Indeed.
The Imam has a mosque in Kadhimiya and has supported Americans since their arrival. At Gold's behest the Imam has met with Ambassador L. Paul Bremer twice in the past two months.
Unlike many mosques in the Baghdad area, Friday prayers over minaret loudspeakers at the Imam's mosque don't include cries to fight the Americans.
The other meeting, at one sheik's "recreation" house, includes five other local sheiks as guests along with several brothers and nephews who are guests or who assist in serving the Americans.
The sheiks recently let it be known they had watched American Army activity since May and they have decided to support the military and to oppose its enemies. The meeting is the first since word of the decision was made...
Gold tells both groups he has brought an American reporter with him to show the American people the real truth about the goodness of the Iraqi people.
"Bad news sells papers, good news does not" Gold tells the Imam. "He has seen the ugly side, but I wanted (the reporter) to show him good people, to see how we're working together on a good common cause."
The Imam is more subtle in his appraisal of American media coverage.
"A lot of media are paying attention to little things," he said. "Sometimes the media do not have a clear vision of how things are in Iraq."
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