The Front Page Cover "I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened"
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Featuring:
In Iraq, growing belief that U.S.,
ISIS are . . . allies
Liz Sly
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"Rise up together as one voice"
"Be careful where you stand"
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The Truth About Mass Shootings 
Facts are stubborn things. In the wake of the Islamist attack in San Bernardino, Barack nObama trotted out the usual blame-the-gun rhetoric: "We have a pattern of mass shootings in this country with no parallel anywhere else in the world." That was after he claimed in a Tuesday press conference (in Paris, of all places), "This just doesn’t happen in other countries.” Repeat, ad nauseum. But is it really true? This doesn't happen in the Middle East, Africa and Asia? As you might guess whenever nObama opens his mouth, no, it's not true. The U.S. is pretty much in the middle of the pack for mass murder committed with firearms, both in the frequency and death rate. In fact, according to gun researcher John Lott, "In just 2015, France suffered more casualties — killings and injuries — from mass public shootings than the U.S. has suffered during nObama’s entire presidency (508 to 424)."
As for the number of mass shooting incidents in the U.S., we've noted before that the Leftmedia uses completely BS statistics collected by anti-gun fanatics. How inflated are those numbers? The Mass Shooting Tracker website claims the San Bernardino attack was the 355th "mass shooting" this year, but its deliberately inflated definition includes, for example, non-fatal incidents with pellet guns and they count attackers in the number shot, dead or not. The Congressional Research Service, on the other hand, still defines "mass killing" widely — "three or more killings in a single incident" — and even then there were 317 mass shootings ... from 1999 to 2013. That also doesn't distinguish between a random public mass murder and a man killing his wife and in-laws. Overall, firearms-related homicides have dropped dramatically over the last two decades, all while gun ownership has greatly increased.
So what do Democrats do? Propose the same old "universal background checks" idea that would do nothing to stop the two San Bernardino terrorists — or most other deranged killers. They want to ban "assault rifles," too, though California law is already especially strict on this. And there are reports that the couple modified at least one rifle in an attempt to make it fully automatic. Such modification is illegal in all states, but by all means let's make it super illegal this time. Oh, and using any kind of firearm to murder people is illegal everywhere, too, but that doesn't ever seem to stop murderous psychos.
Meanwhile, leftists go out of their way to shame those who pray for the victims. Tolerance, indeed, and facts be damned along the way.
-The Patriot Post
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nObama Regs Keep Stalling Job Creation
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday morning that the U.S. economy added 211,000 jobs in November while the headline unemployment rate cruised at a low 5%. This most likely means the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates later this month as Chairwoman Janet Yellen told the Senate Thursday that the board was going to examine the report, hoping to see "a continued solid trend of job creation."
Additionally, average hourly wages increased four cents to $25.25, which puts wage growth this year at 2.3%, ever so slightly outpacing inflation. But not everything is solid, though. The U-6 measure of unemployment edged up to 9.9% because 319,000 people were forced to move to part-time work. As for the kinds of jobs created, much of the growth occurred in construction (46,000 jobs) and professional and technical services (28,000). The mining industry, however, continued to bleed from its peak last December, losing 11,000 jobs. This economic depression in the landscape of moderately good news can be attributed to the nObama administration's regulation. Its crusade against coal has decimated the economy of West Virginia, and he did unions no favors in blocking the Keystone pipeline.
Furthermore, despite rising wages, the Left is still insisting on a $15-an-hour minimum wage, which will only increase unemployment and smother the meager gains in the average wage. So whatever happens in the coming weeks, the nObama administration cannot take credit for leading the economy out of the great recession because it's regulation-happy tendencies have exacerbated the problem. -The Patriot Post
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Clinton Flips Position on Sexual Assault
Hilly Clinton walked into a blaring hypocrisy of her own making Thursday when a woman at a New Hampshire campaign event asked the presidential candidate about her record on sexual assault. For the past several months, Clinton tried to endear herself to feminists who want to come down harshly on anyone accused of rape. For example, Clinton tweeted Nov. 22, "Every survivor of sexual assault deserves to be heard, believed, and supported." On Thursday, while Clinton was sitting beneath a sign that emblazoned her logo and the words "fighting for us," a woman asked, "You recently came out to say that all rape victims should be believed? But would you say that about Juanita Broaddrick, Kathleen Willey and Paula Jones? Should we believe them as well?" Those were some of the women who accused Bill Clinton of sexual assault in the '90s. But instead of believing them, Hilly attacked the women, ruining their reputations. By aligning herself with her cheating husband, Clinton, who once defended a child-rapist by dragging the victim "through hell," kept her ticket to political power. In response to the question, Clinton responded, "I would say that everybody should be believed at first until they are disbelieved based on evidence." This is not the answer the people who believe men accused of rape are guilty until proven innocent wanted to hear. And frankly, as commentator Ashe Schow noted, it's an answer that leaves many other questions. -The Patriot Post
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Illegals Rejected by Democrat Voters Sue for 'Right' to Drive In one of the most brazen gambits of the year, five Mexican illegal immigrants and two Latino-focused nonprofit organizations filed suit seeking to reverse Oregon voters’ rejection of a measure granting illegal immigrants state "driver's cards." Unsurprisingly, the so-called race card is an integral part of the mix.
