Two days after U.S. Marines destroyed a minaret on a mosque in Fallujah, Irag, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld showed reporters a picture of a mosque in Najah with men holding weapons.
"You can see they have all kinds of religious instruments - called rocket-propelled grenades and AK 47’s," Rumsfeld said. "That’s what they do in their mosques," he told reporters after briefing members of Congress.
Rumsfeld complained such events aren’t being mentioned in newspapers.
U.S. Marines say they opened fire on a mosque in Fallujah Monday after being fired on by insurgents inside.
In brief remarks broadcast live by television outlets, Rumsfeld said it takes courage in a violent environment for Iraqis to stand up and say they are for law and order and freedom.
"You don’t see a lot of that in the newspaper," but a lot of Iraqis are doing it, Rumsfeld said.
When asked whether a major confrontation could still be avoided in Fallujah, Rumsfeld said, "Time will tell." |