Russian Muslims ready to fight on Iraqi side

middle-east-online ^

[chance33_98]

Russian Muslims ready to fight on Iraqi side

Russia’s head mufti says thousands of Russian Muslims want to go to Iraq to defend Iraq if war breaks up.

MOSCOW - Thousands of Russian Muslims are prepared to go to Iraq to "defend the Iraqi people" from US attacks if war breaks out, the head of the Council of Muftis of Russia, Ravil Gainuddin, said Wednesday.

"People come from Muslim regional organizations in Russia with pain in their hearts to say that they want to go to defend the Iraqi people if war begins," said Gainuddin, whose council groups Muslims of central and western Russia.

"There are dozens now, and soon there will be hundreds and thousands," he told a press conference, adding that the council planned to send a delegation to Iraq "to observe the situation with its own eyes ... and to meet with Iraqi government and spiritual officials."

Saying the council had "the warmest and most respectful relations with the Iraqi people," he added that a military operation against Iraq would be "a tragedy for the whole region" and could trigger "a wave of terrorist acts" across the world.

Russia counts around 20 million Muslims among its population of some 143 million. Most live in the northern Caucasus region including Chechnya, Dagestan and Ingushetia and in the central republics of Tatarstan and Bashkortostan.

Moscow has so far sided with Berlin and Paris in opposition to a precipitous war on Iraq, and it backed a Franco-German memorandum at the United Nations on Monday urging a peaceful disarmament of Baghdad.

The text was a counter-proposal to a new draft Security Council resolution filed by the United States, Britain and Spain and widely seen as setting the stage for an imminent war.

[ClancyJ]

What kind of people would want to defend an insane dictator who tortures his own people and uses chemical weapons on them? Is this the kind of man they want ruling other Muslims?

Either ignorant or they too enjoy torture and maiming of others.

[FreeCanuckistan]

Good. Send them down, more human shields (offerings).

[per loin]

These Islamic bozos never learn. Just before we hit Afghanistan, bunches of them swarmed into the country. By the time they realized that the war was not to be fought with sharp sticks and small stones, it was too late for many of them.

[radioman]

I'm still waiting for them to show up in Afganistan...LMAO!

[chance33_98]

I'm still waiting for them to show up in Afganistan...LMAO!

From the pic it looks like they are frozen or under some spell....

[Kudsman]

All right I have had alot of fun tonight at http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/854954 . Now the Butt> You looking for a sheep to feed on here we go.

As an American that has faught and continues to fight for my country I want to get something straight right now. While it is true we have competing interests with RADICAL MILITANT ISLAMIST I will not stand by and watch anyone condemn a whole religion of very spiritual people so cavalierly. If ANY person comes to my country and chooses to live in peace and adopt our Constitution they have the guaranteed right to worship without fear of retribution or intimidation. Shame on you! Rip me if you will for I know the fearless Romulus is out there smiling! :-)

[xm177e2]

Maybe these Russkies don't remember what happened to the foreigners from Al-Qaida in Afghanistan. I don't think the Iraqis will be amused or at all friendly to these people.

[Damagro]

Why would they travel that far to surrender?

[dennisw]

Nuke Mecca/Medina that ought to chill them out.

[Kudsman]

What do you need a little more encouragement boy's. Okay.

Even Communists!

If WE can only get them to realize they are American Communists first. No matter how badly I disagree with them they are FREE to peacefully dissent and petition our Government with a list of grievances. And for you to say otherwise makes you no better than Saddam. If there is no response soon i wish the moderator would remove this thread from current news/activism forum.

[gulfcoast6]

SayDamn said 'come on', leaving soon to help him?

[RIGHT IN SEATTLE]

Fk#$m

[hford02]

thanks for the reminder... sometimes we're carried away... and lose sight of the objective

[Freebird Forever]

Russia’s head mufti says thousands of Russian Muslims want to go to Iraq to defend Iraq if war breaks up.

Reading this article reminded me of the sting operations used by police where the really inept bad guys are invited to an event (with the understanding that they have "won" something). Then, after they''ve arrived, they get served with a warrant.

[Kudsman]

More likely they are being SENT in to help stabilize the Kirsk Oil fields if Turkey wont let us do it. Hopefully it turns out something like that. I shudder at the implications if it is meant as escalation.

[Jarhead_22]

Apparently, Muslims are only allowed to be killed by other Muslims.

[Freebird Forever]

More likely they are being SENT in to help stabilize the Kirsk Oil fields if Turkey wont let us do it.

That's not what the article states:
MOSCOW - Thousands of Russian Muslims are prepared to go to Iraq to "defend the Iraqi people" from US attacks if war breaks out, the head of the Council of Muftis of Russia, Ravil Gainuddin, said Wednesday.

These Russian muslims are not entering the fray in order to assist the Coalition of the Willing.

If anything, they'll be a minor nuisance, until they become cannon fodder.

I'm sure Putin will be happy to be rid of the potential troublemakers.

[Kudsman]

Foreign presses (especially the former CCCP) have been know to distort realities to give a false sense of bravado. See DPRK daily drivel.

It could actually be to our benefit to have Muslim speaking Russkies between the Kurds and any ideas of a power play by Turkey. Remember they are still blood foes at heart and will revert to CENTURIES old hostilities after the death of Saddam.

[Arpege92]

Meeting with the Iraqi government and the spiritual officials will not give them the truth as to what is really going on in Iraq. I suggest they talk with the average Iraqi citizen but then again, they won't give them the truth either. They are too afraid of Saddam....does anyone besides Mr. Penn get this?