Again, another video from the Iraqi resistance, apparently directly addressing many of the things which America has listed as achievements. Secretary-General of the Sunni Clerics Association in Iraq, Sheik Hareth Al-Dhari speaks on Syrian TV on June 24:

Some of the transcript, courtesy of memritv.org:

Sheik Hareth Al-Dhari: The Iraqis are not hostile to the Americans or the American people. They were not hostile even to the American army before it entered Iraq. The Americans could become our friends, if they leave Iraq peacefully, according to a timetable. Then they could become like other friends of Iraq. Britain colonized Iraq, and later became its friend, benefited from Iraq, and so on.

The occupation, the destruction, the killing, and so on only increase the hatred of the Iraqis towards America, the Americans, and the American army. The Iraqis will continue to put up resistance to the American army as long as blood flows in their veins, even if it stays there for decades.

Therefore, I advise the Americans - the reasonable Americans, if there are any - to pressure their administration to consider leaving this country, leaving its people, which could then run it and maintain security.

As for the resistance - it is as clear as day. Only those who have lost their minds would deny its existence. The Iraqi resistance exists in the Iraqi scene. It began three weeks after the occupation, and then continued, developed, and grew stronger with time. It continues to operate. It will not come to an end or decline with the death of any of its commanders or heroes.

The resistance has lost many of its heroes - dozens of commanders, officers who commanded martyrdom and Jihad operations against the occupation, but other people have taken their place, Allah be praised...

I say with all honesty: the Iraqi resistance is under siege by all Iraq's neighbors, even if this siege takes different forms. They besiege it, harm it, and try to demoralize it, even though all of Iraq's neighbors are indebted to the resistance.

Thanks to the Iraqi resistance, American's influence and covetous designs in the region were limited. Thanks to the Iraqi resistance, the evil that threatened some of the countries in the region was removed.

How he can sit, as a religious person, and say "thanks to the Iraqi resistance" -- granted, American soldiers are being found guilty of atrocities in Iraq -- when the Iraqi resistance is not only killing American soldiers and fighting its enemy, but also killing everyone down to editorialists and students on their way to exams?

I'm sure killing teenagers must violate some fataawa. If not the words of the Qur'an and Ahadeeth themselves.

As a Jew, I can not dare to open my mouth against a sheikh when it comes to a matter of Islam, and Heaven forbid that I would even try. I hold all clergy in very high esteem generally. My only question is, in light of so many people and sources adamantly proclaiming -- with premises based in metaphysics and text -- that Islam is a religion of peace to all of humanity, making videos like this (RealPlayer), what words are there to refute these people?

Now, the sheikh is referring to the resistance in the 3rd person.

One thing he says is undoubtable however, the Resistance does look like it's alive and well.

But is such a thing G-d's praise?