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Cleric lambastes US for atrocities in Iraq, sacrilege to holy sites

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, Aug 20, IRNA -- Senior cleric Ayatollah Mohammad Emami 
Kashani here on Friday criticized US President George W. Bush for the 
deepening crisis in Iraq and the escalating violence in the holy city 
of Najaf, protesting against the aerial attacks by US troops on the 
holy shrine of Imam Ali (AS). 
Kashani, speaking at the weekly Friday Prayer gathering here, 
said that America`s image abroad has been damaged by these atrocities 
notwithstanding all efforts by his administration to project his 
country as a champion of peace, particularly in Iraq, and warned 
young Muslims will not remain silent in the face of these crimes. 
He told Friday Prayer worshipers at Tehran University campus 
that Bush has now won the world`s hatred for his policies of 
destruction, the effects of which will be felt by the next US 
presidents. 
Kashani expressed regret that US forces are continuing their 
bombardments of Najaf and heavy fighting continues even though 
residents of the city have said they will accept the conditions for a 
ceasefire. 
The cleric said the American people would do well to hold a 
referendum, just like what Venezuelans did, to determine whether they 
approve of Bush`s policies. 
He asked the American people: "Do you approve of the many crimes 
that your representative (Bush) is committing?" 
"I don`t think so," was his opinion. 
Kashani said that Bush, who invaded Iraq on faulty intelligence, 
tried to justify his mistake by saying he did so in the name of 
democracy. Now, he will go down in history as one of the most 
notorious presidents, he added. 
"When you (Bush) die, people will remember you as having did the 
same things Hitler and Nero did. But the fact is, you are worse than 
either of the two," he said. 
"Bush does not consider the shrine of Imam Ali (AS) as sacred. 
There are other imams buried in holy shrines in Kazemein, Samara and 
Karbala and history is to be credited for the preservation of their 
memories." 
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