An estimated 300 Syrian residents of Iraq marched to Qatar's embassy in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad Wednesday to protest a decision by Doha to host US troops and military planners expected to direct an anticipated US war on Iraq.
"No to US troops on Arab soil," "It's a shame for Qatar to help spill Iraqi children's blood," said some of the banners raised by the demonstrators, who burned US and Israeli flags outside the Qatari diplomatic mission.
"Qatar is an Arab land, not an American state," "Beloved Saddam, hit Tel Aviv," they chanted.
According to AFP, the protesters handed embassy officials a letter expressing "anger and consternation" that the Qatari government had "opened Arab land in Qatar to the invading American forces allied to the criminal Zionist enemy."
The letter called on, "the Arab masses in Qatar and other parts of the Gulf and the Arabian Peninsula to step up vigilance and effective jihadi (militant) action to strike at ... the forces of aggression in their countries and in the waters of the Arabian Gulf and to hold treacherous rulers to account." (Albawaba.com)
© 2003 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
