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Iraqis Call Shuttle Disaster God's Vengeance

Updated 2:51 PM ET February 1, 2003


BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Immediate popular reaction in Baghdad on Saturday to the loss of the U.S. space shuttle Columbia and its seven-member crew -- including the first Israeli in space -- was that its was God's retribution.

"We are happy that it broke up," government employee Abdul Jabbar al-Quraishi said.

"God wants to show that his might is greater than the Americans. They have encroached on our country. God is avenging us," he said.

Iraqis are braced for a possible U.S.-led war to rid their country of any chemical, biological or nuclear weapons it may possess. Iraq denies it has such weapons.

Car mechanic Mohammed Jaber al-Tamini noted Israeli air force Colonel Ilan Ramon was among the dead when the shuttle broke up over the southwestern United States 16 minutes before its scheduled landing.

The 48-year-old Israeli astronaut was a fighter pilot in the Israeli air force. He was the youngest pilot in a team that bombed Iraq's nuclear reactor in 1981. Israel said the reactor was intended to develop nuclear weapons.

"Israel launched an aggression on us when it raided our nuclear reactor without any reason, now time has come and God has retaliated to their aggression," Tamini said.

There were no such signs of jubilation over the shuttle disaster in any of the Palestinian territories. The official response from the Palestinians was one of condolence.

Palestinian Information Minister Yasser Abed Rabbo said the Palestinian Authority was "shocked at the news of the tragedy. We sympathize with the families of the astronauts."



http://dailynews.att.net/cgi-bin/news?e=pri&dt=030201&cat=news&st=newsshuttleiraqdc

Quote:

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When I take action, I'm not going to fire a $2 million missile at a $10 empty tent and hit a camel in the butt. It's going to be decisive. - President George W. Bush

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I think it's time for some "decisive action"

EDIT:
and while we're at it, let's go grab that lady from Afghanistan who was dancing in the street, flapping her tounge around after 9/11 and kick her ass too.

There's nothing worse than someone who will willingly rub salt in the wounds of another simply out of spite. And to think that this country's military has had the restraint that it has after getting assrammed while the our attackers and opponents play a childish game of hide and seek is just sickening.
Flame me if you want to, but I say
LIGHT 'EM UP!!!!
[/rant]

That pisses me off so MUCH! But at the same time I do not believe that was the opinion of all of Iraq. Many of them do like Americans!

Frankly, I'm suprised that Iraq or Al-Quaida(sp?) have claimed direct responsibility.

TB

wow, another reason NOT to drop an atomic bomb on iraq. boy, they sure sound sympathetic to us huh? they are some great people in iraq right? boy, i hope that idioit bush doesn't drop a nuke on the whole country b/c of all the innocent women and kids. i can't wait to vacation there.



*all that was just said should be taken with a grain of salt. i think those people who cheer the destruction of the US are scum and not matter age, sex or race they deserve everything that they have ( dirt floored houses) and are going to get (a never ending supply of American bombs)*

The gulf war was like world war 1

- the gov't surendered, but did the people feel like they lost the war, no. After World War 1 some one said (I've been out of history for over a year so don't know the guy who said it and the exact words)

"If the whole country doesn't feel defeat we will have to do it again"

Sure enough WW2 came around

- the fact that these people feel this way about the U.S shows that they didn't feel the complete loss of the Gulf War


"Gulf war 2nd round is coming up"

another reason just to turn the whole region into one big peice of glass

this is becoming a family tradition with the bush family