More Payback: Shi'ites Hit Sunni Mosques After Years Of Terrorism

At some point, it becomes inevitable. And not necessarily a bad thing, either.

Assailants wearing uniforms detonated two bombs inside one of Iraq's most revered Shiite shrines Wednesday, blowing the top off its landmark golden dome and spawning mass protests and reprisal attacks against dozens of Sunni mosques.

The brazen assault — the third major attack against Shiite targets in as many days — threatened to enflame religious passions as talks among sectarian and ethnic parties on a new government have bogged down.

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Shiite leaders called for calm, but militants attacked Sunni mosques and a gunfight broke out between Shiite militiamen and guards at the offices of a Sunni political party in Basra. About 500 soldiers were sent to Sunni neighborhoods in Baghdad to prevent clashes between the sects, army Capt. Jassim al-Wahash said.

Shiite spiritual leader Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani sent instructions to his followers forbidding attacks on Sunni mosques, especially the major ones in Baghdad. He called for seven days of mourning, his aides said.

The Iraqi Islamic Party, the country's largest Sunni political group, said at least 60 mosques were attacked, burned or taken over by Shiites. A leading Sunni politician, Tariq al-Hashimi, urged clerics and politicians to calm the situation "before it spins out of control."

What did the Sunnis expect would happen?

I suppose this may presage the long-promised (long dreamt of by liberals) Iraqi Civil War. Or it might put the fear of God, finally, into the Sunnis. They are a minority in a country in which they do not control the military or the most powerful weapons systems. Further, they are simultaneously at war with the US Military, the most effective and deadly army in history.

Is this really the road they want to head down?

If the Shi'ites do in fact begin terrorizing them as they've terrorized for years, to whom, precisely, will they look to for protection? The United States? Hardy-har-har.

They'd better straighten up and fly right if they want to survive this thing.

And get a haircut, hippies. I can't tell if you're boys or girls.

posted by Ace at 01:47 PM

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