Tuesday, May 01, 2007
Al-Maliki's office accused of unfairly targeting senior Sunni officers
Security, Politics
(Los Angeles Times-Washington Post ) - A department of the Iraqi prime minister's office is playing a leading role in the arrest and removal of senior Iraqi army and national police officers, some of whom have apparently worked too aggressively to combat violent Shiite militias, according to US military officials.
Since March 1, at least 16 army and national police commanders have been fired, detained or pressured to resign; at least nine of them are Sunnis, according to US military documents shown to The Washington Post. Although some of the officers appear to have been fired for legitimate reasons, such as poor performance or corruption, several were considered to be among the better Iraqi officers in the field. The dismissals have angered US and Iraqi leaders who say the Shiite-led government is sabotaging the military to achieve sectarian goals.
"Their only crimes or offences were they were successful against" the Mahdi Army, a powerful Shiite militia, said Brigadier General Dana Pittard, commanding general of the Iraq Assistance Group, which works with Iraqi security forces. "I'm tired of seeing good Iraqi officers having to look over their shoulders when they're trying to do the right thing."
The issue strikes at a central question about the fledgling government of Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki: whether it can put sectarian differences aside to deliver justice fairly. Iraqi government officials denied that security force commanders have faced political pressure and said Al Maliki is committed to targeting all criminals equally. Sadiq Al Rikabi, a political adviser to Al Maliki, said the first two months of the Baghdad security plan show that Al Maliki "is not working on any agenda but the national agenda."
One adviser in the office, Basima Luay Hasun Al Jaidri, has enough influence to remove and intimidate senior commanders, and her work has 'stifled' many officers who are afraid of angering her, a senior US military official said. US commanders are considering installing a US liaison officer in the department to better understand its influence.
Since March 1, at least 16 army and national police commanders have been fired, detained or pressured to resign; at least nine of them are Sunnis, according to US military documents shown to The Washington Post. Although some of the officers appear to have been fired for legitimate reasons, such as poor performance or corruption, several were considered to be among the better Iraqi officers in the field. The dismissals have angered US and Iraqi leaders who say the Shiite-led government is sabotaging the military to achieve sectarian goals.
"Their only crimes or offences were they were successful against" the Mahdi Army, a powerful Shiite militia, said Brigadier General Dana Pittard, commanding general of the Iraq Assistance Group, which works with Iraqi security forces. "I'm tired of seeing good Iraqi officers having to look over their shoulders when they're trying to do the right thing."
The issue strikes at a central question about the fledgling government of Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki: whether it can put sectarian differences aside to deliver justice fairly. Iraqi government officials denied that security force commanders have faced political pressure and said Al Maliki is committed to targeting all criminals equally. Sadiq Al Rikabi, a political adviser to Al Maliki, said the first two months of the Baghdad security plan show that Al Maliki "is not working on any agenda but the national agenda."
One adviser in the office, Basima Luay Hasun Al Jaidri, has enough influence to remove and intimidate senior commanders, and her work has 'stifled' many officers who are afraid of angering her, a senior US military official said. US commanders are considering installing a US liaison officer in the department to better understand its influence.
Labels: Basima Luay Hasun Al Jaidri, Brig. Gen. Dana Pittard, Iraq Assistance Group, Iraqi Army officers, Mahdi Army, Shiite militias