Measure 88, which would have provided driver’s cards to those who couldn’t prove they're in the country legally, failed by a whopping margin of 66.1% to 33.9% during the 2014 mid-term election. Voters in 35 of Oregon’s 36 counties and every congressional district in the state rejected the measure, even though Oregon is a Democrat stronghold, and the pro-illegal constituency outspent their opponents by a 10 to 1 margin.
In other words, when Democrat voters get a say on the issue they stand in direct opposition to Democrat politicians — the very same Democrat politicians who label any resistance to their pro-amnesty agenda as bigoted and xenophobic.
Regardless, Democrat Party allies filed suit Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Eugene, alleging that Measure 88 is unconstitutional because it is “arbitrary” and “capricious," “motivated, at least in part, by animus towards Mexicans and Central Americans,” and violates the equal protection clause of the U.S. Constitution’s 14th Amendment. Democrat Gov. Kate Brown and Department of Transportation leaders are named as defendants in the case. -The Patriot Post
Black Student Threatened to Kill 'White Devils' Back on Campus
{trey Sanchez} ~ TruthRevolt has been reporting on the black University of Chicago student who recently threatened to kill 16 "white devils" on campus... Jabari Dean was later arrested for the threat he posted online that caused one day of classes to be canceled. Now, a judge has placed the 21-year-old man under house arrest under the care of his mother and is allowing him to resume attending class. Dean's now-deemed "fake threat" stated that he would come to the school well-armed with "an M-4 carbine and two desert eagles" and shoot "16 white male students… or staff" to equal the amount of times 17-year-old Laquan McDonald was shot by Chicago police in which he was protesting. "I will then die killing any number of white policeman in the process," his threat continued. "This is not a joke. I am to do my part and rid the world of white devils. I expect you do the same.".
Glick: America’s Pathological Denial of Reality
{Truth Revolt} ~ How much lower will America sink before it regains its senses? Wednesday, two Muslims walked into a Christmas party at a community service center in San Bernardino, California where one worked... They were wearing body armor and video cameras and carrying automatic rifles, pipe bombs and pistols. They opened fire, killed 14, and wounded 17. The murderers, Syed Farook and his wife, Tashfeen Malik were killed by police. Speaking to the Daily News, Farook’s father said his son, “was very religious. He would go to work, come back, go to pray, come back. He’s Muslim.” Farook’s neighbor told the paper that over the past two years, Farook exchanged his Western dress for Islamic gowns and grew a beard..
French Make MASSIVE Move Against 2,000 Muslims…
{conservativetribune.com} ~ All of the old jokes about the French and their pusillanimity about war — you know, the “cheese eating surrender monkeys” quips — look to be a thing of the past, at least after the Paris terror attacks... Now, French authorities are taking on radical Islam, and they mean business. A two-week campaign of raids against radical Islamist targets by French counterterrorism forces has yielded 232 arrests and 334 weapons confiscations. According to France Info (via Breitbart), 34 of those weapons were “war-grade.” All in all, counterterrorism authorities have raided 2,235 homes and buildings in the wake of the Nov. 13 attacks. In addition to the weapons, illegal narcotics were found in 165 locations.
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Russia Devouring the Eastern Mediterranean?
{Burak Bekdil} ~ An angry Putin called the incident "a stab in the back." He declined Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's requests to discuss the issue. He twice refused to meet Erdogan on the sidelines of the Paris Climate Summit... Russia's foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, quickly cancelled his official visit to Turkey -- a visit that had been scheduled for the day after the downing of the Russian jet. At the outset, NATO member Turkey had taught Russia a good lesson. In reality, judging from the consequences, it all looks like a Russian gambit, with Turkey shooting itself in the foot and risking a new NATO-Russia conflict. Russia's ire seemingly is being expressed in economic terms:.
