Friday, June 22, 2007
Orphans moved to different location, given care
Humanitarian
(AP) - The 24 boys found severely malnourished in a Baghdad orphanage have been moved to a different building in the same facility and are being properly cared for, Iraqi officials said Thursday. U.S. and Iraqi soldiers found the boys last week naked in a dark room, some tied to beds and too weak to stand once they were unbound, the military said.
The director of the girls' section of the al-Hanan orphanage said the boys had been transferred to her building.
"All necessities, such as food, clothes and medical care, have been provided for them," said Karima Dawood.
Iraqi officials and the military said the boys had been moved from the coed building last month because it was deemed inappropriate for them to live with girls.
The director of the girls' section of the al-Hanan orphanage said the boys had been transferred to her building.
"All necessities, such as food, clothes and medical care, have been provided for them," said Karima Dawood.
Iraqi officials and the military said the boys had been moved from the coed building last month because it was deemed inappropriate for them to live with girls.
They have now been returned to the original living arrangement. The U.N. Children's Fund said last month that Iraq's children are caught in a rapidly worsening tragedy and that half the estimated 4 million Iraqis who have fled their homes since the war began in 2003 are children.
Labels: Al Hanan house, Iraqi orphans
Shake-up planned to strengthen Maliki's power base
Politics
(AP) - Iraq's politicians are trying to stitch together a new majority alliance in parliament that would leave Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in power and freeze out backers of a powerful Shiite cleric who is leading a political standoff, officials said Thursday. The apparent dealmaking comes amid increasing pressure from Washington for Iraqi lawmakers to end their impasses and move ahead with reforms - including a key law on sharing Iraq's oil wealth - considered essential to bring together the country's divided factions and ease the Sunni-Shiite bloodshed.
Iraq's political leadership has been locked in feuds for months with radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. The disputes have cast doubt on al-Maliki's ability to stay in office. In April, six cabinet ministers loyal to al-Sadr quit the government to protest his refusal to call for a timetable for American troops to leave. Then last week, al-Sadr's 30-member parliament bloc began a boycott after accusing the government of failing to protect an important Shiite shrine in Samarra that was hit again by suspected Sunni bombers linked to al-Qaida.
Lawmakers and aides familiar with the negotiations said the goal is to keep al-Maliki, a Shiite, and possibly reach out to moderate Sunni groups to form a new governing majority in the 275-seat parliament. They also said al-Maliki may try to broaden his circle of close advisers to include President Jalal Talabani, a Kurd who holds a mostly ceremonial position, and his two vice presidents. The parliament members and aides spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the negotiations.
Al-Maliki's supporters would like to marginalize both al-Sadr's bloc and a small group of radical Sunnis - which were needed to form a workable majority coalition after elections in 2005. But such a new political alignment could inspire more sectarian violence. So far, the talks have included Iraq's two largest Shiite parties - al-Maliki's Dawa Party and the Supreme Islamic Council of Iraq - and the two main Kurdish parties, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan and the Kurdistan Democratic Party.
The Iraqi Islamic Party, the country's largest Sunni Arab group, has been approached to join the bloc, along with independent Shiite legislators. Shiites and Kurds, with the Islamic Party and independent Shiites, should manage a majority. Islamic Party lawmaker Salim Abdullah confirmed attempts to build a new "bloc of moderates," with U.S. approval. He declined to say whether the Islamic Party was approached to join.
Al-Maliki spoke this week of a "comprehensive" makeover in government, chipping away at the sectarian, power-sharing formula that has dictated power-sharing in Iraq since Saddam Hussein was ousted in 2003. If formed, the new bloc would command a majority of at least 160 seats, enough to secure the adoption of draft laws on the distribution of Iraq's oil wealth, reinstating junior members of Saddam's Baath party to government jobs and the scheduling of local elections. Also at stake are constitutional amendments demanded by minority Sunni Arabs.
Washington has said its four-month-old security operation in Baghdad was partly an effort to give al-Maliki's government some room to move ahead with political reforms. The crackdown has not significantly eased sectarian violence in the capital, but al-Maliki still has come under sharp criticism for not pushing ahead with the U.S.-backed political changes.
Leaving the Sadrists out of the proposed political shakeup would further diminish parliament's Shiite bloc - the Fadhila party pulled out its 15 lawmakers in March - and could meet opposition from Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the country's top Shiite cleric who has been keen on Shiite unity at any price.
Iraq's political leadership has been locked in feuds for months with radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. The disputes have cast doubt on al-Maliki's ability to stay in office. In April, six cabinet ministers loyal to al-Sadr quit the government to protest his refusal to call for a timetable for American troops to leave. Then last week, al-Sadr's 30-member parliament bloc began a boycott after accusing the government of failing to protect an important Shiite shrine in Samarra that was hit again by suspected Sunni bombers linked to al-Qaida.
Lawmakers and aides familiar with the negotiations said the goal is to keep al-Maliki, a Shiite, and possibly reach out to moderate Sunni groups to form a new governing majority in the 275-seat parliament. They also said al-Maliki may try to broaden his circle of close advisers to include President Jalal Talabani, a Kurd who holds a mostly ceremonial position, and his two vice presidents. The parliament members and aides spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the negotiations.
Al-Maliki's supporters would like to marginalize both al-Sadr's bloc and a small group of radical Sunnis - which were needed to form a workable majority coalition after elections in 2005. But such a new political alignment could inspire more sectarian violence. So far, the talks have included Iraq's two largest Shiite parties - al-Maliki's Dawa Party and the Supreme Islamic Council of Iraq - and the two main Kurdish parties, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan and the Kurdistan Democratic Party.
The Iraqi Islamic Party, the country's largest Sunni Arab group, has been approached to join the bloc, along with independent Shiite legislators. Shiites and Kurds, with the Islamic Party and independent Shiites, should manage a majority. Islamic Party lawmaker Salim Abdullah confirmed attempts to build a new "bloc of moderates," with U.S. approval. He declined to say whether the Islamic Party was approached to join.
