Rasa News Exclusive:

Al Jazeera host, guest insult Ayatollah Sistani during live debate

sa – During a heated debate on a controversial program on the Qatari-based Al Jazeera, the host and a Ba’athist guest argue with a Iraqi political analyst and supporter of the Shi’a Popular Mobilization Forces over Ayatollah Sistani’s jihad fatwa.

News ID: 2750

Date: 15 June 2015 - 18:00

RNA – This week, a physical confrontation broke out on Al Jazeera’s live debate show “The Opposite Direction” between guests who were debating the actions taken by Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces and the fatwa (religious edict) calling jihad against Takfiri terrorists which was issued by the Najaf-based and Iranian-born Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali al-Sistani, Rasa News reported.

Guests of the program included Sarmad Abdul-Karim, editor of al-Iraqiya news, who argued in favour of the Ba’ath Party, and Alaa Abdul-Khatib, an Iraqi writer, political analyst and supporter of the Popular Mobilization Forces.

Abdul-Karim said during the debate that the Iraqi army is weak and cowardly and argued that they function under Iran’s Revolutionary Guards and Hadi al-Amiri, the current Iraqi minister of transportation and the head of the Badr Organization, the military wing of the Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council (SIIC).

He argued that the Iraqi army is dependent on the Shi’a tribes and the predominantly Shi’a Popular Mobilization Forces have not benefited Iraq.

Faisal al-Qassem, the controversial host of “The Opposite Direction,” replied saying that he believes Iran seeks to destroy the Iraqi army and claimed that Iran is seeking to establish control over Iraqi militias because the Iraqi army “defeated Iran during the eight-year Iran-Iraq War,” and Imam Khomeini’s explanation that its “defeat” was like “drinking a cup of poison.”

The Syrian al-Jazeera host predicted that the Shi’a militias could not be victorious over ISIL due to their recent advances. He added that the militia’s have not brought any significant improvements to the war-torn country. He also claimed that after the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq, Iran occupied many bases and important military centres.

Al-Qassem also severely insulted and slandered the highly revered Shi’a source of emulation, Ayatollah Sayyid Ali al-Sistani, calling him an “instigator” in Iraqi affairs and saying that the call to jihad should be the duty of the Iraqi government and Shi’a clerics in Najaf who are linked to the Iranian government should not “force” to engage in jihad.

He said that these Shi’a sources of emulation should not speak on such issues nor should he interfere in Iraqi affairs.

Ayatollah Sistani recieved $200 million from US government

Among another of claims made by al-Qassem include the claim that Ayatollah Sistani’s office received $200 million from the US government.

Abdu-Khatib rationally argued that due to the timely reaction made by the Popular Mobilization Forces and the Shi’a authorities, Iraq was saved from a complete takeover by ISIL. He said that these militias were formed in order to protect the country and even many Sunni scholars have argued that if Ayatollah al-Sistani had not got involved in this crisis, Iraq would have certainly fallen to ISIL within a few days.

The Iraqi political analyst also pointed Ayatollah al-Sistani’s role in the creation of the Iraqi constitution, the preservation of the democratic process in the country and his efforts to protect the tribes and different religious communities in Iraq.

Abdul-Khatib also emphasized that Iranian military commanders have helped training the Popular Mobilization Forces to fight the enemies of the people of Iraq and added that they owe their military capabilities to Iran.

In reaction to Abdul-Khatib’s arguments, Abdul-Karim, began screaming, brawling and throwing objects from the table in an attempt to stop Abdul-Khatib from speaking.

“The Opposite Direction” is a debate TV show handling current events in the Middle East and the Arab world. The topics handled are mostly influenced by political, economical or social topics, but there have been occasions where the discussion visited sensitive religious topics related to the Middle East.

The TV show is hosted by Al Jazeera’s famous TV personality Faisal al-Qassem, while two guests representing opinions of each side of the case being debated are invited to participate in the show.

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