AQ in Iraq and the Pope

AQ in Iraq's statement about the Pope in Turkey. Video from Fox here.

Al Qaeda in Iraq on Wednesday denounced Pope Benedict XVI's visit to Turkey, calling it part of a "crusader campaign" against Islam. The Vatican said the comments showed the need to fight "violence in the name of God."

The trip is Benedict's first visit to an Islamic country as pontiff, seeking dialogue with Muslims who were angered over a speech he made in September in which he cited a medieval text that linked Islam and violence.

Al Qaeda in Iraq, the most feared Islamic militant group in Iraq, issued its statement on an Islamic militant Web site it often uses to post messages.

"The Pope's visit, in fact, is to consolidate the crusader campaign against the lands of Islam after the failure of the crusader leaders (in Iraq and Afghanistan) ... and an attempt to extinguish the burning ember of Islam inside our Turkish brothers," it said.

It pointed to the pope's "bald-faced attack on Islam in September." The pope's speech at the time prompted outrage across much of the Islamic world, after he quoted a medieval document that called the Prophet Muhammad violent.

The al Qaeda in Iraq statement did not include any direct threat to the pope, saying only that the group is "confident in the defeat of Rome in all parts of the Islamic world."

The Vatican said Wednesday that the al Qaeda in Iraq denunciation shows the need for faiths to fight "violence in the name of God."

"This type of message shows once again the urgency and importance of a common commitment of all forces against violence," Vatican spokesman Rev. Federico Lombardi said. "It also shows the need of various faiths to say 'no' to violence in the name of God."

The authenticity of the al Qaeda statement could not be confirmed. It was signed by the "Islamic state in Iraq," the so-called Islamic government that the group declared earlier this year and that now issues all its messages.

And low and behold, Nancy Pelosi says that there is no AQ in Iraq? Huh? Excuse me but wasn't the Z Man (who was killed in June by Allied forces HOOYA!) an AQ leader? OK America you voted this B*tch into office! At least I can listen to Rush and Sean make fun of the woman for the next two years (hopefully for only two years!)

I tried to link up to the article yesterday (11-28) but CNN has either deleted the link or moved the story. Funny business. Here is the HOTAir link to the story here.

House Speaker-elect Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) told reporters on Wednesday that she feels it is “sad” that President Bush continues to blame Iraqi insurgent violence on al Qaeda.

“My thoughts on the president’s representations are well-known,” Pelosi said. “The 9/11 Commission dismissed that notion a long time ago and I feel sad that the president is resorting to it again.”