Iraqis demand end to American occupation

[News_Editor]

Iraqis demand end to American occupation

2011-04-10 00:15:43 GMT+7 (ICT)

BAGHDAD (BNO NEWS) -- Tens of thousands of demonstrators on Saturday took to the streets of Baghad to mark the eighth anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq and demand the departure of the American troops, Aswat al-Iraq news agency reported.

Protesters, mainly followers of the Shiite Sadrist Leader Muqtada al-Sadr, carried Iraqi flags and raised slogans condemning the U.S. forces presence in the country. The prominent cleric al-Sadr is one of the most vocal critics of the U.S. occupation of Iraq.

"The slogans of the demonstration are concentrating on the demands for the departure of the U.S. occupation forces from Iraq and a call on the Iraqi government to put an end for the foreign presence of those forces and the non-renewal of their existence in Iraq," al-Sadr's media spokesman told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

Hazim al-Aaraji said during his reading of Sadr's statement before the demonstrators that the leader has called for an open sit-in demonstration to force the American forces to leave Iraq by the end of this year.

Passenger buses coming from different southern Iraqi provinces were seen entering Baghdad carrying tens of thousands of demonstrators. A curfew on vehicles was imposed to prevent any movement around the venue of the demonstration.

The Mahdi Army, formed by al-Sadr in 2003, was involved in clashes with U.S. forces. It suspended its activities in 2007, bringing a significant decline in violence.

According to a security agreement between Baghdad and Washington, all U.S. forces will be withdrawn by the end of 2011. Less than 50,000 US troops remain in Iraq, eight years since since the U.S.-led war began March 20, 2003.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-04-10

[flying]

This may be the response that was asked for a couple of days ago.

Thursday, Apr 7, 2011 09:01 ET Gates says Iraq can keep some US troops Defense Secretary Gates told Iraqis they must decide whether they want a continued US military presence or not

Hopefully this response has been sufficiently loud & clear.

The US budget problems would be slightly better off listening to it.

[coma]

What are they waiting for ? Every other country that was part of the 'coalition of the willing' left long ago. Time to leave them to it. Sink or swim.

[Steely Dan]

All the better for Iran to smuggle arms directly through to Syria and Hizbollah over land.

[coma]

All the better for Iran to smuggle arms directly through to Syria and Hizbollah over land.

Understand what you are saying but at the end of the day it is Iraq and the Middle East. Their business. Not the US.

[koheesti]

All the better for Iran to smuggle arms directly through to Syria and Hizbollah over land.

Understand what you are saying but at the end of the day it is Iraq and the Middle East. Their business. Not the US.

Do you believe it is Persian-Iran's business to interfere in the Arab countries?

Sadr protesting for foreigners to leave Iraq is irony at its finest. He just wants Iraq defenseless enough so that his masters in Iran can take over and make him the Governor or whatever.

[zzaa09]

Eight years? That's repeated enough times until such becomes the truth. How about 21 years of continuous occupation.....this is much closer to the real story.

[zzaa09]

In the long of it, days were better with a Saddam regime.

[Steely Dan]

All the better for Iran to smuggle arms directly through to Syria and Hizbollah over land.

Understand what you are saying but at the end of the day it is Iraq and the Middle East. Their business. Not the US.

Do you believe it is Persian-Iran's business to interfere in the Arab countries?

Sadr protesting for foreigners to leave Iraq is irony at its finest. He just wants Iraq defenseless enough so that his masters in Iran can take over and make him the Governor or whatever.

Ain't that the truth. If the U.S committed to removing all their troops by the end of 2011, they will struggle to justify a reversal of policy, however if the Iraqi president requested them to remain longer in order to keep Al-Sadr from taking over then that could be sufficient cause to stay.

It's basically a race against time in my oppinion, I think Armedinajad is very unpopular with large sections of Iranian society and in order to distract attention he needs a war badly, hence the pressing need to get free passage through Iraq. If thwarted he may have to take on Saudi Arabia as a consellation prize.

