Politics > Politics-USA > 100s of Iraqi Army Desertions, Rumsfeld Retreats as 100s of Thousands Protest Elections
| Topic: |
Politics > Politics-USA |
| User: |
"Tuttles Almanac" |
| Date: |
23 Dec 2005 08:33:14 AM |
| Object: |
100s of Iraqi Army Desertions, Rumsfeld Retreats as 100s of Thousands Protest Elections |
BAGHDAD, Iraq Dec 23, 2005 — Large demonstrations broke out
across the country Friday to denounce parliamentary elections
that protesters say were rigged in favor of the main religious
Shiite coalition.
Several hundred thousand people demonstrated after noon prayers
in southern Baghdad Friday, many carrying banners decrying last
week's elections. Many Iraqis outside the religious Shiite coalition
allege that the elections were unfair to smaller Sunni Arab and
secular Shiite groups.
"We refuse the cheating and forgery in the elections," one banner read.
During Friday prayers at Baghdad's Umm al-Qura mosque, the headquarters
of the Association of Muslim Scholars, a major Sunni clerical group,
Sheik Mahmoud al-Sumaidaei told followers they were "living a conspiracy
built on lies and forgery."
"You have to be ready during these hard times and combat forgeries and
lies for the sake of Islam," he said.
Sunni Arab and secular Shiite factions demanded Thursday that an
international body review election fraud complaints, and threatened to
boycott the new legislature. The United Nations rejected the idea.
Their demand came two days after preliminary returns indicated that
the current governing group, the religious Shiite United Iraqi Alliance,
was getting bigger-than-expected majorities in Baghdad, which has large
numbers of Shiites and Sunnis.
On Friday, more than 2,000 people demonstrated in Mosul, where some accused
Iran of having a hand in election fraud. About 1,000 people demonstrated in
Tikrit, Saddam's hometown.
Meanwhile, gunmen Friday attacked an Iraqi army checkpoint in the city
of Adhaim, in religiously and ethnically mixed Diyala province, killing
eight soldiers and wounding seventeen, an Iraqi army officer said on
condition he not be identified for fear of reprisal.
"There were too many to count," said Akid, a 20-year-old soldier from
Diwanayah being treated for gunshot wounds to both thighs. "They tried
to kill everybody."
Akid, who would only give his first name for fear of reprisal, said his
battalion of about 600 men had already suffered over 250 desertions after
a Dec. 3 ambush in Adhaim killed 19 Iraqi soldiers.
"They gave up," he said. "They said, 'The hell with this.'"
Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said Friday that President Bush
had authorized new cuts in U.S. combat troops in Iraq, below the
138,000 level that prevailed for most of this year. Rumsfeld did not
reveal the exact size of the troop cut, but Pentagon officials have
said as many as 7,000 combat troops could be leaving.
______________________________________________________
Elephants can't fly.
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| User: "Tuttles Almanac" |
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| Title: Re: Bush's Dream, Rumsfeld's Nightmare: 100s desert Iraq Army; 100s of thousands Protest Elections |
23 Dec 2005 09:14:16 AM |
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Iraqis March, Say Elections Were Rigged
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=1436686&page=1
__________________________________________________________
Didn't Momma ever tell you
Santa Claus was a Viking god,
the Tooth Fairy isn't gay,
and elephants can't fly ?
Welcome to the real world.
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