Photos from todays rally to stop the US occupation in Baghdad

[NNN0LHI]

Supporters of radical Shiite Muslim cleric Moqtada Sadr hold up a huge National flag. Moqtada Sadr demanded US troops leave Iraq and called on God to cut off their necks in a fiery speech to tens of thousands in Baghdad on the two-year anniversary of the city's fall to the Americans.(AFP/Ali Al-Saadi)

Supporters of radical Shiite Muslim cleric Moqtada Sadr burn the American while holding up a poster of assassinated Grand Ayatollah Mohammed Sadeq al-Sadr. Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr demanded US troops leave Iraq and called on God to cut off their necks in a fiery speech to tens of thousands in Baghdad on the two-year anniversary of the city's fall to the Americans.(AFP/Ali Al-Saadi)

Iraqi men strike their boots against a cut out of U.S. President George W. Bush during a rally in Baghdad, Iraq Saturday, April 9, 2005. Tens of thousands of supporters of radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who led uprisings last year against U.S. troops, called Saturday for American forces to withdraw from Iraq.(AP Photo/Karim Kadim)

Iraqi Shi'ites loyal to cleric Moqtada al-Sadr re-enacts a torture scene from the Abu Ghraib prison during a protest rally in Baghdad April 9, 2005. The rally was called on the second anniversary of the fall of Baghdad with protesters demanding an end to the U.S. military presence in Iraq and a speedy trial for former president Saddam Hussein. REUTERS/Kimo Atal

Iraqis burn an American flag during a demonstration in Baghdad, Iraq Saturday, April 9, 2005. Tens of thousands of supporters of radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who led uprisings last year against U.S. troops, called Saturday for American forces to withdraw from Iraq. The demonstration overflowed Firdos Square, where protesters pulled down a towering statue of Saddam Hussein two years ago to the day.(AP Photo/Karim Kadim)

A US tank blocks a bridge across Baghdad's Tigris River. Tens of thousands of protestors poured into Baghdad's Firdos square to demand US troops leave the country, as 15 Iraqi soldiers were killed in a roadside bombing.(AFP/Sabah Arar)

Iraqis demonstrators stage a mock reenactment of Abu Ghraib Prison abuses during a rally in Baghdad, Iraq Saturday, April 9, 2005. Tens of thousands of supporters of radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who led uprisings last year against U.S. troops, called Saturday for American forces to withdraw from Iraq. The demonstration overflowed Firdos Square, where protesters pulled down a towering statue of Saddam Hussein two years ago to the day.(AP Photo/Karim Kadim)

Thousands of Iraqi Shi'ites loyal to cleric Moqtada al-Sadr hold a protest in Baghdad April 9, 2005. The rally was called on the second anniversary of the fall of Baghdad with protesters demanding an end to the U.S. military presence in Iraq and a speedy trial for former president Saddam Hussein. REUTERS/Ali Jasim

Iraqi Shi'ites loyal to cleric Moqtada al-Sadr hold effigies of British Prime Minister Tony Blair (L), former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein (C), and U.S. President George W. Bush during a protest rally in Baghdad April 9, 2005. The rally was called on the second anniversary of the fall of Baghdad with protesters demanding an end to the U.S. military presence in Iraq and a speedy trial for former president Saddam Hussein. REUTERS/Akram Saleh

Iraqi Shi'ites loyal to cleric Moqtada al-Sadr hold cut-outs of British Prime Minister Tony Blair (C), former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein (L), and U.S. President George W. Bush during a protest rally in Baghdad April 9, 2005. The rally was called on the second anniversary of the fall of Baghdad with protestors demanding an end to the U.S. military presence in Iraq and a speedy trial for former president Saddam Hussein. REUTERS/Akram Saleh

Iraqi Shi'ites loyal to cleric Moqtada al-Sadr carry cut-outs of U.S. President George W. Bush and former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein at a protest rally in Baghdad April 9, 2005. The rally was called on the second anniversary of the fall of Baghdad with protestors demanding an end to the U.S. military presence in Iraq and a speedy trial for former president Saddam Hussein. REUTERS/Ali Jasim

