Najaf Costing Bush

And in a swing state, no less. Juan Cole comments on a large demonstration in Dearborn:

The U.S. military actions in the holy city of Najaf have been deeply unpopular with American Muslims. A major demonstration was held by Shiite Iraqi-Americans in Dearborn, Michigan, last week. It demanded that US troops get out of Iraq. These expatriate Iraqi Shiites had been the most gung-ho group about the US going to war against the Saddam regime in 2003, and they were big Bush supporters. But now they are filled with second thoughts and regrets. The US military campaign in Najaf has deeply offended their religious sensibilities. They have made an about-face and now want the US out of their country, immediately.

The Detroit Free Press covered the peaceful demonstration:

Some held hand-lettered signs that read, "Occupation is not liberation" and "No puppet government in Iraq." A handful of black-clad women stood silently off to one side of the demonstrators outside the Shiite mosque.

Al-Husainy led chants that alternated between English and Arabic, offered prayers for peace in Iraq and called for elections ahead of the Dec. 31, 2005 target date.

The cleric, who strongly supported the U.S. invasion of Saddam Hussein's Iraq, also spoke directly to President Bush: "You are abusing the democratic values of America. Where are the elections you promised us? ... If you can't bring peace and democracy to Iraq, then you don't deserve to be re-elected."

Iraqi-Americans remain grateful that the U.S. military overthrew Saddam, but question the legitimacy of Iraq's interim government, said Youssef Fawaz, corresponding secretary for the Greater Detroit chapter of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee.

Bush and his core supporters, to judge from their rhetoric, might not care about Arab-Americans. But their votes count as much as anyone else's, and if they decide to vote Democratic, then it could be lights out in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. Which would end the shelf-life of the Bush administration.

Exp. Date: 01/20/05