Al-Maliki spoke this week of a "comprehensive" makeover in government, chipping away at the sectarian, power-sharing formula that has dictated power-sharing in Iraq since Saddam Hussein was ousted in 2003. If formed, the new bloc would command a majority of at least 160 seats, enough to secure the adoption of draft laws on the distribution of Iraq's oil wealth, reinstating junior members of Saddam's Baath party to government jobs and the scheduling of local elections. Also at stake are constitutional amendments demanded by minority Sunni Arabs.
Washington has said its four-month-old security operation in Baghdad was partly an effort to give al-Maliki's government some room to move ahead with political reforms. The crackdown has not significantly eased sectarian violence in the capital, but al-Maliki still has come under sharp criticism for not pushing ahead with the U.S.-backed political changes.
Leaving the Sadrists out of the proposed political shakeup would further diminish parliament's Shiite bloc - the Fadhila party pulled out its 15 lawmakers in March - and could meet opposition from Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the country's top Shiite cleric who has been keen on Shiite unity at any price.
Labels: Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, Dawa party, Moqtada Al-Sadr, Nouri Al-Maliki, SICI
Prisons raided by militias and prisoners executed
Security
(Dar Al Salam Newspaper) - 21 JUN - Iraqi security sources have confirmed that many prisons have been raided almost every night, by militias. The militias conduct these raids with the assistance of the prisons’ guards. Later, the militias execute the prisoners, and then, dump the bodies in city streets and squares.
The sources added that the majority of these “executed prisoners” are from prisons in Rasafa, which are controlled by militias and the government. The sources pointed out that Rasafa’s “Prison Number Six” is the worst and it experiences many “randomized” execution operations. The prisoners in this prison (Rasafa #6) have announced a hunger strike, they would rather die of hunger in their jail cells than be killed by militias.
The sources added that Rasafa “Prison Number Six” consists of 14 “halls” (large cells), which contain hundreds of prisoners in each of the “halls”. The prisoners have not been taken to court; and, some prisoners have been kidnapped and killed by MOI Commandos and militias. Rasafa’s “Prison Number Six” is one of 10 prisons in the Rasafa area, this includes such places as the: Jadriya, Qanat, and Tasfirat prisons which all belong to the MOI.
These prisons include “thousands and thousands of Iraqi prisoners” who are not allowed to see their families. The sources also confirmed that “arresting and releasing operations” are not being conducted in accordance with judicial orders; rather, they are being conducted in accordance with deals (between the) militias and police. Militias help some of the worst criminals to escape from the prisons without the government’s knowledge. And (somehow), the people who dump the bodies in the streets are usually able to move about during curfew hours.
The sources added that the majority of these “executed prisoners” are from prisons in Rasafa, which are controlled by militias and the government. The sources pointed out that Rasafa’s “Prison Number Six” is the worst and it experiences many “randomized” execution operations. The prisoners in this prison (Rasafa #6) have announced a hunger strike, they would rather die of hunger in their jail cells than be killed by militias.
The sources added that Rasafa “Prison Number Six” consists of 14 “halls” (large cells), which contain hundreds of prisoners in each of the “halls”. The prisoners have not been taken to court; and, some prisoners have been kidnapped and killed by MOI Commandos and militias. Rasafa’s “Prison Number Six” is one of 10 prisons in the Rasafa area, this includes such places as the: Jadriya, Qanat, and Tasfirat prisons which all belong to the MOI.
These prisons include “thousands and thousands of Iraqi prisoners” who are not allowed to see their families. The sources also confirmed that “arresting and releasing operations” are not being conducted in accordance with judicial orders; rather, they are being conducted in accordance with deals (between the) militias and police. Militias help some of the worst criminals to escape from the prisons without the government’s knowledge. And (somehow), the people who dump the bodies in the streets are usually able to move about during curfew hours.
COMMENT: Dar Al Salam is a weekly political and religious newspaper, owned by the Iraqi Islamic Party (IIP). It has been published for two years in Baghdad, with a Sunni religious affiliation. This is a moderate newspaper advocating a political approach to deal with Iraq's situation, and has a positive attitude towards the political process in Iraq. Rasafa is the eastern part of Baghdad and is now predominantly Shia. The militias referred to in the article are Shia militias. The MOI commandos have been heavily infiltrated by Shia militias. COMMENT ENDS.
Labels: Jadriya, militias, Ministry of Interior, prisons, Qanat, Rasafa #6, Tasfirat prison
Minister Of Labor And Social Affairs orders investigation into abused Iraqi orphans
Politics, Humanitarian
(Azzaman Newspaper) - 21 JUN - Mr. Mahmoud Al Sheikh Radhi, the Minister of Labor and Social Affairs started defending his ministry concerning the Al Hanan house scandal. He was wondering why the US forces raided the orphanage and showed the naked children on the satellite channels. Yesterday, during a press conference Radhi said, “I blame the Iraqi satellite channels because they participated in showing the miserable photos of Al Hanan house for the handicapped.
He confirmed “I am taking all the ethical responsibility that happened in the ministry that includes Al Hanan house and I reject any American involvement because they made this scandal. This house is one of the orphanages for male handicapped children in Shalchia in Baghdad and it was opened on the 17th of May 2007, which means it was opened 25 days before the American forces raided it. I am confirming that Al Hanan house is not for orphans but it is for mentally disabled children. I wonder why US forces raided after 2:00 AM.”
Two days ago, the American CBS network showed a broadcast of naked children of Al Hanan house. The children were thin because of the lack of food and they had been sexually abused. Radhi said “Because the house is still new, we haven’t provided electricity yet and we have coordinated with Karkh electricity department to fix this issue. About why the children were naked in the house, Al Radhi said “This is normal in every single Iraqi house when the power goes off.”
I believe the American raid was to humiliate the children. I demand to sue the soldiers that raided the house.” He did no deny that the ministry was negligent; he has ordered the Ministry’s General Inspector to open an investigation and to show the results of the investigation in public. He has accused certain unnamed groups “for creating this incident for political purposes.”
It is worthy to mention that two days ago, the Americans CBS network broadcast photos of Iraqi children. The network said that those children were orphans and handicapped. The network’s reporter, Laura Logan supported the report with photos of the miserable conditions. An American patrol found these children by coincidence the children were naked and sexually abused by unidentified people because there was not any security at the orphanage.