FBI Agent Exposed Truth About ‘Vast Majority’ of US Mosques
{Kevin Whitson} ~ John Guandolo, former FBI counter-terrorism special agent, author of Raising a Jihadi Generation, and site administrator of UnderstandingTheThreat, is making some shocking claims... about who is actually advising the White House and senior leaders in the federal government on matters of national security. Brietbart News Daily interviewed Guandolo on Friday. Guandolo reportedly told Breitbart that the “Islamic Society of North America (ISNA)—the largest Muslim Brotherhood organization here— is a Hamas funding entity.” He said that the ISNA collaborates with the secretary of state and the National Security Administration, and briefs the FBI and CIA. ISNA’s former president, Mohamed Magid, works “very closely with the White House and sits on the Homeland Security Advisory Committee with a secret clearance.” http://www.westernjournalism.com/fmr-fbi-counterterror-agent-just-exposed-a-disturbing-truth-about-vast-majority-of-us-mosques-wt/.
The U.S. is running out of bombs to drop on ISIS
{Jeremy Diamond and Barbara Starr} ~ The U.S. Air Force has fired off more than 20,000 missiles and bombs since the U.S. bombing campaign against ISIS began 15 months ago... according to the Air Force, leading to depleted munitions stockpiles and calls to ramp up funding and weapons production. As the U.S. ramps up its campaign against the Islamist terror group in Iraq and Syria, the Air Force is now "expending munitions faster than we can replenish them," Air Force chief of staff Gen. Mark Welsh said in a statement. "B-1s have dropped bombs in record numbers. F-15Es are in the fight because they are able to employ a wide range of weapons and do so with great flexibility. We need the funding in place to ensure we're prepared for the long fight," Welsh said in the statement. "This is a critical need." http://www.cnn.com/2015/12/04/politics/air-force-20000-bombs-missiles-isis/index.html.
Unearthed Emails Show Hilly Lied Under Oath About THIS
{americanactionnews.com} ~ Newly unearthed emails show Hilly Clinton lied under oath to the House Select Committee on Benghazi in her Oct. 22, 2015 sworn testimony... As The Washington Examiner reports: Emails sent the night of the attack indicate Clinton did indeed receive updates about the unfolding violence in Benghazi via her private, unsecured email network, contrary to her testimony in an Oct. 22 hearing before the House Select Committee on Benghazi. Clinton argued last month that she had conducted the majority of her work outside of email and that she had been receiving live updates about the attack in person, not on her private server. When describing her modes of communication she used on the night of the attack, Clinton cited secure phones and the SCIF, or sensitive compartmented information facility used for viewing classified material, in her home. But Clinton defended the lack of Benghazi updates among her private emails by arguing that most of her communications did not take place over email. .
The Existential Threat To US Is nObama, Not ISIS
{constitutionrising.com} ~ Looking more like a homosexual aids patient every day, Hussein nObama is interviewed about the “non-threat” that “isn’t posed” by ISIS... In another example of his inevitable bad timing with “victory laps,” this interview was broadcast shortly before the terrorist attack in San Bernardino. nObama might want to coordinate a little closer with his ISIS foot soldiers to avoid these embarrassing false proclamations. After all, it’s in their best interest for him not to look like a bungling anti-American fool as well. Almost unbelievably, nObama said, “ISIL is not going to pose an existential threat to us,” as if the infliction of a tremendous amount of hardship is perfectly acceptable to him and perhaps, given is agenda, inevitable as a component of the creation of the North American caliphate. As long as they aren’t capable of engineering our destruction, they’re nothing he’s going to worry about. What’s thousands of dead American’s to him anyway? He’s got Secret Service protection and the threat is non-existential – who cares?.
How Best To Keep The Progressive Agenda Going?
{C. Dawley} ~ The progressive mantra of long-term man-made Global Cooling proved to be wrong and now man-made long-term Global Warming is falling on hard times having been supported by manipulated data... How best to keep the progressive agenda going per Obama’s Marxist Mentors?