An Iraqi Shi'ite loyal to cleric Moktada al-Sadr holds a photograph depicting Iraq's former president Saddam Hussein and U. S. President George W. Bush during a protest rally in Baghdad April 9, 2005. The rally was called on the second anniversary of the fall of Baghdad with protestors demanding an end to the U.S. military presence in Iraq and a speedy trial for former president Saddam Hussein. REUTERS/Akram Saleh

[DistressedAmerican]

1. YOU ROCK! GREAT SHOTS!

:yourock:

I've been waiting all do to see some shots of the event. That is an impressive crowd. We MUST get out!

[rodeodance]

2. send this to Fox-as I just heard them say-it was for a fast trial for SH-t

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=1714516&mesg_id=1714573

[rodeodance]

4. they said nothing about US getting out

[rodeodance]

11. We should all email Fox (address below)--these pics

[email protected]

[email protected]

[whistle]

3. Jesus, how many demonstrators were there?

...this should be on every TV news channel to ram the point home that Bush's goal of freedom for the Iraqis has been accomplished!

[tanyev]

7. Just a few dead-enders.

What are you going to believe, Donald Rumsfeld or your own lying eyes?

[leftchick]

13. no way....

Charles and Camilla were wed today!!!! :sarcasm:

[FreedomAngel82]

22. Nice to see

I'm glad they're speaking out against this b.s. that Bush is doing. I'm surprised photos are going around.

[leftchick]

72. 300,000!

per cnn surprisingly!

[flyarm]

75. actually i read in british papers tens of thousands!! n/t

[babylonsister]

5. Thank you for these photos. I saw one short

story on Faux of all places this a.m. Not a peep out of any other news sources.

[kittykitty]

15. Actually CNN had a bit on the news this AM during the wedding coverage

[deadparrot]

6. Wowza.

Amazing turnout, but so sad that it has come to this.

[wakeme2008]

8. This one photo is a keeper.

[rodeodance]

16. yes-good one

[rodeodance]

19. finally-the 2pm fox news says that they are demanding that the US get

out of the city. why only the city??

anyway-they covered it in about 5 seconds with a quick pic only

[FreedomAngel82]

56. Trying to cover their asses

They want us out of the country moron's at faux! DUH!

[Straight Shooter]

25. Great political damning satire, but they're missing something.

The effigies should all have bloody hands.

[Robbien]

26. Another big thing is that the protest is missing. WOMEN

Women and Women's rights are getting harder to see in this new Iraq. So sad.

[Frederik]

29. That's true

In Iraq they used to be more emancipated than in most Muslim countries.

[jbnow]

55. They'll have far less freedom post-invasion

even after we leave. It was a tyrant we got rid of but under his rule women (and Christians) had freedom they are unlikely to see again for a very long time.
Any gratitude for toppling him must be long gone with the loss of water, jobs, electricity, gas and LIVES. The shameful torture, destruction of towns...
What is better for them at all?

[FreedomAngel82]

57. Bush really fucked that up

Way to go Bush! You fucker. Messing something else up like always!

[Terran1212]

80. I actually think the protests are incredibly progressive

There are a lot of youngsters there and very modern demonstrations

[DoYouEverWonder]

68. Here's my favorite

I guess the Iraqis are showing us where to go put this flag?

[mitchtv]

9. the effigy of Blair in the red outfit looks

like Michael Jackson!

[ima_sinnic]

12. ha ha, and Bush effigy looks like Clilnt Eastwood :D

[in_cog_ni_to]

10. Where are the flowers?

They said they would be throwing flowers at us! Where are the outstretched arms ready for a hug? They said they would welcome us with open arms! You mean to tell me they LIED??!! I'm shocked. Just shocked! :eyes:

I love the Saddam/Bush two faces to one coin. How perfect is that? Here I thought they were readying a Bush statue to replace the Saddam statue they tore down. The Abu Ghraib prisoner makes quite a statement. :( I'm so ashamed of this country.

