Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Iraqi politicians react positively to Petraeus' report
Politics
(Gulf News) - Most of the Iraqi political elite have expressed their relief at the long-awaited testimony of General David Petraeus and the American Ambassador in Baghdad Ryan Crocker to the US Congress debating Iraq's situation. Omar Abdul Sattar, a prominent leader in the Sunni Islamic Party of the Accordance Front, told Gulf News: "As for General Petraeus' testimony about the security situation in Iraq, the General managed to put the facts and he expressed them so accurately unlike Ambassador Crocker."
He added: "Americans, according to Petraeus, succeeded in the Sunni Al Anbar province and formed local leaders to fight Al Qaida and this is a significant security achievement and I think Americans will go ahead after the testimony to enhance the formation of a local leader policy to maintain security in Iraq."
The former Minster of Culture in the Kurdistan region, Sami Shorish close to Kurdistan President Massoud Barzani, told Gulf News: "Iraqi leaders, especially the Kurds, are very optimistic about the Petraeus-Crocker report unlike the Baker-Hamilton report particularly on what General Petraeus said about a significant improvement in the security situation in Baghdad and Al Anbar provinces." We were also optimistic about statements concerning the Syrian-Iranian threat (to Iraqi stability), he added.
Abu Akbar Al Saadi, a prominent leader in the Supreme Islamic Council led by Abdul Aziz Al Hakim, told Gulf News: "The report was balanced and General Petraeus was successful in determining the main factors to maintain the security situation and there are indeed security achievements on the ground, especially changing the Iraqi Sunni attitude against Al Qaida, besides Petraeus' remarks concerning Iran and Syria represent a conformist view with the Iraqi government because the neighbouring countries have an important role in sustaining security and stability in Iraq."
Notably most of Iraq's political elites are satisfied with the Petraeus testimony for two reasons, firstly his remarks about progress regarding the security situation, and secondly: his praise of the role of Iraqi security forces in addressing terrorism.
Hashim Al Hashimi, a leader in the Fadhila Party, told Gulf News: "I affirmed what General Petraeus mentioned about achieving security progress but what Ambassador Crocker said was confusing about the political situation."
Talal Al Saadi, a leader in the Shiite Sadr trend, told Gulf News: "The Petraeus-Crocker report does not mean anything to the trend. The important thing to us is to schedule the American troops' withdrawal from Iraq. As for the security situation in the Al Anbar Province, I think it is a fallacy because the Americans armed former members of Al Qaida to strike Al Qaida and this is a dangerous matter and will cause catastrophe to Iraq."
He added: "Americans, according to Petraeus, succeeded in the Sunni Al Anbar province and formed local leaders to fight Al Qaida and this is a significant security achievement and I think Americans will go ahead after the testimony to enhance the formation of a local leader policy to maintain security in Iraq."
The former Minster of Culture in the Kurdistan region, Sami Shorish close to Kurdistan President Massoud Barzani, told Gulf News: "Iraqi leaders, especially the Kurds, are very optimistic about the Petraeus-Crocker report unlike the Baker-Hamilton report particularly on what General Petraeus said about a significant improvement in the security situation in Baghdad and Al Anbar provinces." We were also optimistic about statements concerning the Syrian-Iranian threat (to Iraqi stability), he added.
Abu Akbar Al Saadi, a prominent leader in the Supreme Islamic Council led by Abdul Aziz Al Hakim, told Gulf News: "The report was balanced and General Petraeus was successful in determining the main factors to maintain the security situation and there are indeed security achievements on the ground, especially changing the Iraqi Sunni attitude against Al Qaida, besides Petraeus' remarks concerning Iran and Syria represent a conformist view with the Iraqi government because the neighbouring countries have an important role in sustaining security and stability in Iraq."
Notably most of Iraq's political elites are satisfied with the Petraeus testimony for two reasons, firstly his remarks about progress regarding the security situation, and secondly: his praise of the role of Iraqi security forces in addressing terrorism.
Hashim Al Hashimi, a leader in the Fadhila Party, told Gulf News: "I affirmed what General Petraeus mentioned about achieving security progress but what Ambassador Crocker said was confusing about the political situation."
Talal Al Saadi, a leader in the Shiite Sadr trend, told Gulf News: "The Petraeus-Crocker report does not mean anything to the trend. The important thing to us is to schedule the American troops' withdrawal from Iraq. As for the security situation in the Al Anbar Province, I think it is a fallacy because the Americans armed former members of Al Qaida to strike Al Qaida and this is a dangerous matter and will cause catastrophe to Iraq."
Labels: Abu Akbar Al Saadi, Fadhela party, General David Petraeus, Hashim Al Hashimi, Iraqi Accordance Front, Omar Abdul Sattar, Ryan Crocker, Sadr bloc, Sami Shorish, SIIC, Talal Al Saadi
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Leading Iraqi Accordance Front member welcomes al-Sadr's move to suspend Mahdi Army
Politics
(Voices of Iraq) - A leading figure from the Sunni Iraqi Accordance Front (IAF) welcomed on Wednesday the order by the Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr to suspend the activities of the Mahdi army, describing the recent incidents in Karbala as "disastrous". "We welcome this decision which should have been taken by the government in a move to disband all kinds of militias," Omar Abdul Sattar told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI).
