Even gay Iraqis won't be helped by Bush's troop 'surge'

[Ian David]

President Bush’s plan to deploy an additional 21,500 troops to Iraq will do little to stop the death squads that continue to hunt gays, according to exiled gay Iraqis and organizations monitoring the violence there.

Gay Iraqi citizens have been the victims of increased attacks and killings since the U.S. invasion began in 2003, insiders told the Blade. “Before the invasion, we never experienced any kind of trouble being gay in Iraq,” said Ali Hili, an exiled gay Iraqi living in London.

“Saddam was a tyrant. But while he was in power, discrete homosexuality was usually tolerated. There was certainly no danger of gay people being assassinated by religious fanatics.”

An unknown but reportedly substantial number of gay Iraqis have died since Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, a top Shiite cleric, called on his followers in October 2005 to kill gays in “the worst, most severe way” possible.

More:
http://gay_blog.blogspot.com/2007/01/even-gay-iraqis-wont-be-helped-by.html

[xchrom]

1. i'm sure jerry falwell and pat robertson and james dobson all approve.

[mitchtv]

4. not to mention :

Pope Ratzi and various patriarchs and poobahs in Moscow and Jerusalem

[LaBanty]

2. yes, the religion of peace

An unknown but reportedly substantial number of gay Iraqis have died since Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, a top Shiite cleric, called on his followers in October 2005 to kill gays in “the worst, most severe way” possible.

Yes, I can just feel the love and understanding practiced by the Islamists. The difference between the local Islamists in Iraq getting to live out their holy book fantasies and the Fundies in the U.S. is - we won't tolerate that here - there is a majority of people who would not allow that to happen.

In the States, people are shocked and outraged at violence against homosexuals. We, as the majority, shun people who believe in treating homosexuals this way. In fact, people who commit violence against homosexuals are prosecuted. It is a crime, and it is not encouraged behavior by any stretch of the imagination.

When a government is based on religion, as Iraq's, the extremists are free to behave extremely. Remember, the people of Iraq voted to have a religious-based government. This empowered the fanatics even more. Bush's great experiment in democracy enabled this kind of shit, but the people of Iraq are the ones that voted for precisely this type of religious environment. Remember all the happy purple fingers being proudly held up for the press? Well, this is the kind of religious crap they asked for.

Be careful what you wish for - it may come true. I hope like hell our own country doesn't go Fundie the same way. So far, we're holding our own. I'll be goddamned if I'll live under the religious utopia pricks like Robertson dream of.

[mitchtv]

5. In the States, people are shocked and outraged at violence against homosexuals.

Oh please. As in the Homosexual panic defense?. While there is some spotty prosecutions in the more agregious situations,Most of the heartland has open season on gays. Blame the victim is common, and the police usually consider these crimes as "No humans involved".

[Jella]

6. Well the way I see it

as long as the regime allows U.S. and British Oil companies to have access, and sign contracts for oil, they really don't care what it does. They will say, well they voted and drafted a new constitution, so that's their choice.

[ruggerson]

3. Another wonderful gift from George Bush n/t