More Barbarism in Iraq: Sunni Snipers Kill 20 Religious Pilgrims
I am outraged and horrified. What happened yesterday in Baghdad was barbaric. On a day in which hundreds of thousands of Shiite pilgrims slowly processed through the city to the shrine of Imam Moussa Kadhim, one of 12 Shiite saints, Sunni snipers took careful aim and deliberately killed 20 pilgrims -- men, women and children. A picture in my local newspaper showed one anguished family -- father, mother and 3 brothers -- torn with grief for the death of their son, Wisam, only 13, who was shot dead in their midst as the family walked in procession with hundreds of other pilgrims.
Have these terrorists no humanity? How can men who profess to be devout Muslims so defile their faith? Historically, even in times of war, observance of faith on high holy days has been recognized as a time for peace, fleeting though it might be. In the Middle East, offensives and cease fires have been timed so as not to interfere with Ramadan or Yom Kippur. Both sides have often shown mutual respect for the importance of these and other holy days as a time to put aside war and embrace peace, or at the very least, humane tolerance.
Apparently for Sunni terrorists, such holy days mean only a day of easy targets. It must have been like shooting fish in a barrel to take aim at slowly walking pilgrims, their heads bowed, focused on religious thoughts, women moving slowly in their black Islamic robes, children holding a parent's hand. How brave, how strong, how courageous to shoot such an obvious threat. I'm sure each one will go straight to heaven, though I hope their heaven is hell.
Have these terrorists no humanity? How can men who profess to be devout Muslims so defile their faith? Historically, even in times of war, observance of faith on high holy days has been recognized as a time for peace, fleeting though it might be. In the Middle East, offensives and cease fires have been timed so as not to interfere with Ramadan or Yom Kippur. Both sides have often shown mutual respect for the importance of these and other holy days as a time to put aside war and embrace peace, or at the very least, humane tolerance.
Apparently for Sunni terrorists, such holy days mean only a day of easy targets. It must have been like shooting fish in a barrel to take aim at slowly walking pilgrims, their heads bowed, focused on religious thoughts, women moving slowly in their black Islamic robes, children holding a parent's hand. How brave, how strong, how courageous to shoot such an obvious threat. I'm sure each one will go straight to heaven, though I hope their heaven is hell.
