U.S. warns Iraq to stop Shiite militias

[ECH1969]

The U.S. Central Command chief confronted Iraq's prime minister on Monday over how Iraqi forces would halt raging violence and signaled a possible prelude to shifts in American policy on engaging Iran and Syria.

Gen. John Abizaid, commander of all U.S. forces in the Middle East, sternly warned Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki that he must disband Shiite militias and give the United States proof that they were disarmed, according to senior Iraqi government officials with knowledge of what the two men discussed.

Beyond that, Abizaid asked the Iraqi leader to give the U.S. military a firm timetable for when Iraq's security forces could take full control of the country, the officials said on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the talks.

Before Abizaid pushed the same theme, Negroponte also demanded that al-Maliki disband militias by year's end — but was met with a flat rejection. Al-Maliki told Negroponte such a move would be political suicide. Al-Maliki, a Shiite, relies heavily on two major Shiite political groups which run the heavily armed militias.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061113/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_061113184649

[coalition_unwilling]

1. "Dance, puppet, dance," said the insanse puppet-master. n/t

[Kagemusha]

2. Proof that they're disarmed?...

Who does Abizaid think he's talking to, Saddam Hussein?

I note more US operations against Sadr forces today. Wonder if they're Maliki-approved too.

[bemildred]

3. Abzaid cannot do that himself. What makes him think Maliki can? nt

[pinniped]

4. One might think Iraq is not so 'sovereign' after all....

with all these US morons barking warnings and demands.

Did Iraq lose their 'soverign' paper again?

[LynnTheDem]

5. "Iraq is now a sovereign nation" -George dickhead bush, 2004

Of course the dickhead doesn't know what "sovereign" actually means, being the stupidest MFer ever crawled out of the swamp.