Change the focus to man-made Climate Change, which of course has been going on since the eons of time. Start the drum beat of horror and impending disaster, and, with fear mongering, get the public to adopt all sorts of liberal agenda items such as:
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Barbara Boxer: California is Living Proof that Gun Control Works
{Philip Hodges} ~ In case you’re wondering if it’s the same California that contains San Bernardino that saw a mass shooting that killed 14 people and injured nearly as many, you’d be correct... These politicians really need to think before they speak. The Blaze reported: Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) stunned many Thursday when she expressed support for gun control legislation by pointing to the supposed success of such laws in California. “Sensible gun laws work,” Boxer told reporters. “We’ve proven it in California.” The two San Bernardino attackers, who killed 14 and wounded more than a dozen Wednesday, purchased all four of their guns legally, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said Thursday. It come to show you that Box is one fool and retiring is the best thing for her..
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In Iraq, growing belief that U.S.,
ISIS are . . . allies
Liz Sly
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Ordinary people also have seen the videos, heard the stories and reached the same conclusion - one that might seem absurd to Americans but is widely believed among Iraqis - that the United States is supporting the Islamic State for a variety of pernicious reasons that have to do with asserting American control over Iraq, the wider Middle East and, perhaps, its oil.
Ordinary people also have seen the videos, heard the stories and reached the same conclusion - one that might seem absurd to Americans but is widely believed among Iraqis - that the United States is supporting the Islamic State for a variety of pernicious reasons that have to do with asserting American control over Iraq, the wider Middle East and, perhaps, its oil.
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"It is not in doubt," said Mustafa Saadi, who says his friend saw U.S. helicopters delivering bottled water to Islamic State positions. He is a commander in one of the Shiite militias that last month helped push the militants out of the oil refinery near Baiji in northern Iraq alongside the Iraqi army.
"It is not in doubt," said Mustafa Saadi, who says his friend saw U.S. helicopters delivering bottled water to Islamic State positions. He is a commander in one of the Shiite militias that last month helped push the militants out of the oil refinery near Baiji in northern Iraq alongside the Iraqi army.
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The Islamic State is "almost finished," he said. "They are weak. If only America would stop supporting them, we could defeat them in days."
The Islamic State is "almost finished," he said. "They are weak. If only America would stop supporting them, we could defeat them in days."
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U.S. military officials say the charges are too far-fetched to merit a response. "It's beyond ridiculous," said Col. Steve Warren, the military's Baghdad-based spokesman. "There's clearly no one in the West who buys it, but unfortunately, this is something that a segment of the Iraqi population believes."
U.S. military officials say the charges are too far-fetched to merit a response. "It's beyond ridiculous," said Col. Steve Warren, the military's Baghdad-based spokesman. "There's clearly no one in the West who buys it, but unfortunately, this is something that a segment of the Iraqi population believes."
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The perception among Iraqis that the United States is somehow in cahoots with the militants it claims to be fighting appears, however, to be widespread across the country's Sunni-Shiite sectarian divide, and it speaks to more than just the troubling legacy of mistrust that has clouded America's relationship with Iraq since the 2003 invasion and the subsequent withdrawal eight years later.
The perception among Iraqis that the United States is somehow in cahoots with the militants it claims to be fighting appears, however, to be widespread across the country's Sunni-Shiite sectarian divide, and it speaks to more than just the troubling legacy of mistrust that has clouded America's relationship with Iraq since the 2003 invasion and the subsequent withdrawal eight years later.
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At a time when attacks by the Islamic State in Paris and elsewhere have intensified calls for tougher action on the ground, such is the level of suspicion with which the United States is viewed in Iraq that it is unclear whether the nObama administration would be able to significantly escalate its involvement even if it wanted to.
At a time when attacks by the Islamic State in Paris and elsewhere have intensified calls for tougher action on the ground, such is the level of suspicion with which the United States is viewed in Iraq that it is unclear whether the nObama administration would be able to significantly escalate its involvement even if it wanted to.
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"What influence can we have if they think we are supporting the terrorists?" asked Kirk Sowell, an analyst based in neighboring Jordan who publishes the newsletter Inside Iraqi Politics.
"What influence can we have if they think we are supporting the terrorists?" asked Kirk Sowell, an analyst based in neighboring Jordan who publishes the newsletter Inside Iraqi Politics.
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In one example of how little leverage the United States now has, Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi pushed back swiftly against an announcement Tuesday by Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter that an expeditionary force of U.S. troops will be dispatched to Iraq to conduct raids, free hostages and capture Islamic State leaders.
