Bush 'needs time off'
2006-03-26 16:21
Paris - An Iraqi insurgency group recommended to US President George W Bush on Sunday to take a vacation at his ranch in Texas and reflect on how he "is losing the war" in Iraq.
"Mr Bush, we are trapped in a sealed box, fighting each other for the last three years with all these incredible advantages on your side.
"And yet, you are losing the war," the Al-Rashideen Army said in a statement posted on the internet, which could not be independently verified.
"Mr Bush, you are a religious guy. All you have to do is to go back to Crawford.
"Have some time off, relax and really think it over.
"You will come to this one logical conclusion: God is on our side and always will be."
The statement, written in English, was signed by Abu Dugana al-Baghdad, the group's military commander.
The open letter to Bush was posted along with videos the group claimed were of two recent mortar attacks on the US embassy in Baghdad.
The group, while not well known, has posted a steady stream of videos and statements on the internet.
Their most recent video was posted on March 19 and showed a mortar attack on a US military base in Taji, just north of Baghdad.
The group claims to have fighting units called Katibat al-Hadbaa, Sariyat al-Jabal and Liwaa al-Ayoubi.
Their statements and articles on fighting Jihad are regularly signed by a man identifying himself as the group's propaganda chief Abu al-Walid al-Iraqi.
The name al-Rashideen is a reference to the Khulufa Rashideen (righteous caliphs), first four rulers of the Islamic world after the death of the Prophet Mohammed.
- SAPA