Blogosphere copy 11.04.2005

365 and a Wakeup provides an insider's glimpse into the memorial service for his fellow soldiers in the 3rd ID, including Colonel Wood:

To see a Battalion Commander stop his PSD along Route ****, walk away from his vehicle and towards a small, unattended child, pull candy and a toy from his pocket, then crouch down to the eye-level of that child so he could give his gifts made a great impact not only on that child, but on the soldiers he led. COL Wood was an officer of uncommon breed. He was not your average man. He continually demonstrated in word and deeds his belief and allegiance to the cause of a better Iraq. His task consumed him in every aspect of everyday living in this country. Somehow, though, gradually his true nature began to show.

Professor Juan Cole provides part of a Sadrist sermon:

As for the Sadrists: In his holy day sermon, Hazim al-Araji (a follower of Muqtada al-Sadr) called for national unity as a means of defeating terrorist groups. He preached while holding a machine gun in one hand. He said of the terrorists:

"They kill the people in the name of Islam . . .
they use ringing names such as Ansar al-Sunnah
(Helpers of the Prophet's Path), Qaedat al-Jihad
(the Base for Holy War-- i.e. Bin Laden and Zawahiri),
and The Army of Muhammad . . . The Prophet Muhammad
[would say] "Ansar al-Sunnah, you are enemies of the
Path of the Prophet; Army of Muhammad, I wash my
hands of your deeds, you infidels! And you,
Qaedat al-Jihad, you are the infidel base; yes,
I wash my hands of these names." (-al-Sharq al-Awsat)