samarra and the smoking gun: proof it was not the 'insurgents'
brian | 28.02.2006 01:16
The Smoking Gun
By Mike Whitney
02/27/06 "ICH" -- -- The AFP is reporting that the bombing of the Golden Domed Mosque “was the work of specialists” and that the “placing of explosives must have taken at least 12 hours.”
Construction Minister Jassem Mohammed Jaafar said, “Holes were dug into the mausoleum’s four main pillars and packed with explosives. Then charges were connected together and linked to another charge placed just under the dome. The wires were then linked to a detonator which was triggered at a distance.”
Clearly, the bombing was not carried out by rogue elements in the disparate Iraqi resistance.
By Mike Whitney
02/27/06 "ICH" -- -- The AFP is reporting that the bombing of the Golden Domed Mosque “was the work of specialists” and that the “placing of explosives must have taken at least 12 hours.”
Construction Minister Jassem Mohammed Jaafar said, “Holes were dug into the mausoleum’s four main pillars and packed with explosives. Then charges were connected together and linked to another charge placed just under the dome. The wires were then linked to a detonator which was triggered at a distance.”
Clearly, the bombing was not carried out by rogue elements in the disparate Iraqi resistance.
The Smoking Gun
By Mike Whitney
02/27/06 "ICH" -- -- The AFP is reporting that the bombing of the Golden Domed Mosque “was the work of specialists” and that the “placing of explosives must have taken at least 12 hours.”
Construction Minister Jassem Mohammed Jaafar said, “Holes were dug into the mausoleum’s four main pillars and packed with explosives. Then charges were connected together and linked to another charge placed just under the dome. The wires were then linked to a detonator which was triggered at a distance.”
Clearly, the bombing was not carried out by rogue elements in the disparate Iraqi resistance. This is the work of highly-trained saboteurs and bomb-experts who were executing a precision-demolition to incite sectarian violence. The blast bears all the hallmarks of a covert Intelligence-agency operation.
Who benefits from such a vicious attack on the foundations of Islamic identity and culture?
The AFP’s report is consistent with earlier accounts provided by a Baghdad blogger who demonstrates that the destruction of the mosque was a “controlled demolition” which required considerable time and professional expertise.
http://www.uruknet.info/?p=m20950. The photographs of the nearby, but untouched, minarets provide a shocking example of the bomber’s skill.
Eyewitness accounts have appeared on various web sites claiming that there were “unusual activities” taking place at the mosque the night before the bombing. One witness reported that he heard their “cars the whole night until the next morning”. Another witness who lives near to the mosque says that at 8:30 that evening he was told “to stay in your shop and don’t leave the area” while Iraqi National Guard and American troops “patrolled the area until the next morning”. At 6:30 AM the American troops left.
At 6:40 the first explosion went off.
Almost immediately, the western media swung into high-gear producing over 1,000 stories containing the word “civil war” in the first 24 hours. As always, the media reliably regurgitates the narrative that best serves the interests of management and their political benefactors. In this case, it’s clear that ‘civil war’ is being used to divert attacks from occupation forces and pit Iraqis against Iraqis.
But is this really the plan? After all, how does that make Iraq more governable?
By now, we should realize that the Bush administration has no plan to govern Iraq nor do they care a whit about the suffering of the Iraqi people. The only thing the matters is the extraction of petroleum from Iraqi oil-fields and its unobstructed transfer to the market. The rest is rubbish.
“We don’t do body counts”, boasted General Tommy Franks.
Franks could have added that we don’t do reconstruction, security or governance; all of which are sadly lacking in both Iraq and Afghanistan. The administration has no intention of rebuilding Iraq or establishing order. They’ll continue to operate as they have from the onset; blasting away erratically at the resistance while concealing the bloodshed behind an impenetrable wall of propaganda.
The present strategy reflects the growing desperation of the Pentagon planners and the civilian leadership. America is hopelessly mired in an “unwinnable” war. The choices for action have narrowed to either withdrawal or a stepped-up campaign of Black-ops designed to foment sectarian violence. The bombing of the Samarra Mosque fits perfectly into the latter category.
Henry Kissinger summarized the current Iraq strategy when he offered his opinion on the Iraq-Iran war in the 1980s. Kissinger callously averred, “I hope they kill each other.”
The former National Security Chief’s axiom has now been elevated to the level of state-policy. The Iraq strategy replicates the Kissinger Doctrine; manipulating chauvinism and cruelty to advance the imperial agenda.
The demolition of the sacred mosque was a deliberate assault on the foundations of Muslim identity. It was intended to undermine Iraqi tradition and culture and weaken confidence in the resistance.
etc
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article12095.htm
By Mike Whitney
02/27/06 "ICH" -- -- The AFP is reporting that the bombing of the Golden Domed Mosque “was the work of specialists” and that the “placing of explosives must have taken at least 12 hours.”
Construction Minister Jassem Mohammed Jaafar said, “Holes were dug into the mausoleum’s four main pillars and packed with explosives. Then charges were connected together and linked to another charge placed just under the dome. The wires were then linked to a detonator which was triggered at a distance.”
Clearly, the bombing was not carried out by rogue elements in the disparate Iraqi resistance. This is the work of highly-trained saboteurs and bomb-experts who were executing a precision-demolition to incite sectarian violence. The blast bears all the hallmarks of a covert Intelligence-agency operation.
Who benefits from such a vicious attack on the foundations of Islamic identity and culture?