[rodeodance]

14. cnn just said that 'thousands' of Iraqi are protesting the US occupation

of Iraq"--whow they got it right-in 10 seconds!! at least they covered it and was not deceptive like Fox

[NNN0LHI]

18. Perhaps one of their stringers seen this thread? Never know? n/t

[in_cog_ni_to]

24. I can't believe they even covered it. That's something new. n/t

[Lost Texan in NC]

67. After all

:smoke:

Weren't we the ones that put Saddam in power in the first place. And didn't we give him the wmd's too :shrug: Maybe we should just take it all back now. Oh yeah, it's to late now.

[Roland99]

17. Thanks for finding all of those pics!

[dArKeR]

20. A few not as good as yours, from the Iraqi Daily

http://www.iraqdaily.com/p/ef/84f1075198c680.html?id=WNAT1b72bbd25f702bc0790476a969e6bdac

[dArKeR]

21. Protesters Call for U.S. Pullout in Iraq - Yahoo

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050409/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq



h&&p://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/050408/ids_photos_wl/r427920957.jpg


A demonstrator in front of Madrid's U.S. embassy holds a banner on the second anniversary of the death of Spanish television cameraman Jose Couso in Madrid, April 8, 2005. Couso was killed along with Reuters TV cameraman Taras Protsyuk when a U.S. tank fired a shell at the media hotel where they were working in Baghdad. REUTERS/Andrea Comas

[Cha]

51. That was so sad..I saw that in

that Al Zazeera movie..it was videocamed.

[FreedomAngel82]

58. Yay! There are women there!

I'm glad to see women ARE there. Hurray!

[LynnTheDem]

63. Yeah 'cept those women are in SPAIN

Not Iraq.

[Discord]

23. Thank you for posting what the media refuses to.

:yourock:

[Zhade]

27. Notice how every caption reinforces the lie that only Sadr supporters...

...want us out.

Lies, lies, LIES!

[bvar22]

30. Another lie the MSM keeps repeating in an

...attempt to alter the news:

The MSM keeps referring to the toppling of the Sadam statue as a legitimate event, and not a cobbled up, staged propaganda photo op. Even the Pentagon admits that the event was staged, but MSM keeps repeating the LIE.

[leftchick]

28. Did our Tax $ pay for this fucking ugly "Freedom Statue"?

I am glad it is getting good use today.

[Frederik]

31. It looks like a grotesque

disfigured Statue of Liberty. Which may perhaps be fitting.

[susu369]

32. Riverbend has posting today about the protest

http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com/

[bvar22]

33. Photo-Op Propaganda!!

Though the AP still refers to it as a legitimate spontaneous protest by Iraqi citizens.

From the linked article:
"The demonstration overflowed Firdos Square, where protesters pulled down a towering statue of Saddam Hussein two years ago to the day.(AP Photo/Karim Kadim)"

But the REAL truth as admitted by the Pentagon is that this was a STAGED PSYOP!

When Saddam Fell: How the Press was Misled From Day One

By E&P Staff

Published: July 05, 2004

NEW YORK They were the shots seen 'round the world: newspaper photographs and TV images of jubilant Iraqis toppling a giant statue of Saddam Hussein in Baghdad on April 9, 2003, shortly after the U.S. military chased him out of town. Now, after months of rumors, the U.S. military has confirmed that the entire stunt was conceived by the U.S. military and enacted with the help of a fast-thinking Army psychological operation (PSYOP).

link

[leftchick]

34. thank you for reposting that....

Heaven forbid the AP admit the truth of that FARSE!

[bvar22]

35. Not just the AP.

I watched the CBS News last night, and they showed the old propaganda clips without a mention that they were fake (forged). I sent them an E-Mail, but don't expect any results.

This make me want to scream!!!

[leftchick]

36. I know. It is the whole RW Propaganda Media Corps at work...

I long for the 60s and REAL news with Walter. :(

[bvar22]

37. Thanks.

I may forward this to MediaMatters.

[JohnyCanuck]

38. Send AP an email, [email protected]

Make sure they're aware we know they are full of shit about the "jubliant crowds" at the statue toppling non-event. On their web site they say they welcome our feedback, so give it to them. I did.