The IAF leading figure also described the clashes that took place in Karbala, 108 km southwest of Baghdad, as "disastrous", noting that "we have warned from the very beginning against the disasters that might take place because of presence of these militias. The government has started more seriously considering the issue of militias following the recent meeting of the political blocs' leaders and Karbala incidents," the Accordance member said.
The IAF leading figure also described the clashes that took place in Karbala, 108 km southwest of Baghdad, as "disastrous", noting that "we have warned from the very beginning against the disasters that might take place because of presence of these militias. The government has started more seriously considering the issue of militias following the recent meeting of the political blocs' leaders and Karbala incidents," the Accordance member said.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr decided to freeze al-Mahdi army militia and to restructure its fighters, calling for "an impartial and just investigation" into Karbala incidents where 42 Iraqis were killed and 282 more wounded in clashes near two shrines sacred to Shiite Muslims.
Labels: Iraqi Accordance Front, Karbala, Mahdi Army, militias, Moqtada Al-Sadr, Omar Abdul Sattar
Friday, August 17, 2007
Four major political parties sign agreement to revive Iraqi political process as Sunni party leader warns of setting up "counter coalitions"
Politics
(Voices of Iraq) - A leading figure from the Sunni Islamic Party expressed on Thursday reservation over a new Kurdish-Shiite alliance that announced earlier today in Baghdad, warning of setting up what he described as "counter coalitions." "We, the Islamic Party, express our reservation on the new alliance and we see that it is too early to confirm whether it will work out or not," Omar Abdul Sattar told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI) by telephone.
The politician said "yesterday (Wednesday) we had a meeting with the two Kurdish parties (Patriotic Union of Kurdistan and Kurdistan Democratic Party) to discuss the political situation and the possible means to rescue the country from the current impasse and we told them the time is premature to form such an alliance."
The leading figure whose party is a main component of the Sunni Accordance Front said "We were in need of many steps to take and more common visions to share before we could reach the compromise of a six-way alliance that would also include (former Iraqi PM) Allawi's Iraqi National List and the Islamic party, but the differences caused the alliance to be announced by four components only."
"The new alliance may lead to the formation of new counter-coalitions, which I expect will cause more deterioration in the country," said Abdul Sattar noting that "we could not correct a mistake by committing another one." Abdul Sattar, who declined to reply to a question by VOI as to whether the new alliance was meant to declare a parliamentary majority's government if Accordance ministers who quit the cabinet refused to return, commented "it is a step towards prolonging the life of al-Maliki's government."
The politician said "yesterday (Wednesday) we had a meeting with the two Kurdish parties (Patriotic Union of Kurdistan and Kurdistan Democratic Party) to discuss the political situation and the possible means to rescue the country from the current impasse and we told them the time is premature to form such an alliance."
The leading figure whose party is a main component of the Sunni Accordance Front said "We were in need of many steps to take and more common visions to share before we could reach the compromise of a six-way alliance that would also include (former Iraqi PM) Allawi's Iraqi National List and the Islamic party, but the differences caused the alliance to be announced by four components only."
"The new alliance may lead to the formation of new counter-coalitions, which I expect will cause more deterioration in the country," said Abdul Sattar noting that "we could not correct a mistake by committing another one." Abdul Sattar, who declined to reply to a question by VOI as to whether the new alliance was meant to declare a parliamentary majority's government if Accordance ministers who quit the cabinet refused to return, commented "it is a step towards prolonging the life of al-Maliki's government."
Four major Iraqi political parties signed on Thursday an agreement, aired by al-Iraqiya satellite television, to revive the political process in Iraq. The agreement was signed by the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), the Islamic Daawa party and the Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council (SIIC). The four parties were represented by President Jalal Talabani, President of Kurdistan region Massoud Barazani, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and Vice President Adel Abdul Mahdi.
President Talabani refused to use the word “quartet” or “moderates’ bloc,” noting that they had signed an initiative to revive the political process. “We cannot call it a bloc, but rather an agreement between four parties committed to former agreements for reviving the political process,” Talabani said in a press conference attended by Nouri al-Maliki, Barazani and Abdul Mahdi.
“We tried to made contact with the Iraqi Islamic Party in an attempt to involve it in the agreement, but it said that the circumstances were not appropriate,” he added. “The bloc consists of four parties now but it is open for all parties to take part in it,” Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said. “We will try to revive the stagnant political process; we will not accept it to be hampered. The agreement is not a replacement of the political blocs, the door is open for all to participate,” the premier explained.
President Talabani refused to use the word “quartet” or “moderates’ bloc,” noting that they had signed an initiative to revive the political process. “We cannot call it a bloc, but rather an agreement between four parties committed to former agreements for reviving the political process,” Talabani said in a press conference attended by Nouri al-Maliki, Barazani and Abdul Mahdi.
“We tried to made contact with the Iraqi Islamic Party in an attempt to involve it in the agreement, but it said that the circumstances were not appropriate,” he added. “The bloc consists of four parties now but it is open for all parties to take part in it,” Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said. “We will try to revive the stagnant political process; we will not accept it to be hampered. The agreement is not a replacement of the political blocs, the door is open for all to participate,” the premier explained.
Labels: Dawa party, Iraqi Islamic Party, KDP, Omar Abdul Sattar, PUK, SIIC
