March 3, 2006

I am filled with great sadness and anger at hearing that yet another mosque has been attacked and destroyed in Iraq. The Askari Mosque, (also called 'Golden Mosque because of its golden dome) is sacred to both Sunnis and Shi’ite. For the Shi’ite it is an important symbol as it is the burial place of the 10th and 11th Shi’ite Imams (holy descendants of the Prophet): Ali al-Hadi and Hasan al-Askari.

The Shi’ite (twelvers) believe that Hasan al-Askari’s 'occulted’ son: Muhammad al-Mahdi 'al-muntadhar’(who disappeared in 260/874 in a super natural realm), the Twelfth and final of the Shi’ite Imams or Mahdi, (also called the 'Hidden Imam’) will return to earth to bring an era of justice and peace, followed by the end of the world.

In the seventies I was fortunate to visit this ancient city of Samarra, which was the capital of the Abassid Empire under Caliph al-Mu’tasim (in the 9th century). From the top of the Malwiya (spiral minaret) which is the symbol of Samarra one has an excellent view over the entire city, it is quite impressive, like all historical sites in Iraq. I recall that when I visited the Askari Mosque I was struck with amazement by its great beauty and by its atmosphere of peace and serenity.

Last year the Malwiya was damaged by American rockets and now the Golden dome of the Askari mosque has been destroyed!

The first question one should ask is: Who benefits from instigating and infuriating Shi’ite against Sunnis and vice-versa?

Surely the answer is: Definitely not the Iraqis, for they do not want a civil war. They have suffered too much already and for too long!

The US and the UK are directly responsible not only for the destruction of Iraqi religious sites (Sunni, Shi’ite and Christian), but for the destruction of the entire country. They conveniently hide behind the al-Zarqawi myth to commit their crimes. How much do they pay their mercenaries to carry out these crimes in order to ignite sectarian war?

There was no al-Qaida and no al-Zarqawi 'terrorism’ in Iraq before the US, the UK and their accomplices invaded the country. There was no animosity between Shi’ite, Sunnis, Christians, Sabeans and Yezidis in Iraq before they invaded the country.

The US and the UK are directly responsible because they have illegally invaded a sovereign country and destabilized it. They have brought chaos and are responsible for killing over 1.5 million Iraqis (with their criminal economic sanctions and heavy bombings). They are responsible for stealing Iraq’s sovereign resources and for stealing 12 billion US$ (by Bremer). They are responsible for the elimination of Iraq’s academics, for imprisoning, torturing, raping, humiliating, maiming and killing thousands of innocent Iraqis, the enumeration of their evil deeds could go on and on…

There will be no healing of Iraq, no reconciliation, no peace, no reconstruction and no future while these gangsters occupy the country.

The Iraqi people are demanding their immediate departure. No doubt that when the US-UK are finally kicked out all the puppet/agents who have been put in place by the Anglo-Saxon occupiers will flee back to America and Britain. Shame on them! Shame on them for conspiring with the enemy, for having betrayed their country and for having participated in squandering its wealth! These 'puppets’ have proven that they are incapable of running the country, hiding behind their masters’ fortifications in the so-called 'Green Zone’ and the Iraqi people do not trust them. Graver still: their lack of leadership and total incompetence is putting the territorial unity of Iraq at risk.

Meanwhile, the Kurdish parties of Barazani and Talabani, with the help of the US and the Israelis, are implementing Zionist-inspired policies in the north of Iraq, to the detriment of the Turkmen, Arabs and Assyrians.

At this crucial moment, when the future of their country is at stake, it is to be hoped that Iraqis will rally together in order to avoid falling into the trap of a sectarian war and that they will unite their efforts to kick out their common enemy: the occupiers.

Iraqi Sunnis and Shi’ite rallying in Kut today (23rd February 2006) under the Iraqi flag, bring a much needed ray of hope.

Merry FitzGerald

Belgium, 23rd February 2006.