In one example of how little leverage the United States now has, Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi pushed back swiftly against an announcement Tuesday by Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter that an expeditionary force of U.S. troops will be dispatched to Iraq to conduct raids, free hostages and capture Islamic State leaders.
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Carter did not say how many soldiers would be deployed or where. Iraq's semiautonomous region of Kurdistan, where support for the United States remains strong, has said it would welcome more troops. But Abadi indicated they would not be needed.
Carter did not say how many soldiers would be deployed or where. Iraq's semiautonomous region of Kurdistan, where support for the United States remains strong, has said it would welcome more troops. But Abadi indicated they would not be needed.
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"There is no need for foreign ground combat troops," he said in a statement. "Any such support and special operations anywhere in Iraq can only be deployed subject to the approval of the Iraqi Government and in coordination with the Iraqi forces and with full respect to Iraqi sovereignty."
"There is no need for foreign ground combat troops," he said in a statement. "Any such support and special operations anywhere in Iraq can only be deployed subject to the approval of the Iraqi Government and in coordination with the Iraqi forces and with full respect to Iraqi sovereignty."
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The allegations of American collusion with the Islamic State are aired regularly in parliament by Shiite politicians and promoted in postings on social media. They are persistent enough to suggest a deliberate campaign on the part of Iran's allies in Iraq to erode American influence, U.S. officials say.
The allegations of American collusion with the Islamic State are aired regularly in parliament by Shiite politicians and promoted in postings on social media. They are persistent enough to suggest a deliberate campaign on the part of Iran's allies in Iraq to erode American influence, U.S. officials say.
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In one typical recent video that appeared on the Facebook page of a Shiite militia, a lawmaker with the country's biggest militia group, the Badr Organization, waves apparently new U.S military MREs (meals ready to eat) - one of them chicken and dumplings - allegedly found at a recently captured Islamic State base in Baiji, offering proof, he said, of U.S. support.
In one typical recent video that appeared on the Facebook page of a Shiite militia, a lawmaker with the country's biggest militia group, the Badr Organization, waves apparently new U.S military MREs (meals ready to eat) - one of them chicken and dumplings - allegedly found at a recently captured Islamic State base in Baiji, offering proof, he said, of U.S. support.
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"The Iranians and the Iranian-backed Shiite militias are really pushing this line of propaganda, that the United States is supporting ISIL," Warren said. "It's part of the Iranian propaganda machine."
"The Iranians and the Iranian-backed Shiite militias are really pushing this line of propaganda, that the United States is supporting ISIL," Warren said. "It's part of the Iranian propaganda machine."
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The perception plays into a widening rift within Iraq's ruling Shiite elite over whether to pivot more toward Iran or the United States. Those pushing the allegations "want to create a narrative that Iran is our ally and the United States is our enemy, and this undermines Abadi, who is America's ally," Sowell said.
The perception plays into a widening rift within Iraq's ruling Shiite elite over whether to pivot more toward Iran or the United States. Those pushing the allegations "want to create a narrative that Iran is our ally and the United States is our enemy, and this undermines Abadi, who is America's ally," Sowell said.
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Iraqi government officials say they don't believe the charges, and point out that Abadi regularly pushes back against them. But Abadi's own position has weakened in recent months. He is battling for his political survival against a variety of Shiite militia leaders whose power has been bolstered by the increasingly dominant role played by the militias, collectively known as Hashd al-Shaabi, or popular mobilization units.
Iraqi government officials say they don't believe the charges, and point out that Abadi regularly pushes back against them. But Abadi's own position has weakened in recent months. He is battling for his political survival against a variety of Shiite militia leaders whose power has been bolstered by the increasingly dominant role played by the militias, collectively known as Hashd al-Shaabi, or popular mobilization units.
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Iraqi officials complain that their task is hampered by what is universally perceived as the lackluster U.S. response to the threat posed by the Islamic State.
Iraqi officials complain that their task is hampered by what is universally perceived as the lackluster U.S. response to the threat posed by the Islamic State.
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"We don't believe the Americans support Daesh," said Naseer Nouri, spokesman for the Ministry of Defense, using the Arabic acronym for the Islamic State. "But it is true that most people are saying they do, and they are right to believe that the Americans should be doing much more than they are. It's because America is so slow that most people believe they are supporting Daesh."
