Iraqi PM vows action on security jobs, Basra

[Eugene]

Tue May 30, 2006 11:22am ET

By Mariam Karouny

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said on Tuesday he will overrule
squabbling parties in his coalition and present parliament with his personal nominees
for two key security posts if they fail to agree this week.

Maliki also told Reuters in an interview that he will fly to Iraq's second city Basra
on Wednesday to end faction fighting among fellow Shi'ites and that he is ready to use
force against "gangs" holding crucial oil exports to ransom.

<snip>

Intense wrangling forced him to leave the interior and defense ministry portfolios
temporarily vacant when he unveiled his cabinet, an early setback for his drive to crush
the raging Sunni insurgency and bridge Iraq's ethnic and religious divide.

<snip>

In one of several deadly incidents on Tuesday, two women employees of the Ministry of Interior
were killed by a rocket which landed near the ministry, police said. A roadside bomb killed
a police commando in southern Baghdad, and in the town of Hilla, a suicide bomber in a car
killed at least eight people.

<snip>

http://today.reuters.com/News/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2006-05-30T152231Z_01_KAR849134_RTRUKOC_0_US-IRAQ.xml

Also: Bomb attacks kill at least 17 in Iraq - Reuters

[The_Casual_Observer]

1. Any bets on how long Maliki lasts?

The history of Iraq over the last 50 years suggests political turmoil until a Saddam figure emerges with strong CIA backing.

[Teaser]

2. using 'force against "gangs" holding crucial oil exports to ransom'

refers to his former parliamentary ally the Fadhila party, a splinter from the Sadrist block (Sadr the father, not Sadr the son).

This will not end well.

[Barrett808]

3. Iraq PM ready to use force on Basra oil "gangs"

Iraq PM ready to use force on Basra oil "gangs"
By Mariam Karouny
Tue May 30, 11:07 AM ET

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki will fly to Iraq's second city Basra on Wednesday to end faction fighting among fellow Shi'ites and said he is ready to use force against "gangs" holding oil exports and other trade to ransom.

"We must restore security in Basra and if anyone defies peaceful solutions then force will be the solution," he told Reuters in an interview on Tuesday.

"There's no way we can leave Basra, the gateway to Iraq, our imports and exports, at the mercy of criminal, terrorist gangs. We will use force against these gangs."

Security has deteriorated sharply in the southern city over the past year as rival factions from the Shi'ite Muslim majority tussle for a share of the power handed to Shi'ites by the U.S. overthrow of Saddam Hussein's Sunni-dominated administration.

(more)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060530/wl_nm/iraq_basra_dc

[ECH1969]

4. Those gangs are the Madhi Army, the Fadella Party and Iran

He will have to pour in thousands of troops to get it done if he really means it.

[The_Casual_Observer]

5. Maliki is going to use force. What a novel idea.

It works so well in Iraq. How many goons from the US marines will he have at his disposal?

[acmavm]

6. So, no one's using force against them now? And how well is

it working. There's not way that the 'Prime Minister' will get this under control. No one gives a shit what he says.

[cal04]

7. Iraqi PM sick of US excuses over civilian deaths

Iraq's new Prime Minister says his patience was wearing thin with excuses from US troops that they kill civilians by mistake. He vowed to investigate killings of Iraqi civilians in the western town of Haditha last November after local witnesses said they were shot by Marines. "We are worried about the increase in 'mistakes'. I am not saying that they are intentional. But it is worrying for us," Nuri al-Maliki told Reuters in an interview.

US Defence officials have said charges including murder may be brought against Marines following a US investigation into the 24 civilian deaths in Haditha, a stronghold of the Sunni Arab insurgency. "There is a limit to the acceptable excuses. Yes a mistake may happen but there is an acceptable limit to mistakes," Mr Maliki said. "We will ask for answers not only about Haditha but about any operation ... in which killing happened by mistake and we will hold those who did it responsible."

Many Iraqis believe unjustified killings by US troops are common, though few have been confirmed by investigations. The White House has pledged to reveal everything learned during a probe into the reports The November 19 deaths have led to comparisons from US commentators of the March 16, 1968, killing of unarmed civilians by US troops in the Vietnamese village of My Lai.

White House spokesman Tony Snow said the Defence Department was investigating the incident and that he had been assured that "when this comes out, all the details will be made available to the public, so we'll have a picture of what happened". He said Mr Bush first became aware of the 24 civilians killed at Haditha when a Time magazine reporter asked about it earlier this year, prompting national security adviser Stephen Hadley to brief the President on it.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200605/s1651394.htm

[OKNancy]

8. Kick

for combine

[muriel_volestrangler]

9. 'Iron fist' to tackle Basra woes (state of emergency declared)

Iraqi PM Nouri Maliki has vowed to use an "iron fist" to crush people who threaten security in the city of Basra.

On a visit to the city to try to halt in-fighting between Shia factions, Mr Maliki also declared a month-long state of emergency.

Factional rivalry and sectarian tension have recently increased in the city, Iraq's second largest.

Mr Maliki also accused "criminal gangs" of holding the city's oil exports and other trade to ransom.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/5032294.stm

Because everything's just hunky-dory aprt from the local difficulties in Baghdad and Anbar, isn't it?

[EarlG]

10. Sounds familiar

CNN, October 2, 2005

"The U.S. military launched Operation Iron Fist in Iraq's western Anbar province early Saturday -- its latest anti-insurgent push, a military statement said."

http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/meast/10/01/iraq.main/index.html

Lots of iron fisting going on over there lately.

[lovuian]

11. Iraq declares state of emergency in Basra

http://feeds.bignewsnetwork.com/?sid=3c8c571cae263f3b

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has declared a month-long state of emergency in the southern city of Basra after weeks of factional Shi'ite fighting.

Speaking Wednesday in Basra, Mr. Maliki vowed to crack down with an "iron fist" on the gangs behind the violence. He called for the strengthening of Iraqi security forces in the city.

Since taking office this month, the prime minister has vowed to restore security and stop escalating sectarian violence.

His comments came as more than 20 people were killed and dozens wounded in violence around the country. The dead included a sports commentator for state-run Iraqi television. In and around Baghdad, police say they found at least 40 dumped bodies.

Meanwhile, media reports say four defense witnesses in Iraq's trial of Saddam Hussein have been detained after allegedly making false accusations against the prosecution

more...
"iron fist" where have I heard that before...

[TomInTib]

12. More positive news from Iraq following this message....

Jeebus

Basra was, at one time, the calmest of the major metropolitan areas.

Maybe georgie can blame it on the Brits.

[AlamoDemoc]

13. First off, does the central Iraqi government

has a say in what goes on in Basra? Reading this reports you would think they have a say in what's happening in rest of the Iraq....but then again, we all know who's planting these stories in the media.