I believe the American raid was to humiliate the children. I demand to sue the soldiers that raided the house.” He did no deny that the ministry was negligent; he has ordered the Ministry’s General Inspector to open an investigation and to show the results of the investigation in public. He has accused certain unnamed groups “for creating this incident for political purposes.”
It is worthy to mention that two days ago, the Americans CBS network broadcast photos of Iraqi children. The network said that those children were orphans and handicapped. The network’s reporter, Laura Logan supported the report with photos of the miserable conditions. An American patrol found these children by coincidence the children were naked and sexually abused by unidentified people because there was not any security at the orphanage.
The report mentioned that there were five employees responsible for these children but instead they stole their clothes and food to sell. The US patrol found some of the employees making food in the orphanage kitchen not for the children but for themselves. An American soldier described one child’s condition, “I can count every rib on that child’s body.” All the children had diarrhea and some of them were chained to beds and others were sleeping in their excrement. The orphanage’s manager’s office was air conditioned and had nice furniture.
Labels: Al Hanan house, Iraqi orphans, Mahmoud Al Sheikh Radhi, special needs
Talabani first Iraqi president to visit China since 1958
International
(Xinhua) - Jalal Talabani left for Beijing on June 20 on a weeklong state visit to China, the first by an Iraqi president since 1958, Xinhua reported the same day. "It's my honor to be the first Iraqi president to visit China since the establishment of the diplomatic ties between Iraq and China 49 years ago," Talabani said. "I am looking forward to the visit and hope it will open a new phase of the bilateral relations."
Al-Sharqiyah television reported the same day that Talibani hopes his visit will persuade China to write off Iraq's debt, which is estimated at approximately $8 billion. Talabani is being accompanied by several Iraqi officials including Finance Minister Baqir Jabr Sulagh, Interior Minister Jawad al-Bulani, Oil Minister Husayn al-Shahrastani, and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Rafi al-Isawi.
COMMENT: China has considerable oil interests in Iraq dating back to the former regime. They are also less concerned than Western oil companies about the security risks and health and safety issues. COMMENT ENDS.
Labels: China, debt relief, Jalal Talabani
Al-Maliki orders the arrest of tribal leaders
Security, Tribal
(Al Hayat) - "Al-Hayat" reported on June 20 that according to informed security sources, Iraqi Prime Minister al-Maliki has ordered the arrest of several tribal leaders and former Ba'athist officers in the Iraqi military who were based in the Dhi Qar Governorate for allegedly conspiring with the intelligence service of an Arab country.
One of the sources said that the men were arrested "because of their proven relationship with the intelligence service of an Arab country and for securing moral, material, and logistical support for armed groups that are active in southern Iraq."
None of the sources named the Arab country in question, but several indicated that al-Maliki has sent a "special force" to detain the men and return them to Baghdad for questioning. The alleged leader of the group was "a warrant officer in the former [Iraqi] army" who "was in contact with former Ba'athist leaders in the south and armed groups that are active there."
COMMENT: A few weeks ago, al-Maliki made a statement saying that anyone caught conspiring with other Arab countries against Iraq would be dealt with harshly. He added that he already knew of some suspects. COMMENT ENDS.
Labels: Baathists, Dhi Qar, tribal leaders
Al-Maliki condemns Al-Khalani mosque bombing, AMS blame the government
Security, Politics
(RFE/RL) - Nuri al-Maliki's office issued a statement on June 20, strongly condemning the June 19 bombing of the Al-Khalani Mosque in Baghdad, which killed 78 people and wounded more than 220, international media reported the same day. "The bombing is yet another proof that takfiris [unbelievers] and Saddamists are insisting on fanning the flames of sectarian sedition and trivializing all values and sanctities," the statement said.
Meanwhile, the Sunni-led Muslim Scholars Association released a statement on its website the same day denouncing the attack and blaming the U.S.-led occupation and the Iraqi government. "While condemning this heinous act, the Muslim Scholars Association holds the occupation and the current government fully responsible for it. It also calls upon all Iraqis to thwart their enemies' schemes by demonstrating greater unity, solidarity, and brotherhood," the statement said.
Labels: Al-Khalani Mosque, Muslim Scholars Association, Nouri Al-Maliki
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Religious Authority Upset Because Americans Are Arming Baathist Tribes
Security, Politics
(Al Bayyna Newspaper) - 19 JUN - A number of Iraqi clerics and politicians have criticized the weak security procedures in Samarra before the disaster which occurred last Wednesday. They are also critical of the new American strategy to arm tribes which are mostly Baathist. In a press statement, politicians and clerics confirmed, “There is something wrong in the government’s monitoring of many different issues, especially “procedures” of the American Army in a number of provinces which includes arming some Sunni tribes that have a Baathist history while Americans are calling to destroy the militias.”
Political observers have said, “Blowing up the Samarra shrines is a terrorist crime and it is simultaneous with critical reports from European sources in Brussels who state that Saudi Arabia has succeeded in convincing the American administration to initiate a project for the Sunni Baathists to rule Iraq. The European sources described this critical political / military project as a dual project to arm the Sunni Baathist militias with weapons and ammunition in order to prepare them to take control of cities and neighborhoods one at a time. This will occur while the US forces and the MNF attack the “Shiite volunteer committees” [militias] in order to allow the minority to rule Iraq, or at least to help Baathists occupy all of Baghdad and remove the Shiites from Baghdad.
Labels: Baathists, Samarra, tribes
Allawi’s List Explains Barzani’s Desire To Form New Political Front
Politics
(Al Mashriq Newspaper) - 20 JUN - Iraqi List Parliament member, Intisar Allawi, confirmed that Massoud Al Barzani wants to form a political parliament front led by Ayad Allawi. She clarified, “Mr. Massoud Al Barzani will form a new political entity with Ayad Allawi. Dr. Ayad Allawi has spoken to Barzani about this issue.” She said that Massoud Barzani said that if Baghdad is not enough for Dr. Allawi, then all of Kurdistan Region will be happy to receive him. Intisar Allawi emphasized that the new front will only be connected to entities inside of the parliament.