APs Contact Page
http://www.ap.org/pages/contact/contact.html

email: [email protected]

[Terran1212]

39. Thank GOD! Iraqis ROCK

Enough said...

[Henny Penny]

70. The same location, differnet demos....

Here's the demo of the toppling of Saddam's statue.




And here is the 9th of April demo



Taken from
http://bellaciao.org/en/article.php3?id_article=5723

[Terran1212]

40. Now we can clearly say....

FREEDOM IS ON THE MARCH

[Desertrose]

41. Incredible photos...thanks

I can't believe its been two years.....but then I can't believe a LOT of things!!!!

[Terran1212]

42. Yeah, thanks for the photos~!

[meganmonkey]

43. THIS is what DEMOCRACY looks like!

Hot Damn!

:wow:

[countryjake]

44. It wasn't just that one demo, either!

I heard earlier this week that the Sunni clerics were also calling for followers to demonstrate today & demanding that prisoners be released immediately. Doesn't look as tho they joined the one in Baghdad, but I wonder if they also held protests. (like we'd ever see them!)

Thanks for the pics!


http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/02/24/iraq/main541815.shtml

"Other marches were held across the country to demand that the United States set a timetable for its withdrawal. In the central city of Ramadi, thousands of protestors demonstrated in the al-Sufayaa neighborhood and at Anbar University, demanding that U.S.-led coalition forces set a withdrawal date."

[Frederik]

45. French TV5

reported that Sunni clerics had urged their followers to join the Shiite demonstrations.

[Terran1212]

46. In a funny way. the US is uniting Iraq

:)

[countryjake]

48. Welcome to DU, Terran!

That's what I've been waiting to see since I heard that other report...I wonder if Sadr's bunch discouraged them from participating? They showed rallying protests roaming the streets of Baghdad the night before, encouraging all to come to the square on Sat...saw that on CNN Headline News in the middle of the night Thursday.

[FreedomAngel82]

60. Remember in 2000 when

Bush said he was a uniter and not a divider? Well he has united us democrats and the country of Iraq. ;)

[countryjake]

47. I heard the same thing on CBS.

They were talking about how interesting it was that the two traditionally opposing groups might be willing to join for the withdrawal protests. Now, today, they're saying the Sunnis didn't participate in the Baghdad square demo. Sure would like to hear if they held their own somewhere.


Found this tidbit at Reuters:

"U.S. forces last year shut down the square, sealing it off with razor wire, to prevent people massing on the first anniversary."

[The Gunslinger]

49. news

I hope this event doesnt effect tv news covering important issues like the royal wedding.

[Cha]

50. Those Shi'ites got

bush down to a tee!

Can you believe this?! bush,blair, and hussein..the axis of EVIL!

[Bouncy Ball]

52. I tried to tell SO many right wingers this:

They ARE capable of hating BOTH Saddam Hussein AND us at the same time. But noooooo, they never believed it was possible. I kept saying "Why not? Iraqis aren't stupid. They know we supplied weapons and training to SH in the 80s, DAMN."

We CREATED that monster.

Then we destroyed their country thinking he still had the WMDs WE sold to him. But he didn't.

Stupid, stupid, stupid.

[teryang]

53. This is where al-Sadr's power lies in the street

Not particularly a genius in the military realm, he is thus far incapable of offering any decisive tactical challenge to American forces.

Politically, in the street, it is dangerous to oppose him. Iraqi police and security forces have to take him and his militia very seriously. They have to deal with him because of his demonstrated staying power and the discipline of his followers. This demonstration and the symbols carried present a whole new dimension of the resistance.

Iraq has been Lebanonized.

Thank you so much for these pictures.

[Gold Metal Flake]

54. LINKAGE!!!

YES!! The Linkage of Bush, Blair AND Saddam is brilliant! That needs to be shown more often!

[FreedomAngel82]

61. I agree

If no other picture goes around the one of that photo linking them SHOULD go around.

