Gunmen kill head of religious group in Iraq's Basra

[sabra]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/IBO646370.htm

Gunmen kill head of religious group in Iraq's Basra


BAGHDAD, June 16 (Reuters) - Gunmen killed the local head of a Sunni religious group in the Iraqi Shi'ite city of Basra on Friday, the group and state television said.

Unknown gunmen shot dead Yusif al-Hassan near the mosque where he led prayers in Basra, 550 km (340 miles) south of Baghdad, colleagues said.

Hassan was a senior member of the Muslim Scholars Association, a group from the Sunni minority community that is critical of the U.S.-backed political process.

[Alpharetta]

1. Al Qaeda?

I don't think so.

The media seems to be in denial about the low grade civil war ongoing. Zarqawi's presence or his successor have little to do with that civil war. Sure Al Qaeda can pit the sides against each other. But Al Qaeda is not why Turkish troops are poised on the border, why Kirkuk is ground zero for the battle for the oil fields, or why Sunni and Shiite militias are rounding each other up in groups and killing each other.

[Halliburton]

2. BUT WE KILLED ZARQAWI AND THERE ARE 75,000 TROOPS IN THE STREETS

Things are getting better and according to the media Bush is getting a huge bounce in the polls...with his numbers increasing by ONE POINT!!!

[leveymg]

3. Peace and security are at hand. Stay the course . eom