[Ulysses G.]

In the long of it, days were better with a Saddam regime.

Maybe for you they were.

[coma]

All the better for Iran to smuggle arms directly through to Syria and Hizbollah over land.

Understand what you are saying but at the end of the day it is Iraq and the Middle East. Their business. Not the US.

Do you believe it is Persian-Iran's business to interfere in the Arab countries?

Sadr protesting for foreigners to leave Iraq is irony at its finest. He just wants Iraq defenseless enough so that his masters in Iran can take over and make him the Governor or whatever.

NO. Can you read ??? I said the Middle East. Here is a list of Middle Eastern countries. http://en.wikipedia....s_by_population

I don't see the US on this list.Iran is however. Why don't you people learn to stay out of other peoples lives ? You are not wanted anywhere in the Middle East.

Sadr is an Iraqi. He has a democratic right to protest compliments of the US invasion. I have clearly shown you that your arguement is a failure.

[Ulysses G.]

I have clearly shown you that your arguement is a failure.

Maybe not.

[flying]

All the better for Iran to smuggle arms directly through to Syria and Hizbollah over land.

Go to Google news & type in gun smuggling in the US

Note that whole page will be 2 days or less old in stories.

It is time to remove the blur in our (USA) own vision before we try to help others with their vision less we blind them in the process.

We have no more business there & I am not saying we ever did....But in the face of all that is happening in the USA it is time to quit pissing in the wind.

Time for sound economical reform & that starts with stopping the hemorrhaging of dollars where we are not wanted or even politically correct in being present.

At a time where the government is running week to week & in constant threat of shutdown it is not just foolish it is insane to continue these excursions.

Edited April 10, 2011 by flying

[coma]

All the better for Iran to smuggle arms directly through to Syria and Hizbollah over land.

Go to Google news & type in gun smuggling in the US

Note that whole page will be 2 days or less old in stories.

It is time to remove the blur in our (USA) own vision before we try to help others with their vision less we blind them in the process.

We have no more business there & I am not saying we ever did....But in the face of all that is happening in the USA it is time to quit pissing in the wind.

Time for sound economical reform & that starts with stopping the hemorrhaging of dollars where we are not wanted or even politically correct in being present.

At a time where the government is running week to week & in constant threat of shutdown it is not just foolish it is insane to continue these excursions.

Well said.

[koheesti]

Do you believe it is Persian-Iran's business to interfere in the Arab countries?

Sadr protesting for foreigners to leave Iraq is irony at its finest. He just wants Iraq defenseless enough so that his masters in Iran can take over and make him the Governor or whatever.

NO. Can you read ??? I said the Middle East. Here is a list of Middle Eastern countries. http://en.wikipedia....s_by_population

I don't see the US on this list.Iran is however. Why don't you people learn to stay out of other peoples lives ? You are not wanted anywhere in the Middle East.

Not wanted? Who says? A small group on Iran's payroll?

Maybe it is easier for you to simplify the people there into one group - Middle Eastern. But there are many more differences there such as Persian/Arab and Sunni/Shiite. Iran DOES NOT BELONG in Arab Iran, Syria, Lebanon or the Palestinian terrortories. I'd love for the US to leave Iraq now - as long as Iraq doesn't just come right in and fill the void. All that would mean is we would go back within the decade at an even greater cost.

Sadr is an Iraqi. He has a democratic right to protest compliments of the US invasion.

Right, Sadr has a democratic right thanks to US and coalition invasion. Sadr's puppet masters are in Iran. Protest in Iran is illegal. Do you think that if Sadr gets his way and the US leaves Iraq that people in Iraq will still have the right to protest? Of course not.

[animatic]

Of course this is coming from

"followers of the Shiite Sadrist Leader Muqtada al-Sadr"

Who has caused legions of problems in Iraq and is closely aligned with Irans regime. No surprise that his followers want America out. He wants to bring down the current government and install a fundamentalist <deleted> regime with himself as head.