"We don't believe the Americans support Daesh," said Naseer Nouri, spokesman for the Ministry of Defense, using the Arabic acronym for the Islamic State. "But it is true that most people are saying they do, and they are right to believe that the Americans should be doing much more than they are. It's because America is so slow that most people believe they are supporting Daesh."
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U.S. warplanes routinely fail to respond to requests for air support because of U.S. rules of engagement that preclude strikes if there is a risk civilians may be hit, he said. According to Warren, that standard frequently is not met. The United States has conducted more than 3,768 strikes in Iraq as of Nov. 19, according to the U.S. military, and the tempo of strikes has increased lately, U.S. officials say.
U.S. warplanes routinely fail to respond to requests for air support because of U.S. rules of engagement that preclude strikes if there is a risk civilians may be hit, he said. According to Warren, that standard frequently is not met. The United States has conducted more than 3,768 strikes in Iraq as of Nov. 19, according to the U.S. military, and the tempo of strikes has increased lately, U.S. officials say.
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But it also appears that the fighters are unaware when they do receive U.S. air support. The U.S. military reported near-daily strikes in support of the offensive to recapture Baiji last month and continues to respond regularly to requests for strikes in the vicinity, Warren said.
But it also appears that the fighters are unaware when they do receive U.S. air support. The U.S. military reported near-daily strikes in support of the offensive to recapture Baiji last month and continues to respond regularly to requests for strikes in the vicinity, Warren said.
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The fighters there insist there have been no strikes by the Americans at all. "We'd be better off without them," said 1st Lt. Murtada Fadl, who is serving with the Iraqi Special Forces in Baiji. He said that the only air support had come from the Iraqi air force and that he wishes the government would ask the Russians to replace the Americans.
The fighters there insist there have been no strikes by the Americans at all. "We'd be better off without them," said 1st Lt. Murtada Fadl, who is serving with the Iraqi Special Forces in Baiji. He said that the only air support had come from the Iraqi air force and that he wishes the government would ask the Russians to replace the Americans.
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In a part of the world where outcomes are often confused with intentions and regional complexities enable conspiracy theories to thrive, the notion that the United States is colluding with the Islamic State holds a certain logic, according to Mustafa Alani, director of the Dubai-based Gulf Research Center. Most Arabs are too in awe of American might to believe that it is deliberately adopting a minimalist approach, he said.
In a part of the world where outcomes are often confused with intentions and regional complexities enable conspiracy theories to thrive, the notion that the United States is colluding with the Islamic State holds a certain logic, according to Mustafa Alani, director of the Dubai-based Gulf Research Center. Most Arabs are too in awe of American might to believe that it is deliberately adopting a minimalist approach, he said.
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"The reason is that the Americans aren't doing the job people expect them to do," he said. "Mosul was lost and the Americans did nothing. Syria was lost and the Americans did nothing. Paris is attacked and the Americans aren't doing much. So people believe this is a deliberate policy. They can't believe the American leadership fails to understand the developments in the region, and so the only other explanation is that this is part of a conspiracy."
"The reason is that the Americans aren't doing the job people expect them to do," he said. "Mosul was lost and the Americans did nothing. Syria was lost and the Americans did nothing. Paris is attacked and the Americans aren't doing much. So people believe this is a deliberate policy. They can't believe the American leadership fails to understand the developments in the region, and so the only other explanation is that this is part of a conspiracy."
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On the streets of Baghdad, most Iraqis see no other explanation.
On the streets of Baghdad, most Iraqis see no other explanation.
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"The image of the U.S. was damaged in the region, so they created Daesh in order to fight them and restore their image," said Mohammed Abdul Khaleq, a journalist for a local TV station who was drinking coffee in a cafe favored by writers, most of whom said they agreed.
"The image of the U.S. was damaged in the region, so they created Daesh in order to fight them and restore their image," said Mohammed Abdul Khaleq, a journalist for a local TV station who was drinking coffee in a cafe favored by writers, most of whom said they agreed.
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A rare dissenting voice was offered by Hassan Abdul-Wahab, 23, selling luggage in a nearby shop. "It is true that most people believe that," he said. "But it's not based on reason. It's based on racism - because Iraqis don't like Americans in the first place."
A rare dissenting voice was offered by Hassan Abdul-Wahab, 23, selling luggage in a nearby shop. "It is true that most people believe that," he said. "But it's not based on reason. It's based on racism - because Iraqis don't like Americans in the first place."
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