Shiite-Sunni violence has intensified as Iraq drifts under the leadership of a caretaker government more than three months after national elections. In Baghdad, Sunni, Shiite and Kurdish political leaders resumed negotiations on forming a new government Tuesday, a day after the talks were interrupted by Shiites' outcry over a U.S.-Iraqi raid Sunday on what the U.S. military said was an armed faction and what the Shiites said were Shiite men at prayer in a mosque.so, in honor of general pace, let's all play find the minaret!
In Washington, top Pentagon officials said Tuesday that Sunday's raid did not mark the start of a broader crackdown on Shiite militias and said U.S. troops were unaware until after breaching the compound that it contained a place of worship.
At a Pentagon briefing, Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the raid targeted a kidnapping ring. He said an Iraqi counterterrorism unit and its U.S. Special Forces advisers discovered an Iraqi hostage and numerous weapons inside the compound, as well as a small minaret and prayer room. U.S. forces "did not know that that minaret was there on the way in," Pace said.
instructions: there is a minaret hidden somewhere in each of the following photos. can you find it?
A. can you find the minaret? (hint: it's not the guy in the white shirt)
B. this one is a little harder. sometimes minarets can be hard to spot when they're not directly in front of you (hint, hint)
C. how about this image from khiva, uzbekistan? those pesky minarets can be hard to pick out among the bustling street scene. it takes a keen eye to see this one.
D. i bet i got you this time! in the harsh climate of the african sahal, some minarets have learned to blend in to their surroundings to avoid predatory military strike forces. this minaret is practically invisible to the naked eye. only the hard-core minaret sleuths will be able to find this one! take your best shot.
okay, so how'd you do? don't feel too bad if you couldn't see any. maybe some day you'll get to be a general too!
