Troops surround Baghdad “Green Zone” as embattled Prime Minister Maliki appears to cling to power

[Bosonic]

Last edited Sun Aug 10, 2014, 10:59 PM - Edit history (2)

Source: News.com Au/AFP

TROOPS loyal to controversial Iraqi PM Nouri al-Maliki have sealed off Baghdad’s “Green Zone” as he appeared on national television to denounce his political opponents.

Embattled Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, in a surprise speech at midnight Iraq time (7am AEST), resisted calls for his resignation and accused the country’s new president of violating the constitution, plunging the government into a political crisis at a time it is battling advances by Islamic State militants.

Al-Maliki is seeking a controversial third-term as prime minister, but the latest crisis has prompted even his closest allies to call for his resignation.

A parliament session scheduled for today to discuss the election and who might lead the next Iraqi government was postponed until August 19.

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/world/troops-surround-baghdad-green-zone-as-outgoing-prime-minister-maliki-appears-to-cling-to-power/story-fndir2ev-1227020033404

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SPECIAL FORCES LOYAL TO IRAQI PRIME MINISTER MALIKI ARE DEPLOYED IN STRATEGIC AREAS OF BAGHDAD -POLICE

http://af.reuters.com/article/commoditiesNews/idAFL6N0QG1H320140810

Fully support President of #Iraq Fuad Masum as guarantor of the Constitution and a PM nominee who can build a national consensus.

https://twitter.com/brett_mcgurk/status/498594185742942208

{ statedept rep }

[Strelnikov_]

1. Appears this shit sandwich is getting bigger n/t

[Xipe Totec]

6. That's the problem with Klingons - you can't get rid of them.

No matter how much you wipe.

[big_dog]

2. curfew in place according to various tweets

Iraq’s parliament just chose a new President who refused to rename Prime Minister Nouri Kamal al-Maliki to a third term. Maliki declared the move unconstitutional and his own State of Law Party pulled support from him. Now his forces are seizing government buildings in Iraq, have closed the airport, and are surrounding the Green Zone
UPDATE: Baghdad is now fully in the hands of Maliki army and militia. CNN: Iraq Special forces deployed

[villager]

3. Nice cakewalk!

[Bosonic]

4. Massive security deployment around Baghdad 'green zone': officials

Massive security deployment around Baghdad 'green zone': officials

Baghdad (AFP) - Iraqi police, army and counter-terrorism forces were deployed in unusually high numbers across strategic locations in Baghdad overnight, security sources said Monday.

"There is a huge security presence, police and army, especially around the Green Zone," the highly-protected district that houses Iraq's key institutions, a high-ranking police officer told AFP.

He said the deployment started at around 10:30 pm (1930 GMT), just 90 minutes before Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki announced on state television he would file a complaint against the president for violating the constitution.

"There is security everywhere in Baghdad, these are very unusual measures that look like those we impose for a state of emergency," the police official said.

https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/news/a/24678900/massive-security-deployment-around-baghdad-green-zone-officials/

[flamingdem]

5. The new President is Sunni-Kurd?

Talk about complicated

[Strelnikov_]

7. And the vacuum IS forces are taking advantage of grows n/t

[flamingdem]

9. They might be the only ones who can get rid of him

Though we're talking blood bath here.

Unless the army moves against him, implying there is a leader within the army who can lead this and is ready to manage a coup with many Maliki loyalists left.

Seems it's going that way though, I think his days are numbered.

[bemildred]

35. Yeah, that occurred to me too. They have shown a flair for opportunism.

I was also wondering how much protection the Iraqi army could offer him, Maliki, based on its recent performance.

[bigdarryl]

8. This is a big cluster fuck that we have no business in

Obama needs to get those stay behind troops and personnel out of there.The question that hasn't been answered is why the hell are we in Iraq anyway with the biggest Embassy in the world.It can't be because of oil because from what Randi Rhodes said Russia got all the oil from Iraq after we invaded

[riversedge]

10. Military Coup In Iraq: Maliki Refuses To Step Down; Security Forces On Alert, Encircle Presidential

I fear for our President at this time.