Labels: Ayad Allawi, Intisar Allawi, Massoud Barzani
Abuse of Iraqi orphans
Humanitarian
(The Guardian) - Three members of staff are on the run and two security guards have been arrested after US troops uncovered horrific evidence of systemic abuse of special needs children at a state-run orphanage in central Baghdad. The scandal came to light by chance last week after members of a patrol from the 82nd Airborne Division looked over a wall and saw several children lying lifeless on the floor of a compound.
"I saw children that you could see literally every bone in their body that were so skinny, they had no energy to move, no expression," Sergeant Michael Beale told CBS News. "The kids were tied up, naked, covered in their own waste, and there were three people cooking themselves food but nothing for the kids," said Lieutenant Stephen Duperre.
Captain Benjamin Morales described his fury when he discovered the caretaker of the orphanage occupying a well-kept office and a stockroom filled with food and clothing. Instead of being given to the children, Capt Morales said the soldiers believed the supplies were being kept for sale on the black market. "I got extremely angry with the caretaker when I got there. It took every muscle in my body to restrain myself from not going after that guy," he said.
A total of 24 boys were found in the orphanage and taken to a local hospital. The prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, ordered the arrest of those responsible but the three staff, including the caretaker, disappeared before they could be apprehended, according to CBS. Coverage of the orphanage's discovery was broadcast by CBS News last night and posted on cbsnews.com.
"I saw children that you could see literally every bone in their body that were so skinny, they had no energy to move, no expression," Sergeant Michael Beale told CBS News. "The kids were tied up, naked, covered in their own waste, and there were three people cooking themselves food but nothing for the kids," said Lieutenant Stephen Duperre.
Captain Benjamin Morales described his fury when he discovered the caretaker of the orphanage occupying a well-kept office and a stockroom filled with food and clothing. Instead of being given to the children, Capt Morales said the soldiers believed the supplies were being kept for sale on the black market. "I got extremely angry with the caretaker when I got there. It took every muscle in my body to restrain myself from not going after that guy," he said.
A total of 24 boys were found in the orphanage and taken to a local hospital. The prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, ordered the arrest of those responsible but the three staff, including the caretaker, disappeared before they could be apprehended, according to CBS. Coverage of the orphanage's discovery was broadcast by CBS News last night and posted on cbsnews.com.
Labels: Baghdad, children, Iraqi orphans, Nouri Al-Maliki, orphanage, special needs
Shiite Alliance Working To End Khalq’s Presence
Politics
(Addustour Newspaper) - 20 JUN - The Shiite Alliance announced yesterday that they have decided to work on ending the presence of the Mujahadin Khalq in Iraq through a Parliamentary recommendation. The Alliance List held a meeting at Abd Al Aziz Al Hakim’s office. The meeting was led by Humam Hammoudi. They discussed information regarding Iraqi political entities that participated in a meeting at the Iranian Mujahadin Khalq HQ.
The Alliance believes that this participation was against Iraq’s laws and that it was also in violation of the constitution as it is illegal for this type of participation with a known terrorist group in Iraqi territory. They also discussed many issues including the Alliance’s position in the government as well as changing the Parliament chief.
A statement issued by the Alliance mentioned that they must come to an agreement with the Accord Front and Kurdish Coalition about the new Parliament chief. Additionally, they discussed ministerial changes and confirmed that the new ministers should be qualified and not based on an ethnic sectarian basis. Finally, they discussed the Alliance’s decision to establish a committee to follow the security file, especially as it pertains to the arming of suspected groups by the MNF which may be a danger to Iraqi national security now and in the future.
Labels: Abd Al Aziz Al Hakim, Humam Hammoudi, Mujahadin Khalq, United Iraqi Alliance
Army to rebid Halliburton multi-billion dollar contract
Contracts
(Associated Press) - The Army will rebid the multibillion-dollar contract under which a Halliburton Co. subsidiary has been providing services to troops around the world after years of complaints over how the deal has worked in Iraq. Critics of the contract said the move was overdue and that hundreds of millions of dollars had probably been wasted.
Halliburton subsidiary KBR, also known as Kellogg Brown & Root, provides food, water, shelter, laundry service and other logistical support for troops under a 2001 contract that has been extended several times. Halliburton is a Texas-based oil services conglomerate once led by Vice President Dick Cheney. Bush administration officials have come under fire since the beginning of the war in Iraq for awarding more than $10 billion to the company and its subsidiaries in 2003 and 2004, some of it in no-bid contracts. There have been allegations of fraud, poor work, overpricing and other abuse, which the company has denied.
Army spokesman Dave Foster said Wednesday that although the service will rebid the contract, it has not decided yet how that will be done. KBR would be allowed to bid in the new competition, but one option Army officials are considering is to divide the work among three companies. Asked why the contract was being discontinued, Foster said it was part of the Army's "lessons learned" process.
Halliburton subsidiary KBR, also known as Kellogg Brown & Root, provides food, water, shelter, laundry service and other logistical support for troops under a 2001 contract that has been extended several times. Halliburton is a Texas-based oil services conglomerate once led by Vice President Dick Cheney. Bush administration officials have come under fire since the beginning of the war in Iraq for awarding more than $10 billion to the company and its subsidiaries in 2003 and 2004, some of it in no-bid contracts. There have been allegations of fraud, poor work, overpricing and other abuse, which the company has denied.
Army spokesman Dave Foster said Wednesday that although the service will rebid the contract, it has not decided yet how that will be done. KBR would be allowed to bid in the new competition, but one option Army officials are considering is to divide the work among three companies. Asked why the contract was being discontinued, Foster said it was part of the Army's "lessons learned" process.
Labels: Halliburton, KBR, Kellogg Brown and Root, U.S. army contract
Two Sunni mosques blown up in Baghdad
Security
(AP) - Gunmen blew up two Sunni mosques Wednesday south of Baghdad, causing heavy damage but no casualties, police said, in an apparent retaliatory attack a day after a suicide truck bombing devastated a revered Shiite mosque in the heart of the capital, killing at least 87 people.
Sectarian violence persisted to the south, with suspected Shiite militiamen detonating a bomb inside a Sunni mosque in Haswa, 30 miles south of Baghdad, at about 1 a.m., then in another mosque near Hillah, about 60 miles south of the capital, about six hours later, local police officers said, speaking on condition of anonymity because of security concerns. The attackers near Hillah also targeted the imam's house near the mosque, but the cleric fled when he saw them coming, according to the police.
