Blame the Messenger

Iraqis have discovered one of the secrets of western democracy. Attack the media! Angry Shiites are protesting Al-Jazeera following the broadcast of anti-Shiite remarks by a secular Sunni. This comes from AP:

"thousands of people chanted anti-Al-Jazeera slogans in the streets of the Baghdad neighborhoods of Sadr City and Karradah, and in the southern cities of Najaf and Karbala.

The demonstrations, which turned into political rallies, threatened to further polarize Thursday's parliamentary elections

A group of senior religious students in the Shiite holy city in Najaf, where the country's top four Shiite clerics live, called the program 'a provocation and flagrant aggression on the values and feelings of Muslims whether in Iraq or around the world.'

The statement said Al-Jazeera 'is financed by countries, governments, regimes, intelligence agencies and Muslim extremists who came to power through military coups.'

The students said people will respond to Al-Jazeera at the polls Thursday."

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