Robert Fisk: Somebody is trying to provoke a civil war in Iraq.
Broadcast: 03/02/2006 ABC – Australia – Lateline (via)
ROBERT FISK: Well, I don’t know if al-Zarqawi is alive. You know, al-Zarqawi did exist before the American Anglo-American invasion. He was up in the Kurdish area, which was not actually properly controlled by Saddam. But after that he seems to have disappeared. We know there’s an identity card that pops up. We know the Americans say we think we’ve recognised him on a videotape. Who recognises him on a videotape? How many Americans have ever met al-Zarqawi? Al-Zarqawi’s mother died more than 12 months ago and he didn’t even send commiserations or say “I’m sorry to hear that”. His wife of whom he was very possessive is so poor she has to go out and work in the family town of Zarqa. Hence the name Zarqawi. I don’t know if al-Zarqawi is alive or exists at the moment. I don’t know if he isn’t a sort of creature invented in order to fill in the narrative gaps, so to speak. What is going on in Iraq at the moment is extremely mysterious. I go to Iraq and I can’t crack this story at the moment. Some of my colleagues are still trying to, but can’t do it. It’s not as simple as it looks. I don’t believe we’ve got all these raving lunatics wandering around blowing up mosques. There’s much more to this than meets the eye.
U.S. Intel: Qaeda Plotting ‘Big Bang’
By World Now
03/03/06 “WTKR” — – U.S. officials tell CBS News that intelligence has picked up reports that al Qaeda in Iraq is planning what one source calls the “Big Bang,” a spectacular terrorist attack in Iraq against either a single high-profile target or multiple targets simultaneously.
Last week’s mosque bombing in city of Samarra that brought Iraq to the brink of civil war was the work of terrorists, some U.S. officials have theorized. Abu Musab al-Zarqawi seems to be betting that another big bang would push the country over the brink, reports CBS News correspondent David Martin. The bomb in one of the holiest sites for Shiite Muslims set off violence all across the country that left hundreds dead.
“Big Bang”…is that terrorist speak?
why do we have war. why did they crash our trade center? It realy bugs me that they did that and now our familys are out there.
Hi amber – My best advice is to read everything you can get your hands on. Don’t count on tv or newspapers to tell you the whole story or help you to understand what’s going on in the world. Whenever something disturbs you investigate every angle and get as many opinions as there are available on the subject. It’s a lot of work but it’s worth it if you truly care about what’s happening in the world.