Battles also continued south of Baghdad between Iraqi security forces and Shiite militiamen loyal to radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. Four soldiers were killed and a Humvee was burned in nearly two hours of clashes in the Shiite town of Numaniyah, 77 miles southeast of Baghdad, police said. The fighting erupted hours after five other Iraqi soldiers were killed and three were wounded by a roadside bomb in the mainly Sunni town of Madain, on the southeastern outskirts of Baghdad.
Further south, the U.S. military said three militants had been killed, including a senior leader of al-Sadr's Mahdi Army, and 45 detained after two days of clashes in Nasiriyah, about 200 miles southeast of Baghdad. Iraqi police and hospital officials put the casualty toll at 35 killed and 150 wounded. In all, 142 people were killed or found dead in sectarian violence Tuesday, a toll reflecting carnage associated with the months before the U.S. security crackdown in the capital began Feb. 14.
Sectarian violence persisted to the south, with suspected Shiite militiamen detonating a bomb inside a Sunni mosque in Haswa, 30 miles south of Baghdad, at about 1 a.m., then in another mosque near Hillah, about 60 miles south of the capital, about six hours later, local police officers said, speaking on condition of anonymity because of security concerns. The attackers near Hillah also targeted the imam's house near the mosque, but the cleric fled when he saw them coming, according to the police.
Battles also continued south of Baghdad between Iraqi security forces and Shiite militiamen loyal to radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. Four soldiers were killed and a Humvee was burned in nearly two hours of clashes in the Shiite town of Numaniyah, 77 miles southeast of Baghdad, police said. The fighting erupted hours after five other Iraqi soldiers were killed and three were wounded by a roadside bomb in the mainly Sunni town of Madain, on the southeastern outskirts of Baghdad.
Further south, the U.S. military said three militants had been killed, including a senior leader of al-Sadr's Mahdi Army, and 45 detained after two days of clashes in Nasiriyah, about 200 miles southeast of Baghdad. Iraqi police and hospital officials put the casualty toll at 35 killed and 150 wounded. In all, 142 people were killed or found dead in sectarian violence Tuesday, a toll reflecting carnage associated with the months before the U.S. security crackdown in the capital began Feb. 14.
Labels: Haswa, Hillah, Mahdi Army, Numaniyah, Sunni mosques
Increasing attacks on Green Zone
Security
(AP) - The U.S. military acknowledged "an increasing pattern of attacks" against the Green Zone, a day after a mortar barrage against the heavily fortified area sent soldiers and contractors scrambling for cover. Militants fired a volley of mortar rounds into the Green Zone, which houses the U.S. and British embassies, as well as the Iraqi government on the west bank of the Tigris River, officials said. The U.S. Embassy said no casualties were reported, but the attack was the latest in what has become a nearly daily occurrence despite stringent security measures aimed at protecting the area.
Rear Adm. Mark Fox, a U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad, declined to provide details on the number of attacks against the Green Zone, which is also known as the International Zone, but said they were increasing. Iraqi military spokesman Qassim al-Moussawi said the attacks were coming from inside residential areas, causing difficulties in responding to them because of concern about civilian casualties. He said security forces were receiving daily information about the location of the launching pads.
A security official working in Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's office also said a shell landed in the garden of the home of Human Rights Minister Wijdan Mikaeil. Two shells fell short of their Green Zone target, with one hitting Abu Nwas Street near the Jumhuriya Bridge, and a second fell into the Tigris. One shell landed near the home of Deputy Prime Minister Barham Saleh. A June 5 U.N. report said insurgents had bombarded the Green Zone with rockets and mortar fire more than 80 times since March, reportedly killing at least 26 people.
Rear Adm. Mark Fox, a U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad, declined to provide details on the number of attacks against the Green Zone, which is also known as the International Zone, but said they were increasing. Iraqi military spokesman Qassim al-Moussawi said the attacks were coming from inside residential areas, causing difficulties in responding to them because of concern about civilian casualties. He said security forces were receiving daily information about the location of the launching pads.
A security official working in Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's office also said a shell landed in the garden of the home of Human Rights Minister Wijdan Mikaeil. Two shells fell short of their Green Zone target, with one hitting Abu Nwas Street near the Jumhuriya Bridge, and a second fell into the Tigris. One shell landed near the home of Deputy Prime Minister Barham Saleh. A June 5 U.N. report said insurgents had bombarded the Green Zone with rockets and mortar fire more than 80 times since March, reportedly killing at least 26 people.
Labels: Brig. Gen. Qassim al-Moussawi, Green Zone, International Zone, mortar rounds, Rear Adm. Mark Fox
Al Musawi: 350 10th Division Soldiers Dismissed In Basrah
Security
(Badr Newspaper) - 19 JUN - Major General Ali Hamadi Al Musawi, chief of the Basrah Security Emergency Committee, announced that 350 members of the 10th Division of the Iraqi Army who were involved in recent events in Basrah have been dismissed. An investigation continues of others. He added that there are investigative committees to identify those who were involved in the recent events in Basrah. Additionally, he said that the security organizations in Basrah will begin a new plan to protect mosques shrines in the city.
He then stated, “We want to carry out the supreme goals in our country and what has recently occurred with the explosion of the shrines is not related to the national project. Anyone who wants to start sedition has no place among us. There will be changes to the security plan in order to implement a joint security force consisting of the Army and MOI Commandos to protect the city.” Concerning the destruction of the shrine in Basrah, He stated, “Gunmen wearing the ‘Special IP Forces’ uniforms attacked Al Ashara Al Mubashara Mosque in the Shamshumiya area. Most of the mosque was destroyed. This was a shrine and a mosque.”
Labels: Basrah, Iraqi Army, Major General Ali Hamadi Al Musawi, mosque, shrine
Salah Ad Din Official: Iranian Intelligence Behind Explosion At Shrines And We Have Evidence
(Dar Al Salam Newspaper) - 19 JUN - Salah Ad Din’s Deputy Governor, Abdullah Hussein Jabara, has accused Iranian Intelligence of being behind the recent shrine explosions in Iraq. He claims Iranian intelligence uses Al Qaeda to conduct criminal activities and he has evidence to support the claim.
