Posted on 11/11/2004 6:12:47 AM PST by Excuse_My_Bellicosity
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TERRORISTS USE MOSQUE TO FIRE UPON FORCES
BAGHDAD, Iraq – In Fallujah today, Multi-National Force-Iraq struck terrorists illegally using a mosque to fire upon Iraqi and coalition troops.
Anti-Iraqi forces in Fallujah have made extensive use of mosques as bases of operations, storage sites for weapons and explosives, and as safe havens. Throughout Iraq, insurgents and terrorists continue to operate from mosques and other protected sites in clear violation of international law as well as religious and moral standards.
On two separate occasions, Iraqi and coalition forces came under fire from insurgents in the Khulafah Al Rashid mosque. Using small arms fire, the combined forces could not remove the threat. Insurgents had effective control of the area and a tactical advantage, leaving no alternative other than to engage them while they remained inside the mosque. The mosque was struck by coalition aerial assets at approximately 9:25 a.m. with three precision-guided munitions and then again at 1:38 p.m. with another precision-guided munition, which destroyed the minaret. The combined forces used only enough force to remove the threat.
During periods of armed conflict, religious sites are protected under international law. However, they lose their protected status when used as fighting positions or for other military operations.
Foreign fighters continue to use mosques, hospitals, schools and other protected sites to stage and plan their attacks on innocent civilians and security forces. These actions by the terrorists and foreign fighters display once again their complete disregard and disrespect for Islam as well as international law.
Anti-Iraqi forces continue to use protected sites as part of a deliberate propaganda campaign designed to discredit the sovereign government of Iraq and Multi-National Force.
As Prime Minister Ayad Allawi has stated many times, the sovereign government of Iraq will not allow foreign fighters and terrorists to continue the tactic of using mosques, hospitals, schools or other protected sites to stage or plan attacks against Iraqi forces.
We are putting this statement out because we are warning the world and the terrorists that we will no longer be careful around Mosques. If terrorists are hiding in mosques, we will take them out.
Then, pursuant to the Geneva Convention, it ceases to be a place of worship. TAKE IT OUT!
When they fire from a mosque the mosque loses it's status as a non target under the rules of the Geneva convention.
Blow it up. It may start a trend.
"terrorists ILLEGALLY using a mosque to fire upon Iraqi and coalition troops. "
I never get used to the Peaceful Muslims of the world remaining quiet when their houses of worship are used as munitions warehouses and above-ground foxholes! IMO, if
THEY don't care how the terrorists defile their religion,
why should the coalition forces?
New headline: MARINES USE MOSQUE FOR TARGET PRACTICE!!!!!
PING...
Here's the solution...
lock and load your weapon......acquire your target.....and fire for effect..
"The mosque was struck by coalition aerial assets at approximately 9:25 a.m. with three precision-guided munitions and then again at 1:38 p.m. with another precision-guided munition, which destroyed the minaret."
Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide ....
Based on what I've read...its a automatic rule. Just takes one shot to change the status of a mosque to a target. They may pump everyone up with video display of Americans shooting at the Mosque...but its a simple rule with a simple result. I'm of the same belief for US facilities as well. Any fool that wants to hide behind their religion and use weapons offensively...gets what they deserve.
Note to Terrorists, insurgents,militants,hostile forces according to the GHC Ya use da Mosque for clearly military aggressive purposes Ya lose da Mosque. Bye-Bye scum.</p>
Blow it up. It may start a trend
I couldn't agree more....A fire base is a fire base. Take them out.
The question isn't whether we can do it...the question has been whether the effects of doing it would outweigh the benefits. I think that we have demonstrated restraint for so long that no serious claims can be made that we were looking to attack these sites, and now can move forward properly.
I don't like that we felt we had to wait, but we have a world of idiots to deal with, and they can't seem to understand common sense (or those who *do* understand love to use ridiculous claims to enflame the idiots).
Really, really sucks that Israel can't operate from that same rule.
That's right. We're putting out word that if mosques are used to harbor terrorists, we have no problem hitting them with airstrikes. That needs to be made very clear here, too. If anybody is whipping up terrorist fervor, propoganda, or fundraising in mosques here in the states, they should be bulldozed under.
The problem is that the military is way to concerned about "outrage" from the rest of the muslim world when mosques are hit. It's time to stop being so PC. IMHO, when a muslim cleric preaches jihad from a mosque, the mosque should be taken out along with as many followers of the cleric as possible. When a mosque is used as a base of attack, there should be no question or hesitation. What I am hearing is that it takes hours to get approval to hit a mosque, even when attacks are directly coming from the mosque.
The military needs to stop tying the hands of our brave soldiers and let them do their job. The muslim world hates the US now and blowing up a mosque is not going to change a thing except kill terrorists.
So much for making war from religious sites and then crying, "Sanctuary."
If the truly religious Muslims want this sacrilege of turning mosques into military redoubts to end, they have it in their power.
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