[BuyingThyme]

59. Wow!

[0007]

62. The U.S. is making great progress in Iraq, they've got the insurgents

on the run and free elections are of the norm.

The Iraqis love Americans and hope they stay for a long time. The Iraqi women are patterning themselves after the the great First Lady, Laura Bush. The Iraqis are naming their children Jenna and Barbara if they're girls and George and Dick if they're boys.

[flyarm]

77. wow how right you are in your sarcasm!!

i swear i heard it all morn on the sunday shows how good iraq is going..even last night on bill mahr show..i want to puke...i have sent these pics out to every right wing christian i know ..we need to send them out to all repugs and just dont comment just send them..i sentr out to about 50 just now..send them out let them see..
the hardest part is you have to copy each pic and paste..but thats the least we can do for the iraqi's for what our nation has done to them!!

please i implore you send these pics to every repug you know or know of!! and ask friemds to do the same!!
i have an internet group i sent to them and asked them all to send to every repug they know..
i wanted to choke when i heard biden say things will get good on wolfie the nazi show...

thank you to the du'er( who posted the pics) for giving us these pics to wake people up!!

fly

[goodhue]

64. great photos

thanks for posting

[allhislife]

65. when

when will america learn? when will bush learn?

[Vektor]

66. Great post...

Thank you for this!

[rodeodance]

69. they need to do this EVERY Day-like in the Ukranine if they want the

media to listen and make it a story=.
This one day show sid just blip on the radar screen and has already faded from existance-(listening to various cable stations this morning).

[Terran1212]

71. I agree

They need to turn up the heat

[JohnyCanuck]

73. Will be harder for the Shiites to emulate the Ukrainian protests

Apparently the Ukrainian opposition had a rich sugar daddy in the form of US taxpayers shoveling money and aid at them to finance their Orange revolution and buy some good PR.

From a speech The role of the media in the age of empire by Justin Raimondo of www.antiwar.com at The Whittier Law School in Whittier California:


The vast public relations effort that went into building up the so-called "Orange Revolution" as a paragon of the pro-Western, pro-democracy movement supposedly breaking out all over the world won't be known for years, but we do know that a great deal of it was funded by U.S. tax dollars. As congressman Ron Paul (R-Texas), put it:

"We do not know exactly how many millions – or tens of millions – of dollars the United States government spent on the presidential election in Ukraine. We do know that much of that money was targeted to assist one particular candidate, and that through a series of cut-out non-governmental organizations (NGOs) – both American and Ukrainian – millions of dollars ended up in support of the presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko."

Through such organizations as Freedom House, U.S. tax dollars were poured into Ukrainian NGOs, all of which were fervently pro-Yushchenko. As if out of nowhere, the facilities and resources for what amounted to a giant rock concert-style perpetual rally were set up in the middle of Kiev's main square, complete with giant television screens, ostensibly by heretofore impoverished opposition groups mostly made up of students.

As in the case of the Iraq war, the American-led effort to promote the Orange Revolution came with a unique narrative, one that was reported uncritically by the mainstream media and repeated endlessly until it became incontrovertible fact. The storyline went something like this: the youthful "Orange revolutionaries," led by the charismatic Yushchenko, were up against the old oligarchy left over from the days of Soviet domination. According to the conventional wisdom, Yushchenko's opponent, Viktor Yanukovich, was a dark demonic figure, linked to Russia and Ukraine's oligarchs based in the eastern part of the country. He was painted as a semi-criminal type, who served two jail terms on account of some small-time youthful indiscretions – apparently only slightly more rambunctious in nature than the shenanigans of George W. Bush's misspent youth.

More at: http://www.antiwar.com/justin/?articleid=5187

[jayctravis]

74. Freedom is on the march.

[boochicken]

78. fuck * and all those fuckers

that brought this pain and oppression to the iraqi people. free saddam and return him to those who love him. end the occupation!

[bvar22]

76. bush* & Saddam....

bush* and Saddam will BOTH burn in hell in the inner ring reserved for sociopaths, tyrants, and mass murderers!

[goodhue]

79. Monday kick