Yesterday, Al Jabara said, “Al Qaeda in Iraq is carrying out an Iranian agenda based on spreading sectarianism between the Iraqi people to create massive chaos which will increase problems for the US in Iraq. Therefore, the US will not attack Iran because of the Iranian nuclear program.”
He added, “Iran wants to control Iraq through the political process in order to maintain Iranian interests in Iraq for a long time.” Jabara also stated, “Since May 27th, 2007, Iraqi forces that belong to the Minister’s Council have been responsible for protecting the shrine.”
Labels: Abdullah Hussein Jabara, Iran, Salahuddin, shrine explosions
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
"Post-war" book on Iraq wins prize
Literature, Reconstruction
(The Guardian) - A book chronicling the chaos and cronyism that characterised the US-led Coalition Provisional Authority's government of Iraq swept to victory in the £30,000 Samuel Johnson non-fiction prize last night. Imperial Life in the Emerald City, by Rajiv Chandrasekaran, says that more than $1.6bn (£800m) of Iraq's oil revenue was paid to the US vice-president Dick Cheney's old firm Halliburton; that the Baghdad stock exchange was put in the hands of a 24-year-old who had never worked in finance; and that the Iraqi capital's new traffic regulations were based on the laws of the state of Maryland, downloaded from the internet.
These are among hundreds of allegations based on interviews, documents and case studies which led the judges to salute Chandrasekaran's book as "up there with the greatest reportage of the last 50 years" at an awards ceremony in London. The chair of the judges, Lady Helena Kennedy QC, said it was "as fine as Hershey on Hiroshima and Capote's In Cold Blood". She added: "The writing is cool, exact and never overstated and in many places very humorous as the jaw-dropping idiocy of the American action is revealed. Chandrasekaran stands back, detached and collected, from his subject but his reader is left gobsmacked, right in the middle."
The author - a former Washington Post Baghdad bureau chief - sets his narrative mostly inside the Green Zone, the heavily guarded Baghdad sector inside which the US governed Iraq for the first year after Saddam's downfall.
The runner-up for the award - which is never officially revealed - is thought to have been Daughter of the Desert, by Georgina Howell, which also has an Iraqi connection. It is a biography of the archaeologist, spy, Arab linguist, mountaineer and poet Gertrude Bell, who helped king Faisal draw the borders of the fledgling state of Iraq.
The other judges were scientist and broadcaster Jim Al-Khalili; writer and editor Diana Athill; historian and journalist Tristram Hunt; and broadcaster and journalist Mark Lawson. The other books on the shortlist were: Murder in Amsterdam, by Ian Buruma; Having It So Good: Britain in the Fifties, by Peter Hennessy; Brainwash, by Dominic Streatfeild; and The Verneys, by Adrian Tinniswood.
These are among hundreds of allegations based on interviews, documents and case studies which led the judges to salute Chandrasekaran's book as "up there with the greatest reportage of the last 50 years" at an awards ceremony in London. The chair of the judges, Lady Helena Kennedy QC, said it was "as fine as Hershey on Hiroshima and Capote's In Cold Blood". She added: "The writing is cool, exact and never overstated and in many places very humorous as the jaw-dropping idiocy of the American action is revealed. Chandrasekaran stands back, detached and collected, from his subject but his reader is left gobsmacked, right in the middle."
The author - a former Washington Post Baghdad bureau chief - sets his narrative mostly inside the Green Zone, the heavily guarded Baghdad sector inside which the US governed Iraq for the first year after Saddam's downfall.
The runner-up for the award - which is never officially revealed - is thought to have been Daughter of the Desert, by Georgina Howell, which also has an Iraqi connection. It is a biography of the archaeologist, spy, Arab linguist, mountaineer and poet Gertrude Bell, who helped king Faisal draw the borders of the fledgling state of Iraq.
The other judges were scientist and broadcaster Jim Al-Khalili; writer and editor Diana Athill; historian and journalist Tristram Hunt; and broadcaster and journalist Mark Lawson. The other books on the shortlist were: Murder in Amsterdam, by Ian Buruma; Having It So Good: Britain in the Fifties, by Peter Hennessy; Brainwash, by Dominic Streatfeild; and The Verneys, by Adrian Tinniswood.
COMMENT: I highly recommend this book for anyone who has an interest in Iraq, history and / or politics. It goes a long way in explaining why Iraq is in the situation it is in today and documents in a well researched objective way the timeline from when the invasion ended to the end of the CPA's tenure. COMMENT ENDS.
Labels: CPA, Imperial Life in the Emerald City, Rajiv Chandrasekaran, Samuel Johnson non-fiction prize
400 tribal chiefs meet in Kut to sign security agreement
Security, Tribal
(Azzaman) - Tribal chiefs in the southern Province of Wasit have signed a pact under which they have pledged to work for reinstating the rule of law in their areas. The tribes in the Province of Wasit of which the city of Kut is the capital have traditionally exercised a lot of authority in their areas. In early 20th century they repelled a British attack on their town. Thousands of British troops were killed and captured.
The tribal leaders were brought together amid worsening security in the province. A provincial official said about 400 tribal chiefs attended the meeting last week in which they signed the agreement. “They (tribal leaders) signed an honor pact which states their full support for the rule of law and the exertion of all efforts to reactivate the file of (Iraqi) prisoners in jails led by multinational forces,” said Ali Hameed, the province’s information officer.
Thousands of Iraqis languish in U.S. jails without trial. The detainees are taken from their families and it takes a lot of efforts and time before they are told about their whereabouts. The security forces in Wasit have launched a campaign to bring stability to the province where armed groups have recently increased their attacks and activities. Such tribal meetings have become common in Iraq, which usually end up with the signing of a pact. But the level of violence has nonetheless been rising as armed groups often attack the tribes opposing their authority.
The tribal leaders were brought together amid worsening security in the province. A provincial official said about 400 tribal chiefs attended the meeting last week in which they signed the agreement. “They (tribal leaders) signed an honor pact which states their full support for the rule of law and the exertion of all efforts to reactivate the file of (Iraqi) prisoners in jails led by multinational forces,” said Ali Hameed, the province’s information officer.
