“War on Christianity” meet “War on Islam”
“War on Christianity” meet “War on Islam” (using the US, and Afghanistan and Iraq as the templates)
People say things about you and your religion which you don’t like.
Both: Yes.
A nation of the other religion conquered your country and had executed the former leader.
Islam: Yes.
Christianity: No.
The media considers the name of your religion to be synonymous with “extremism” and “terrorism”.
Islam: Yes.
Christianity: Not so much.
Your country is being occupied by a superpower which is predominantly of the other religion.
Islam: Yes.
Christianity: No.
Civilians in your country are subject to illegal assassination carried out by remotely piloted aircraft.
Islam: Yes.
Christianity: No.
Your religion is subjected to occasional terrorist attacks.
Both: Yes, but in the case of the victims of the other religion, each religion’s fanatics blames the victims.
The terrorist attacks on your religion are reported as a major world news event.
Christianity: Yes.
Islam: Not so much.
Your country possesses, and asserts the right to strike first with nuclear weapons.
Christianity: Yes.
Islam: No.
What do you think of my analysis?
Copyright © 2015 Henry Edward Hardy
Update on the Battle of Najaf/Kufa Farms area January 28 2007: Ten now reported sentenced to death
Back on January 28, 2007 there occurred one of the biggest battles of the post-invasion phase of the Iraq War. Hundreds of civilians were reported killed and hundreds more civilians reported captured after significant ground and air activities in the area.
I was reading the still messy and not-well-organized wiki page on The Battle of Najaf and found an interesting update:
10 Iraqi cult members sentenced to death
Middle East Times/September 2, 2007Najaf, Iraq — Ten members of an Iraqi doomsday cult were sentenced to death Sunday, and 394 jailed for their roles in a January rebellion against Iraqi and US troops that left hundreds dead, police said.
“The criminal court passed judgement on 458 accused,” Najaf police chief Brigadier General Abdel Karim Mustapha said.
“It sentenced 10 leaders of the Soldiers of Heaven to death, and decided to release 54 of them,” he said. “The rest were sentenced to jail terms ranging from 15 years to life.”
In January, the militant sect, dubbing itself the Jund Al Samaa or “Soldiers of Heaven,” clashed with US and Iraqi forces outside the holy city of Najaf, three days ahead of the Shiite Ashura festival.
The fighting left 263 sect followers dead, including their messianic leader Dhia Abdel Zahra Kadhim Al Krimawi, also known as Abu Kamar, who believed himself to be a descendant of the Prophet Mohammed.
The Iraqi security forces reportedly lost three soldiers and three policemen.
After the battle, police rounded up hundreds of sect members and put them on trial.
“With today’s sentencing, the curtain has fallen on the Soldiers of Heaven group,” Mustapha said.
Abu Kamar has also claimed to be a descendant of the Imam Mehdi, an 8th-century imam who vanished as a boy and, who, Shiites believe, will return to bring justice to the world.
At the time of the attack, Najaf deputy governor Abdel Hussein Attan said that the well-structured group planned to attack senior Shiite clerics and seize control of religious sites in Najaf, in a sign the Mehdi was about to reappear.
According to wikipedia (currently) the Middle East Times parent company is owned by the Unification Church. Can anyone confirm, add to or refute the accuracy of this MET report?
See also: Scanlyze tag Najaf
Copyright © 2007 Henry Edward Hardy
Najaf Update: February 21, 2007
Interesting press release from the Multinational Forces in Iraq regarding Hilla, a town near An-Najaf, and the continuing suppression of heterodox Shia in the area. We must ask once again, what happened to the approximately 200 women and children captured near Najaf and Kufa in the “Battle of Najaf” on Jan 28, 2007?
Hilla SWAT captures 21 insurgent leaders
Saturday, 17 February 2007
Multi-National Corps – Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
APO AE 09342FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RELEASE No. 20070217-05
Feb. 17, 2007Hilla SWAT captures 21 insurgent leaders
Multi-National Corps – Iraq PAOBAGHDAD – Iraqi Special Weapons and Tactics Team members of Hilla SWAT arrested 21 suspected insurgent leaders during operations with Coalition advisers Feb. 16 southwest of Hilla. The suspects are believed to be Mahdawiyah leaders who are threatening the lives of Iraqi Security Forces and civilians in the area.
The Mahdawiyah group was involved in the battle against Iraqi Forces Jan. 28 in Najaf. Since the battle, the Mahdawiyah leadership has made death threats to Hilla SWAT policemen and their family members.
There were Iraqi arrest warrants for all the suspects. Hilla SWAT also detained 13 additional persons for questioning.
The operation by Hilla SWAT resulted in minimal damage to the objective. There were no Iraqi civilian, Iraqi forces or Coalition Forces casualties.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT MULTI-NATIONAL CORPS – IRAQ, PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE BY E-MAIL AT MNCI-PAO-VICTORYMAINJOC@IRAQ.CENTCOM.MIL
See also: Keyword ‘Najaf’ on scanlyze
Copyright © 2007 Henry Edward Hardy
Rabih Haddad responds to ‘America the Beautiful and Rabih Haddad’
I found Rabih Haddad’s blog, Enduring Mercy and linked back to my essay, America the Beautiful and Rabih Haddad.
He was kind enough to post a short reply, and I replied to his reply just now, see:
Comments by Rabih Haddad on the “Detainee Bill”
America the Beautiful and Rabih Haddad
Copyright © 2007 Henry Edward Hardy
About Scanlyze
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
Scanlyze is an online magazine of essays, commentary, satire, and analysis. Were we half as clever, for inspiration we would take Mark Twain, Ambrose Bierce, Swift, Montaigne, or Seneca.
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