thousands of others for no pragmatic reason other than the 'feel of power' - you've got a pathological cult.

The root cause is still Saudi Arabia, the house of Saud verses the Wahabi for control and has been long before 9/11. A dispute over oil that doesn't involve the US directly but because they are supporter's of the house of Saud has allowed extremist Islam and Wahabism to grow like a cancer. Add to that the centuries old squabbling between Arab states, Persian desires and of course the new State of Israel and you have what you have, a recipe for this to continue for generations to come.
Why do I support Israel? I support Israel because they too are a Western Civilization with Western values. No other reason.

While politically expedient I look forward to the day when we dont care what Fatwa was issued because religous leaders will not be poltical actors of any consequence.

While I am pleased that Sistani held back from full endorsement of the Hesbos it still mattered what he said.

One day the "muslim world", whatever that means, will figure out that the Mosque/Church should never be entrusted with political or economic power. It only leads to endless strife.

Being cold about this Islamofascism fights with "Christians" (about 1.5 billion people), "Hindus" (about 1.5 billion people), "Animists" (few 100 million), Buddhists, Communists (1.5 billion of those so to speak)

So in fact just about everyone....some day there will be a movement somewhere that realizes this. Maybe it will take yet another humiliating defeat, although I think they are immune to those now. It will take a country that is ostensibly "Muslim" to become very successful while being officially secular...>Turkey was supposed to be the model. Indonesia showed some hope. Without some success the world is collectively doomed to continue to fight these brushfires which further fuels their "victimhood narrative".

Where is are the Muslim "founding fathers" who while being devout recognize the need to keep religon and politics seperate.

ET, I fully agree with your assessment of the critical open issues: Palestine and Islamic Fascism.

Very complex problems with no quick easy solutions. I have some theories:

Palestine: Remember Fatah and Hamas were at each others throats before the Hizballah intervention. Another impetus for Iran to re-engage? I think Israeli unilateral disengagement from Gaza, coupled with "the wall" was working. I hope Israel is kicking terrorist ass in Palestine right now, and will ultimately resume unilateral disengagement policies continuing to hit back hard when attacked.

Islamic Fascists: western consensus will continue to harden with each escalation. Even the French, Germans, and Arab governments/people are awakening to the fact that "neutrality" is not an option. Several terrorist plots against France have been exposed. Just two weeks ago, two suitcase bombs were discovered in abandoned luggage on German trains (although the news was largly buried): http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/0,1518,430160,00.html. The terrorist bombings in Bombay, Egypt, Morrocco, Turkey, and Saudi have opened a lot of eyes to the threat. More attacks are being thwarted than carried out successfully. I think overall our strategy is working and we should continue down this path making improvements as opportunitites are identified, and aggressively fighting the bad guys.

TG,

As long as Moqtada Sadr or some nutbar Sunni extremist doesnt blow him up first.

What I do like about Sistani is he sees the limits of Islam and politics, for the most part.

Too bad there are no secular leaders in the region who have any stature....and those that gain it tend to do it via the barrel of a gun.