Informed Comment Homepage

Thoughts on the Middle East, History and Religion

Header Right

Donate

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Google+
  • Email
  • RSS
  • Featured
  • US politics
  • Middle East
  • Environment
  • US Foreign Policy
  • Energy
  • Economy
  • Politics
  • About
  • Archives
  • Submissions

© 2023 Informed Comment

  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Uncategorized

Muqtada Aide Australia Out According To

Juan Cole 04/05/2004

Tweet
Share
Reddit
Email
0 Shares

Muqtada Aide: Australia Out!

According to Australian Broadcasting Co., Imam Amer al-Hussaini, an aide to Muqtada al-Sadr, called Sunday for an immediate withdrawal of Australian troops from Iraq. ‘ “The Saddam regime (is) gone and … we know how to control our country,” he told ABC radio through an interpreter. ‘

Australian Broadcasting’s Peter Cave conducted the whole interview:

‘ PETER CAVE: In Baghdad thousands of Sadr supporters gridlocked the city centre as they laid siege to Paul Bremer’s headquarters throughout the day. Shiites were repressed under Saddam Hussein and I asked Imam Hazin al Aaraji, who was leading the protest, if he now saw the American administration as the enemy?

IMAM HAZIN AL AARAJI: One hundred per cent.

PETER CAVE: Why?

IMAM HAZIN AL AARAJI: Why?… (translated) They killed two of Al Mah[di] army yesterday and we have sixteen injured.

PETER CAVE: . . . I spoke to Amer al-Husseini, who runs the Sadr mosque and is Moqtada’s chief lieutenant in Sadr City.

(To Amer al-Husseini) Are they opposed to the Americans being here in general or just the actions they’ve taken against the newspaper?

AMER AL HUSSEINI: (translated) In general because Saddam regime had been gone and Iraqis should have their country controlled and we know how to control our country. To be here as occupiers, they are not welcome here.

PETER CAVE: One final question, could you explain that there is a debate in Australia about removing Australia’s 850 troops. Has he got a message for the Australian Government, about Australia’s troops who are here?

AMER AL HUSSEINI (translated): Well we hope that Australia will follow Spain, or their decision to withdraw from Iraq, but we should also say we thank very much the Australian for helping us and we through your TV want to tell the Prime Minister, the Australian Prime Minister, that thank you for your helping, but please withdraw from Iraq.

PETER CAVE: Amer Al Husseini, who runs the Sadr mosque and is Moqtada’s chief lieutenant in Sadr City and that report from correspondent Peter Cave.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

About the Author

Juan Cole is the founder and chief editor of Informed Comment. He is Richard P. Mitchell Professor of History at the University of Michigan He is author of, among many other books, Muhammad: Prophet of Peace amid the Clash of Empires and The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. Follow him on Twitter at @jricole or the Informed Comment Facebook Page

Primary Sidebar

STAY INFORMED

Join our newsletter and have sharp analysis delivered to your inbox every day.

Twitter

Follow Juan Cole @jricole or Informed Comment @infcomment on Twitter

Facebook



Sign up for our newsletter

Informed Comment © 2023 All Rights Reserved

Posting....