Thousands of Iraqis languish in U.S. jails without trial. The detainees are taken from their families and it takes a lot of efforts and time before they are told about their whereabouts. The security forces in Wasit have launched a campaign to bring stability to the province where armed groups have recently increased their attacks and activities. Such tribal meetings have become common in Iraq, which usually end up with the signing of a pact. But the level of violence has nonetheless been rising as armed groups often attack the tribes opposing their authority.
Labels: honour pact, tribal leaders, Wasit
Bush administration will clamp down on PKK
Security, Region
(VOA) - The Bush administration has reaffirmed its determination to clamp down on Kurdish rebels who utilize Iraq's northern regions as a base for launching attacks against neighboring Turkey. From Washington, VOA's Michael Bowman reports. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says Kurdish guerrillas operating out of northern Iraq were among the issues she discussed with her Iraqi counterpart Hoshyar Zebari, during a meeting in Washington.
"We did discuss the issues of the PKK," said Condoleezza Rice. "We discussed the importance of the trilateral security mechanism that Iraq, the United States, and Turkey instituted some time ago, and the importance of accelerating the work of the mechanism, because the Iraqis do not want - and we do not want - their territory to be used for terrorist acts against their neighbor."
The Kurdistan Workers' Party, known as the PKK, seeks autonomy for Kurds in southeastern Turkey. It is regarded as a terrorist organization by the Bush administration, which has joined with Iraqi and Turkish officials to seek ways to oust the guerrillas from northern Iraq. Turkey has recently massed troops along its border with Iraq amid continued skirmishes with PKK fighters, as well as PKK attacks on Turkish military targets.
"We did discuss the issues of the PKK," said Condoleezza Rice. "We discussed the importance of the trilateral security mechanism that Iraq, the United States, and Turkey instituted some time ago, and the importance of accelerating the work of the mechanism, because the Iraqis do not want - and we do not want - their territory to be used for terrorist acts against their neighbor."
The Kurdistan Workers' Party, known as the PKK, seeks autonomy for Kurds in southeastern Turkey. It is regarded as a terrorist organization by the Bush administration, which has joined with Iraqi and Turkish officials to seek ways to oust the guerrillas from northern Iraq. Turkey has recently massed troops along its border with Iraq amid continued skirmishes with PKK fighters, as well as PKK attacks on Turkish military targets.
Labels: Condoleezza Rice, Hoshiyar Zebari, PKK
Turks investigate Barzani's involvement with PKK
Kurdistan, Politics, Security
(RFE/RL) - The Prosecutor's Office in the southeastern Turkish city of Diyarbakir has launched an investigation into charges that Mas'ud Barzani, president of Iraq's Kurdish autonomous regional government, is supporting PKK fighters, international media reported on June 18. A Turkish nationalist organization, the Kemalist Thought Association (ADD), called for a probe and the seizure of any assets Barzani and his family may have in Turkey.
On April 7, Barzani said Iraqi Kurds could intervene in Kurdish-majority cities in Turkey if Ankara continues to oppose Iraqi-Kurdish ambitions to annex oil-rich Kirkuk. Many in Turkey believed that he meant giving support to the PKK. His comments generated outrage in Turkey, where more than 37,000 people have been killed since 1984 in fighting between Turkish security forces and PKK fighters.
Labels: ADD, Diyarbakir, Kemalist Thought Association, Kirkuk, Massoud Barzani, PKK, Turkey
PKK leader says Turkey would face a "military disaster" if troops were sent into Iraq
Security, Kurdistan
(The Guardian) - In an interview with "The Guardian" published on June 18, Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) commander Cemil Bayik warned that Turkey would face a "military disaster" if it sent troops into northern Iraq. Bayik said the PKK is not seeking a confrontation, but insisted that it will defend itself if attacked. "We are not a terrorist movement. We condemn attacks on civilians. We are freedom fighters," Bayik said. "We are open to dialogue and we welcome it."
Tensions between Turkey and Iraq's Kurdish leadership have been rising steadily over the past several months as thousands of Turkish troops have amassed along Turkey's border with northern Iraq. On June 14, Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul accused Iraq of not doing enough to move against the estimated 3,500-3,800 PKK fighters in northern Iraq. Since 2004, Ankara has repeatedly threatened unilateral military action against PKK rebels in northern Iraq. On June 6, reports surfaced that the Turkish military had carried out "limited operations" against PKK elements in Iraq.
Labels: Cemil Bayik, PKK, Turkey
Al-Maliki refuses timetable for national reconciliation
Politics, Security
(KUNA) - Al-Maliki announced during a June 18 press conference that Iraq will not accept a timetable imposed on it to achieve national reconciliation, KUNA reported the same day. Al-Maliki's statements were seen as a response to comments from U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates on June 16, in which he said Washington is disappointed with the Iraqi government's efforts at fostering national reconciliation.
Al-Maliki stressed that only his government can impose any sort of timetable on the reconciliation process. "We set timetables based on humanitarian and national considerations," al-Maliki said. "Our priority comes in sensing the suffering of citizens, which forces us to set time tables and executable solutions for citizens."
Labels: national reconciliation, Nouri Al-Maliki, Robert Gates
Al-Maliki fires Basrah police chief
Security, Politics
(RFE/RL) - According to informed sources, Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki fired Al-Basrah police chief Major General Ali Hammadi al-Musawi on June 18 over the failure of his forces to end attacks on Sunni mosques in the city, international media reported the same day. An official in the office of Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh, speaking on the condition of anonymity, confirmed the firing, but declined to elaborate, saying only that replacing al-Musawi is part of the restructuring of the Iraqi police force.
However, an unnamed police source said al-Musawi was "seen as incompetent, because he couldn't stop attacks by Shi'ite extremists against two Sunni mosques [in Al-Basrah] in the wake of the Samarra attacks." On June 15, gunmen wearing Interior Ministry commando uniforms blew up the Talhah bin Ubaydallah shrine and on June 16, a car bomb destroyed the Al-Ashrah Al-Mubashra Mosque. The wave of attacks against Sunni mosques is widely believed to be in response to the June 13 attack on the Al-Askari Mosque in Samarra, a revered Shi'ite shrine.
