Armies of Liberation

Translated from Arabic by Amir, an Iraqi for a Free Iraq

All this destruction we see in Iraq is the result of the brainwashing which the mosques unleashed on us over the past 12 years. Therefore, the use of mosques for military operations by terrorists is considered to be a simple matter compared with [the greater issue of brainwashing]. The mosques therefore represent legitimate targets when they are used to provoke the people to commit suicide as has been happening in Iraq. (Mahir xxxxx, Baghdad)

It seems that the operation of Valiant Resolve is beginning to achieve its aim. The Industrial area of Fallujah where the insurgents used to assemble their car bombs and explosives has now been destroyed. I swear to God that the people of Fallujah are more angry at the insurgents than the Americans. Mosque preachers should understand the consequences of their fiery sermons and the acts of allowing the mosques to be arms dumps. That what Fallujans are telling me.

We must not give an excuse to the occupier to desecrate places of worship. (Isam xxxxx Al-Daraji, Iraq)

As long as the mosques are used as platform for directing abuse at others as well as accusing them of being infidels or even calling for their death, then no wonder that they are also used for military purposes. It is then obvious that they become a legitimate military target. It’s the result of what Bin Laden had planted. (Fa’ez xxxxxr, Iraqi living in the UAE)

Only the cowards hide in places of worship because they are unable to face the enemy in the battlefield. And because they know well that America and even Israel are concerned about public opinion, unlike the Arab states which do not care about attacking mosques. During the 80’s, Hussain Kamil (Saddam’s son-in-law who was in charge of security) used missiles to attack the holy shrine of Hussain in Karbala. Whereas Israel, declined to enter the Basilica in Bethlehem in 2002. The problem is that we the Arabs allow ourselves to do what we do not allow others to do. We do all the wrong things but criticise others the moment they get near doing such things. Let us be honest, if the British forces didn’t care about civilians, they wouldn’t be standing outside Basrah for 18 days before getting in. (Hassan Nasir xxxxx, Nineveh)

I live in a western suburb of Baghdad and hundreds of families escaping from Fallujah have descended here. We offer them whatever help we can. It seemed clear to me that they are not happy with what the so called resistance is doing in as much as they reject the American attacks. I understood from them that no one from the ordinary people on Fallujah dares to express their opinions because of the fear from the armed insurgents and their provocative behaviour. No one even dares to oppose the sermons of the Mosque imams which were the main reason for encouraging the extremists which turned their city into a battle ground for several months. Even the mosques have become military garrisons and arms depot and have become places of meetings [for insurgents] or places for sniping at Americans. (Muhammed, Baghdad)

I am not amazed to see that these so called resistance are Barbarians. When the Americans entered Ramadi and Fallujah, these were the first Iraqi cities which surrendered without a single shot. And now they are taking refuge in places of worship thinking that they will be protected. These people have abused the sanctity of the mosques during the Saddam era. (Ahmed, Al-A’xxxxx, Baghdad)

Those who start the confrontation are the guilty ones. The fact is that the places of worship are forbidden for use by fighters. Therefore, anyone abusing the holy places for their protection must be punished. We must not use the issue of attacks on places of worship for publicity in the same way Saddam used the issue of sanctions. (Dalia xxxxx, Baghdad, Iraq)

What the terrorists are doing by abusing places of worship, and refusal to surrender the killers [of the Americans] is itself a blasphemous act. As for using places of worship for protection, this is abuse to the sanctity these places and an attempt to gain publicity. It’s a prove that those doing terror acts in Fallujah are remnants of the Saddam regime because he was their master in the use of such dirty tactics. (Abdulla Al-xxxxx, Basrah, Iraq)

We have destroyed the sacredness of the mosques and allowed the tools of death inside when it is meant to be places for spiritual healing. So how do we expect the American professional soldier to respect the sacredness of these places when we ourselves practiced killing and shed blood in such places. Saddam’s tanks bombed these places in 1991 and the shells reached the inside of the holy shrines in Najaf and Karbala. And now we see some of these criminals using the same methods by using such places to manufacture bombs and prepare car bombs in the way their master Bin Laden taught them. The same thing happened when Majid Al-Khoey, a man of religion and a great Iraqi Muslim, was killed in Najaf. If we as Muslims do not respect the sanctity of places of worship, then how do we expect the non-Muslims to do so? (Ahmed xxxxx, Basrah, Iraq)

The mosques are places of worship in all parts of the world. These places have religious sanctity and must not be used for military purposes or to launch attacks because such acts are acts of war and the purpose of the mosque is for worship only and nothing more. (Nhooth xxxxxxxx, Basrah, Iraq)

The misuse of places of worship by their owners and using them as military camps or political party offices will invalidate their sanctity during war as well as peace. (Akram Al-xxxxx, Baghdad)

Places of worship have religious sanctity but if they were used to assemble car bombs and store weapons then we cannot protest the violation of such sanctity. Isn’t it necessary for those responsible for the mosques, who are meant to be the most careful of all people, to ensure that such places remain clean and not give an excuse (for the attackers)? The fighter can fight away from civilians and need not kidnap innocent people. The Russian engineers are not part of the war and came here to repair the power stations and we are in desperate need for electric power. You [the terrorists] have destroyed the image of Islam with your action. (Al-Sumaidi, Baghdad)

These terrorists deliberately use the mosques as hiding places so that these buildings will be attacked and that they can gain publicity. These tricks will not be believed by Iraqis. (Ahmed Al-xxxxx, Iraq)

The armed anarchists and remnants of the Saddam Fedayeen are pursuing the same methods Saddam used. They are using the mosques and houses as centres for the resistance as they call it. So what do they expect? Do the Americans stand crossed arms? (Abdul Ridha xxxxxx, Baghdad)

When an ordinary man gets involved in a dispute he does not hide behind his wife and kids which are more important than his life. Likewise with the place of worship which is holy and must not be used as a hiding place. The terrorist knows that he would be attacked if he uses this place to hide. I have no respect whatsoever to people who hid behind children and in mosques. (Majid xxxxx Baghdad)