Iraqi Shiites! Stand Up and Reject Iran!
Is Iran now confronting some blowback of its own, due to its intervention in Iraq since the U.S. invasion? According to this op-ed article from Iraq’s Kitabat newspaper, ‘Any Iraqi Shiite who doesn’t frankly and publicly reject Iran’s interference is an Iranian agent, a traitor and a coward.’
“My Shiite brother, today it is your duty before Allah the Exalted One, before your own conscience and in the face of history … to publicly and frankly declare your rejection of Iran’s criminal interference in Iraq. … It is this that has destroyed our nation and has resulted in the murder of our sons.”
By Khadir Taahar
Translated By James Jacobson
December 25, 2007
Iraq – Kitabat – Original Article (Arabic)
My noble and heroic Iraqi Shiite brothers, who have endured adversity, tragedy detention camps and communal graves …
I, a fellow Iraqi Shiite, address you as someone who shares your worries and grief, and like you, dreams of a free and dignified life within our beloved Iraq … I address you in the hope of preserving our rights and interests, we, Iraq’s Shiite sons, before they are stolen by the agents and proxies of Iran.
With all regret, I find myself compelled to use this sectarian and un-Iraqi language. Perhaps one can be forgiven, since the reasons are so compelling and the catastrophe so great. After the destruction our nation has suffered and the division of its people into sects and nationalities, it has become nearly impossible to restore Iraq’s shattered national unity. With the devastation that has undermined the very notion of citizenship, all that was left was to defend our narrow, sectarian interests. One must be realistic, even if we reject this reality!
My Shiite brother, today it is your duty before Allah the Exalted one, before your own conscience and in the face of history … to publicly and frankly declare your rejection of Iran’s criminal interference in Iraq. It is this that has destroyed our nation and has resulted in the murder of our sons, for it is Iran – with the help Syria’s Baath regime – which supports the remnants of the Baath Party and al-Qaeda; it is Iran which supports the Shiite militias and factions; and it is Iran that has caused the mass murder and destruction that has befallen Iraq.
My Shiite brother, prove your patriotism and your honor by rejecting Iran’s underhanded, filthy interference in Iraq by taking part in mass demonstrations across the country, and publicly declare your opposition to Iran’s despicable conspiracies against our nation.
Boycott all Iranian goods and hinder their import into Iraq; boycott all Iranian institutions and tear the offensive images of Iran’s clerics from the walls of Iraq’s cities.
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3 Responses to “Iraqi Shiites! Stand Up and Reject Iran!”
I, a fellow Iraqi Shiite, address you as someone who shares your worries and grief, and like you, dreams of a free and dignified life within our beloved Iraq
I dream for it too. As a bitter opponent to the start of the war I unlike some others took a different route. Once the invasion began my “get er dun” attitude overwhelmed my sense of frustration that we would invade another soverign country.
I just want to “get er dun” and come home. Just not before. Unlike even the exalted Bill Richardson whom I respect right up to his lets “FLEE” Iraq as soon as possible attitude, I am for remaining in Iraq in a more limited fashion until we ensure the stability of the nation and freedom of the peoples.
They can have peace. They can have prosperity but THEY themselves must do it. We all know that. However leaving will ensure that THEY do not “get er dun” That is why Unless Hunter Duncan somehow pulls a miracle and people stop voting for charisma and start voting for “competency” the only person I can possibly support for president is Hillary Clinton.
She is about the only Democratic Candidate who understands beyond her own screaming antiwar left the true need to remain engaged in Iraq and Afghanistan. Its not pretty but it certainly is necessary.
William,
You should probably also mention in this post just how iconoclastic Khadir Taahar is in Iraq. His opinions – including those celebrating Israel and the CIA – probably represent about half of one percent of Iraqi opinion.
I quite agree with you Elrod.
Please note that at the end of that article, I have tacked on a letter to the editor about Taahar – which confirms the iconoclastic nature of his comments.
I find it quite interesting that Iraqis mulling over their tea and coffee the other day, read this in their morning paper.
I would also note that while we have posted a number of Taahar’s writings recently, we on this project have posted hundreds of other articles from Iraq that are far different – and we will continue to do so.