The AFP’s report is consistent with earlier accounts provided by a Baghdad blogger who demonstrates that the destruction of the mosque was a “controlled demolition” which required considerable time and professional expertise.
http://www.uruknet.info/?p=m20950. The photographs of the nearby, but untouched, minarets provide a shocking example of the bomber’s skill. Eyewitness accounts have appeared on various web sites claiming that there were “unusual activities” taking place at the mosque the night before the bombing. One witness reported that he heard their “cars the whole night until the next morning”. Another witness who lives near to the mosque says that at 8:30 that evening he was told “to stay in your shop and don’t leave the area” while Iraqi National Guard and American troops “patrolled the area until the next morning”. At 6:30 AM the American troops left.
At 6:40 the first explosion went off.
Almost immediately, the western media swung into high-gear producing over 1,000 stories containing the word “civil war” in the first 24 hours. As always, the media reliably regurgitates the narrative that best serves the interests of management and their political benefactors. In this case, it’s clear that ‘civil war’ is being used to divert attacks from occupation forces and pit Iraqis against Iraqis.
But is this really the plan? After all, how does that make Iraq more governable?
By now, we should realize that the Bush administration has no plan to govern Iraq nor do they care a whit about the suffering of the Iraqi people. The only thing the matters is the extraction of petroleum from Iraqi oil-fields and its unobstructed transfer to the market. The rest is rubbish.
“We don’t do body counts”, boasted General Tommy Franks.
Franks could have added that we don’t do reconstruction, security or governance; all of which are sadly lacking in both Iraq and Afghanistan. The administration has no intention of rebuilding Iraq or establishing order. They’ll continue to operate as they have from the onset; blasting away erratically at the resistance while concealing the bloodshed behind an impenetrable wall of propaganda.
The present strategy reflects the growing desperation of the Pentagon planners and the civilian leadership. America is hopelessly mired in an “unwinnable” war. The choices for action have narrowed to either withdrawal or a stepped-up campaign of Black-ops designed to foment sectarian violence. The bombing of the Samarra Mosque fits perfectly into the latter category.
Henry Kissinger summarized the current Iraq strategy when he offered his opinion on the Iraq-Iran war in the 1980s. Kissinger callously averred, “I hope they kill each other.”
The former National Security Chief’s axiom has now been elevated to the level of state-policy. The Iraq strategy replicates the Kissinger Doctrine; manipulating chauvinism and cruelty to advance the imperial agenda.
The demolition of the sacred mosque was a deliberate assault on the foundations of Muslim identity. It was intended to undermine Iraqi tradition and culture and weaken confidence in the resistance.
etc
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article12095.htm
brian
Comments
Hide the following 5 comments
Yeah, but...
28.02.2006 10:11
1.) How the demolition was prepped. How does it indictate who did it?
2.) What explosive was used and in what way. How does it indictate who did it?
3.) A credible professional assessment of the likely nature of the demolitionist(s.) Was it military? Was it civillian?
"Clearly, the bombing was not carried out by rogue elements in the disparate Iraqi resistance. This is the work of highly-trained saboteurs and bomb-experts who were executing a precision-demolition to incite sectarian violence. The blast bears all the hallmarks of a covert Intelligence-agency operation."
"Clearly"? Hardly!
"The blast bears all the hallmarks of a covert Intelligence-agency operation."
LMFAO! Given scant info presented, any number of people could have carried this out from military spec ops (of any number of nations) to terrorists hiring a civillian civil engineer.
Could do better.
M
...
28.02.2006 12:44
No assertion of the perpetrators at all.
The AFP newswire is mentioning that 10 people have been arrested in relation to the incident.
M
To M
28.02.2006 14:02
AND: the set-up of the bombs was somewhere near as complicated as suggested,
THEN: wouldn't it be reasonable to assume that no element of the Iraqi resistance would have had the opportunity to plant the bombs?
It would then also be reasonable to question whether Iraq government or US or some other forces were responsible, given the obvious benefit to them of turning the majority Shia community against the armed resistance to the occupation.
The full sectarian mobilisation of the Shia community against the Sunnis would seem to me to benefit the occupiers more than anyone.
Rich
Rich
28.02.2006 15:49
I have yet to hear a convincing case for the occupiers benefitting from civil war. What's the point? They have already fucked them economically and installed a puppet regime.
The failure of the Iraq War from a military & "hearts & minds" aspect is nothing but poison to Bush, Blair and their fellow assets.
M
'or some other forces'
04.03.2006 04:05
No, it wouldn't. They could have been previously set by any of the major players. They could even have been set by Shia although and perhaps because that seems unthinkable. Remember each party has war-mongers in their midst. One dome lost compared to the retribution that followed ?
>It would then also be reasonable to question whether Iraq government or US or some other forces >were responsible, given the obvious benefit to them of turning the majority Shia community >against the armed resistance to the occupation.
You are making too many assumptions. You are assuming that shia groups do not oppose occupation - some of them do, often physically. But by including the term 'or some other forces' you covered your bets pretty well . I think we can all agree it was either the Iraq government, the US or those other warmongering bastards 'some other forces'.
Beyond such delightful speculation, it would be useful to hear some speculation as to how us peace-mongers living in the 2nd most militaristic state on earth, next to unguarded weapons manufacturers, poorly guarded military bases, oil company HQs and the occupying forces supply lines could possibly act for peace in Iraq.
The hard questions are something we can mull over in our old age.
The easy questions require action.
Danny