This would be like having Weng join Santi Asoke,

and he rules Thailand with Chamlong,

but under Sharia Law.....

Edited April 10, 2011 by animatic

[bangkokeddy]

Not wanted? [...]

Yes. Not wanted. How comes you have doubt about this?

[koheesti]

Not wanted? [...]

Yes. Not wanted. How comes you have doubt about this?

Easy, just consider the source.

A lot of people in Iraq and nearby would be very afraid if the Americans just up and left. Everyone - including yourself - knows the bloodshed will escalate far beyond what it was even 5 years ago.

[coma]

At the end of the day Iran and Iraq are neighbours. They actually live on the same continent. The USA does NOT. Obviously a news alert for some.

They need to be left to fend for themselves. And anybody that thinks that the majority of Iraqi's want the US to stay in Iraq are gravely mistaken. The entire Arab world including such countries as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain depise the USA . Why ?? Occupying Arab land and supporting a satelite State smack bang in the Middle of The Middle East. Wish Mr Obama and his fellow voters would wake up to this fact and leave the rest of the world alone. Go away USA.

[coma]

Not wanted? [...]

Yes. Not wanted. How comes you have doubt about this?

Easy, just consider the source.

A lot of people in Iraq and nearby would be very afraid if the Americans just up and left. Everyone - including yourself - knows the bloodshed will escalate far beyond what it was even 5 years ago.

Let them shed thier blood. They have been doing so since Mohammad and his thugs went through there enforcing [ quite brutally I might add ] his words from Allah. The Koran.

Who cares ? As long as we are not shedding anymore blood on what we all know to be a lost cause.

[lannarebirth]

Hopefully they'll listen to the Iraqis if not their own citizenry.

[WarpSpeed]

Not wanted? [...]

Yes. Not wanted. How comes you have doubt about this?

Easy, just consider the source.

A lot of people in Iraq and nearby would be very afraid if the Americans just up and left. Everyone - including yourself - knows the bloodshed will escalate far beyond what it was even 5 years ago.

Let them shed thier blood. They have been doing so since Mohammad and his thugs went through there enforcing [ quite brutally I might add ] his words from Allah. The Koran.

Who cares ? As long as we are not shedding anymore blood on what we all know to be a lost cause.

Yes but silly you, the world was a much bigger place then and the temper tantrums that took place didn't flow over into the neighbors yard (the U.S.) and have to be cleaned with sanitizer like they do these days ....

And then they won't be satisfied with their own self determination and will want to pollute the rest of the civilized world as well..

Edited April 10, 2011 by WarpSpeed

[chachachacha]

neighbors yard (the U.S.)

So now the middle east is a neighbor of the US ? Prob 8o% of Americans don't know where the middle east is ,for that matter if anything exist outside their own state let alone Country

[WarpSpeed]

neighbors yard (the U.S.)

So now the middle east is a neighbor of the US ? Prob 8o% of Americans don't know where the middle east is ,for that matter if anything exist outside their own state let alone Country

Yes, in todays environment the entire world is the neighbors yard..If that weren't the case then 9/11 would have never happened..

80%? Display of ignorance if there ever was one..

Edited April 10, 2011 by WarpSpeed

[coma]

neighbors yard (the U.S.)

So now the middle east is a neighbor of the US ? Prob 8o% of Americans don't know where the middle east is ,for that matter if anything exist outside their own state let alone Country

Yes, in todays environment the entire world is the neighbors yard..

80%? Display of ignorance if there ever was one..

Pot this is kettle over .

Why don't the US concentrate on looking after the problems of its real neighbour, Mexico, with the drug and immigration problems flowing into the US. And leave REAL neighbours of Iraq worry about any future problems that may arise. T

[WarpSpeed]

neighbors yard (the U.S.)

So now the middle east is a neighbor of the US ? Prob 8o% of Americans don't know where the middle east is ,for that matter if anything exist outside their own state let alone Country

Yes, in todays environment the entire world is the neighbors yard..

