Posted on 06/04/2004 12:51:36 PM PDT by Bloodclot
In wake of U.S. pullout, clerics impose radical regime
Posted: June 4, 2004 1:00 a.m. Eastern © 2004 WorldNetDaily.com
In the wake of the U.S. Marines pullout, the Sunni city of Fallujah has become a Taliban-style theocracy, reports Geostrategy-Direct, the global intelligence news service.
In the city of 300,000, about 30 miles north of Baghdad, al Qaida-inspired clerics are the ruling authorities, backed by the guns of Saddam loyalists who have imposed their own version of Islamic law.
The comparison to Afghanistan under the Taliban is not coincidental.
Many of the clerics who have taken over Fallujah either studied in Afghanistan or Saudi Arabia or were urged to adopt the Taliban example.
As a result, women must cover their hair and faces. If they don't, they are beaten in the streets. Naturally, beauty parlors have been shut down.
Men have been ordered to grow beards and barbers have been warned not to shave customers. Indeed, the barbers have been given strict guidelines on what kinds of haircuts are permissible.
Those selling or imbibing alcohol are now flirting with death. Already, several dealers have been flogged naked in the streets of Fallujah in full view of passersby. A man found drunk in Fallujah was also beaten to a pulp.
People have been encouraged or ordered to participate in the beatings.
The United States has deployed the Iraqi Civil Defense Corps in Fallujah. But security officers have not intervened as Al-Qaida-inspired gunmen direct traffic, harass businessmen and look for victims on the streets.
The Coalition Provisional Authority has a presence in Fallujah, but hasn't done anything either.
Last month, Secretary of State Colin Powell said the United States would not object to an Iraqi theocracy.
But it's ok because the people doing the oppressing are ethnically Arab. So what is there to complain about. At least the people in Fallujah are not being humiliated.
I guess they really would like us to kill them all, and not to feel guilty about it afterwards.
This is entirely predictable. We should have never let the scum off the hook in Fallujah. Never stop short of total victory. I cannot understand why we still think we can or should make deals with these lunatics.
Then how are we "winning" in Iraq?
Secondly, they get the information from a "global intelligence service" which no one has heard of, and which doesn't even know where Falluja is (it's west of Baghdad, not north).
Another side of the story.
A MARINE REPORTS: Hugh Hewitt directed me to this marine's postings from the area around Fallujah. They're fascinating. And the latest is particularly revealing:
As far as Falluja goes, we have not been allowed to get back in there with any real numbers yet. Initially, it was confounding. However, a very interesting dynamic has developed. Since we have stayed out of Falluja and focused elsewhere, the mujahadeen have had their run of the town. As they have had no one to fight, they have turned their criminal instincts on the citizens. The clerics who once were whipping these idiots into a suicidal frenzy are now having to issue Fatwas (holy decrees) admonishing the muj for extortion, rape, murder and kidnapping. It is unfortunate for the "innocent people" of Falluja but the mujahadeen have betrayed themselves as the thugs that they are by brutalizing the civilians. There are, in fact, reports of rape, etc from inside the town. While the muj are thugging away inside the town, we are about 1/2 mile away paying claims, entering into dialogue and contracting jobs. The citizens come outside the city for work and money and are treated like human beings. They go back inside and enter a lawless hell. In short, the muj have done more to show the people what hypocrites they are in a few short weeks than we could have hoped for in a year. The result is more and more targetable intelligence. If we are given the green light, we can really go to town on these guys (no pun intended). However, as much as we would like to do just that, the optimal solution is to empower the Iraqis to take care of it themselves. That is precisely what we are doing.
Because of men like this - and my gut belief that people anywhere will choose freedom over slavery, given a real chance - I'm still a proud supporter of this war and an optimist about its future.
Interesting.
Amen to that... it also gives the new Iraqi government a clear target to go after to establish their own credibility.
I agree. They should go after the fascists who are preying on these poor people in these remote areas and let us take care of the Al Qaeda element ruthlessly. We will see how it works out but it looks good right now.
Get it on video and send 1000's of copies to Iran.
Looks more to me like the Iraqi version of Mao's "Let One Million Flowers Bloom" - get the enemy to come out where they can be identified, then later, you clean 'em up.
Serves 'em right.
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