Iraqi Shiites Make a Turnabout, Join the Resistance

This story, from Cytations, is dated September 9 so it is no longer breaking news. I suppose it falls into the category of "it's news to me." Cyte, the author of this blog knows Arabic so I will be keeping a closer eye on Cytations in the future.

But after watching the Kurds recently lower the Iraqi flag as a sign of secession, the Southern Shiite clans of Iraq have decided to bear arms and join the resistance. They also demanded the return of Saddam to power.

Cyte also links to the full statement of the Shiite tribes.

We the undersigned, the youth of the Southern Iraq tribes, declare that we have been asked by our tribes and elders to publicly join our brothers and our cousins in the tribes of the North, which were gathered in Kirkuk, and the dignified Baghdadi family representatives of all the tribes of Iraq who declared their support to the Heroic Iraqi Armed Resistance and consider it as the sole legitimate representative of the Iraqi people.

Moreover we confirm our full commitment to liberate Iraq from the US and Iranian invasion and our demand to the return of his Excellency the detained President Saddam Hussein (May the Lord safeguard him and free him from the hands of his bloodthirsty US enemies), the legitimate President of the Republic of Iraq, whom some of us opposed, but the previous years and the time of the Occupation have proved that his Excellency Saddam Hussein was the guarantee of the citizens security, the unity, stability and prosperity of the homeland and the loyal and faithful defender of the Iraqi women's honor.

Saddam: "Victory is at hand"