80%? Display of ignorance if there ever was one..

Pot this is kettle over .

Why don't the US concentrate on looking after the problems of its real neighbour, Mexico, with the drug and immigration problems flowing into the US. And leave REAL neighbours of Iraq worry about any future problems that may arise. T

We tried that already and buildings were destroyed and Americans died because of uncultured people who can't work out their own problems without a whipping horse to blame.. You know what were talking about so no need to continue this discussion, it's a veeeeeery tedious and long topic the point of which just seems to escape some people ..

[bangkokeddy]

Not wanted? [...]

Yes. Not wanted. How comes you have doubt about this?

Easy, just consider the source.

A lot of people in Iraq and nearby would be very afraid if the Americans just up and left. Everyone - including yourself - knows the bloodshed will escalate far beyond what it was even 5 years ago.

The current Government seems to stick to the plan that US forces have to leave by the end of the year. and the Sadrist movement is part of that government.

I remember opinion polls that showed that a large majority of Iraqis wants the US forces to leave and that better sooner than later.

A majority even supported attacks on US-led forces.

Support for attacks against US-led forces has increased sharply to 61 percent (27% strongly, 34% somewhat). This represents a 14-point increase from January 2006, when only 47 percent of Iraqis supported attacks.

http://thinkprogress.org/2006/09/27/iraqis-poll/

In the Sunni community attacks had an approval rate of 92%.

What makes you think US troops are welcome?

It doesn't make you un-American or unpatriotic if you can accept that US forces are probably not that popular over there.

[luckizuchinni]

I am not surprised that over half of the Iraqis say they want us gone. But certainly not all want that. I have sat in on meetings where both tribal leaders and businessmen have implored us to stay. And in places like Al Qaim and the like, the support for a foreign military presence is almost overwhelming.

I also believe, and this is just my personal opinion, that some of the people who say they want us gone are only saying that for political reasons and would really rather have us stay.

Like it or not, the US presence since 2006 has averted what would likely have been a bloodbath of huge proportions.

(I am not saying we should stay, only that not all Iraqis want us gone.)

[koheesti]

Not wanted? [...]

Yes. Not wanted. How comes you have doubt about this?

Easy, just consider the source.

A lot of people in Iraq and nearby would be very afraid if the Americans just up and left. Everyone - including yourself - knows the bloodshed will escalate far beyond what it was even 5 years ago.

The current Government seems to stick to the plan that US forces have to leave by the end of the year. and the Sadrist movement is part of that government.

I remember opinion polls that showed that a large majority of Iraqis wants the US forces to leave and that better sooner than later.

A majority even supported attacks on US-led forces.

Support for attacks against US-led forces has increased sharply to 61 percent (27% strongly, 34% somewhat). This represents a 14-point increase from January 2006, when only 47 percent of Iraqis supported attacks.

http://thinkprogress...27/iraqis-poll/

In the Sunni community attacks had an approval rate of 92%.

What makes you think US troops are welcome?

It doesn't make you un-American or unpatriotic if you can accept that US forces are probably not that popular over there.

I'm sure like anything else the public opinion is split.

Some want the US troops out because they just don't like having a foreign army on its soil. Some want the US out because maybe they lost a family member at the hands of the US troops. Others - like Sadr - want them out because they see the foreign troops as getting in the way for his lust for power.

Some want the US to stay because they feel safer. Some want the US to stay because they are good for their business or they have a job through them. Some want the US to stay because they feel they are the one thing keeping a full blown civil war from taking place. Or maybe they know Iran is just waiting for the US to leave so they can carve out some chunks along the border for itself.

So when some people make a blanket statement like "you are not wanted there" - it just is not true.

[Wallaby]

Countries should not have a democracy forced upon them and Iraq is one of those countries that is better off with a dictator. There will be much bloodshed with the US there and without the US there so just leave and hope there will be someone in power that can control the people, that's what they need.