Labels: Al-Ashrah Al-Mubashra Mosque, Al-Askari Mosque, Basra, Major General Ali Hammadi al-Musawi, Nouri Al-Maliki, Talhah bin Ubaydallah shrine
Al-Hakim says Iran-U.S. talks "national wish"
Politics, Security, Region
(RFE/RL) - Abd al-Aziz al-Hakim, the head of the Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council, told ISNA in Tehran on June 18 that more talks between Iran and the United States about Iraqi security "have turned into a national wish," and "everyone appreciates" the impact such talks would have in improving Iraqi security. He admitted, however, that it is difficult to say whether earlier talks have had "practical and palpable effects." He said U.S. forces should hand over "command and security operations" to Iraqi forces. "We believe security should be assured by the Iraqis themselves," with backing from coalition troops, he said.
Foreign Minister Manuchehr Mottaki said in Tehran on June 18 that Iran has examined "word for word" the first set of Iran-U.S. talks -- held in Baghdad on May 28 -- and could not see any "clear plan that would lead to the Americans coming out of present conditions," ISNA reported, citing Mottaki's interview with Iran's Al-Aalam network.
Iran has urged the United States to change its security policies and leave Iraq. Mottaki said Iran has clear positions on various regional political issues, and its differences with the United States can be resolved through diplomacy. He said Iran does not believe the United States can "impose another crisis on American taxpayers," referring perhaps to talk of possible U.S. military strikes on Iran in connection with its nuclear program.
The issue of Iran-U.S. ties, he said, is a "thick dossier" going back decades, formed "because of the actions of the American government." Iraq, Mottaki stressed, is presently the only matter for discussion between the two states. "When we mention the issue of Iran and America, we are dealing with a specific subject, and that subject is Iraq," he said. He added that Iran may need another "week or two" to examine the request of Iraqi officials for talks with the United States to resume.
Labels: Abdul Aziz Al Hakim, Iran, Manouchehr Mottaki, SIIC, U.S.
Top Sunni religious leader dies
(AP) - Officials say Iraq's top Sunni religious leader died today after suffering a heart attack in his hometown of Tikrit. Shaykh Jamal al-Din Abdul Karim al-Dabban was the mufti, or religious authority, for Iraq's Sunni Arab minority. Al-Dabban, who had been Iraq's Sunni mufti since July 2004, was seen as a moderate who did not play a significant role in the insurgency that followed the U.S.-led invasion in 2003.
Labels: mufti, Shaykh Jamal al-Din Abdul Karim al-Dabban
Truck bomb kills 75 as new offensive launched
Security
(RFE/RL) - A massive truck bomb explosion has killed some 75 people and wounded at least 130 in central Baghdad. The explosion occurred near the Shi'ite Al-Khalani Mosque in the city center. The attack in Baghdad's busy commercial district of Sinak came just hours after thousands of U.S. and Iraqi troops launched a new offensive north of Baghdad aimed at clearing the region of Sunni insurgents and Al-Qaeda.
The operation is called Arrowhead Ripper and involves some 10,000 U.S. and Iraqi soldiers in Diyala Governorate. The operation began in earnest overnight, with air and ground assaults in and around the provincial capital of Ba'qubah, 60 kilometers north of Baghdad. By daybreak, the U.S. military said 22 militants had been killed. The Diyala operation opens a new front and comes in response to changing insurgent tactics.
The U.S.-led troop surge in Baghdad, and Al-Anbar Governorate to the west, has meant insurgents, who are being pushed out of those areas, are refocusing their activities to other parts of the country. In a report issued on June 13, the Pentagon said the rise in attacks in Diyala and Ninawa governorates were threatening to offset coalition gains in Iraq’s center. In recent months, Diyala Governorate has emerged as a center of the Sunni Arab insurgency, with Al-Qaeda In Mesopotamia and other militant groups turning it into a base of operations.
Shi’ite militias have also been active in the region. Diyala Governorate, a prime agricultural region of date and orange groves has a mixed Sunni and Shi’a population. That makes it explosive as extremists seek to fan sectarian tensions. Thousands of people have already been forced from their homes in fighting between militant groups.
While Diyala Governorate appears to be a current epicenter of insurgent-led violence in Iraq, the Pentagon report also notes a rise in militant attacks in the southern city of Al-Basrah as well as Mosul and Tal Afar in the north, all of which were once touted as islands of relative stability. Operation Arrowhead Ripper comes just days after the U.S. military said it had completed its buildup of forces in Iraq to 160,000 troops.
The operation is called Arrowhead Ripper and involves some 10,000 U.S. and Iraqi soldiers in Diyala Governorate. The operation began in earnest overnight, with air and ground assaults in and around the provincial capital of Ba'qubah, 60 kilometers north of Baghdad. By daybreak, the U.S. military said 22 militants had been killed. The Diyala operation opens a new front and comes in response to changing insurgent tactics.
The U.S.-led troop surge in Baghdad, and Al-Anbar Governorate to the west, has meant insurgents, who are being pushed out of those areas, are refocusing their activities to other parts of the country. In a report issued on June 13, the Pentagon said the rise in attacks in Diyala and Ninawa governorates were threatening to offset coalition gains in Iraq’s center. In recent months, Diyala Governorate has emerged as a center of the Sunni Arab insurgency, with Al-Qaeda In Mesopotamia and other militant groups turning it into a base of operations.
Shi’ite militias have also been active in the region. Diyala Governorate, a prime agricultural region of date and orange groves has a mixed Sunni and Shi’a population. That makes it explosive as extremists seek to fan sectarian tensions. Thousands of people have already been forced from their homes in fighting between militant groups.
While Diyala Governorate appears to be a current epicenter of insurgent-led violence in Iraq, the Pentagon report also notes a rise in militant attacks in the southern city of Al-Basrah as well as Mosul and Tal Afar in the north, all of which were once touted as islands of relative stability. Operation Arrowhead Ripper comes just days after the U.S. military said it had completed its buildup of forces in Iraq to 160,000 troops.
Labels: Al Qaeda in Iraq, Al-Khalani Mosque, Arrowhead Ripper, Baqouba, Diyala, Shia militias, Sinak, truck bomb