Military Coup In Iraq: Maliki Refuses To Step Down; Security Forces On Alert, Encircle Presidential Palace http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-08-10/coup-iraq-prime-minister-maliki-refuses-step-down-orders-security-forces-alert

SPECIAL FORCES LOYAL TO IRAQI PRIME MINISTER MALIKI ARE DEPLOYED IN STRATEGIC AREAS OF BAGHDAD -POLICE

Sun Aug 10, 2014 10:07pm GMT

…

[TwilightGardener]

11. Maliki just won't fucking go. WTF is his problem?

(Iran)

[KoKo]

13. Playing "Many Sides Against the Middle?"

Crafty Guy...obviously many owe him favors. I have no idea WHO...I'm just an American caught up in GLOBAL power play for World Resources..

Sadly....no voice...just this teeny presence on the internets...... for what it is.....

I fought hard like so many of us did.....

WE SHALL SEE WHO WINS........not taking bets, now, though.

[Schema Thing]

14. Honestly he's kinda fucked

his own fault of course. He needs a safe haven, 'cause someone is going to cut him into little pieces.

He's staying now, I'd wager, because if he can pull it off, he can stay alive. He stayed this long, because he's one of the biggest assholes on the world stage, imo.

[flamingdem]

30. The CIA etc. are probably working on a soft landing

Miami? Switzerland?

Let's hope he bites but more likely he'll go down with the ship dragging a few thousand with him.

[flamingdem]

16. He'll be assasinated

is probably why

[TwilightGardener]

19. I doubt that would have happened had he stepped down.

Now he's acting like a power-hungry Prime Minister For Life, so who knows.

[StevieM]

20. But anyone who replaces him will probably be just as bad. (eom)

[KoKo]

12. Hah! More Noise and Ramp Up to "Troops on the Ground" which our MSM/MIC Military

need so they can live their "Privileged Lifestyles" amongst the Wall Street Criminals in Beach Front Mansions Up and Down the Coasts and hob nob with the Silicon Valley "Rich and Famous" when the Family/Kids/Grandkids need a tour of California! Reverse if they want to Go to Florida Coast for Disney.

What a F**Up! Our Military Live like Silicon Valley Entrepreneurs off their MSM Money, Consulting Gigs for Corporations, Movie Consultant Fees and the Spoils of War from our Arms Manufacturers!

Good for them to have control over the Indentured Poor who are Recruited into our Military Fighting Forces these days. "Cannon Fodder" for times past....but it never ends.

[davepc]

15. Looks like a coup.

[quadrature]

17. torching Syria was a mistake ... nt

[flamingdem]

18. The scary part is that there are thousands of US

diplomatic etc. personnel in the Green Zone.

yikes

[TwilightGardener]

21. Could be worse, we could have McCain's fantasy of thousands of troops

based there, still trying to hold this shitpile of a country together. ISIS is the symptom, Iraq's politics are the problem.

[flamingdem]

31. ha! Can you imagine

McCain having anything to do with this.

[PoliticAverse]

28. Is there a helicopter landing pad on a roof there?... n/t

[roamer65]

22. Tehran's toadie is going to stay in power.

This guy is owned, lock, stock and barrel by Tehran. Iraq is history.

Tehran does not want a sovereign, imdependent Shi'ite south in former Iraq. Khuzestan province would want to join it and there goes 90 pct of Iranian oil.

[TwilightGardener]

24. This may be the big Shia/Sunni Showdown.

[Javaman]

23. “It is unknowable how long that conflict [the war in Iraq] will last...."

"It could last six days, six weeks. I doubt six months.”

Donald Rumsfeld - Feb 7, 2003

[GP6971]

25. And we know how that turned out. n/t

[GP6971]

26. I just checked online

only CNN is carrying something......nothing from Aljareeza, BBC or MSNBC.

[bemildred]

33. Oh it's happening, I see lots on the web.

What it is that is happening is not so clear.

[PoliticAverse]

27. I await the Hollywood version, The Green Bunker. n/t

[RoverSuswade]

29. Ben Affleck pay attention!

Sounds like the plot for 'Argo II' is in the making.

[flamingdem]

32. With ISIS Hollywood has bad guys for a few decades

even though the terrorist theme was getting stale.

[jberryhill]

34. They're fighting over who gets to lose to ISIS?

[riversedge]

39. yes, internal fighting while Iraq falls apart--and Obama gets blamed by

Fox et al and the RW!

[DCBob]

36. Maliki's last gasp.

His only hope is Iran but I doubt they will intervene.

[Xipe Totec]

37. I thought about grabbing Iraq, but then Iran. nt

[potone]

38. He is incompetent

Even the Shia want him to leave. He did nothing to unite the country. They need someone else who can pull them together, if they can find someone. Poor Iraq!!! What a disaster we created there!