Iraqi cabinet seeks to ban militias from elections

[maddezmom]

Source: Reuters

BAGHDAD, April 13 (Reuters) - Iraq's cabinet has agreed a draft law on provincial elections that bans any party from the polls if they have militias, officials said on Sunday, a move that could inflame tensions with Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr.

Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari said the draft had set Oct. 1 as the election date. The law would be given to parliament for approval "very soon", he told Reuters after a cabinet meeting.

Last week Shi'ite Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki threatened to bar Sadr's movement from the elections if he did not disband the Mehdi Army militia, which has fought battles with security forces in the cities of Basra and Baghdad in recent weeks.

Sadr in response threatened to scrap a 7-month ceasefire on his militia. The truce has been credited with helping curb violence across Iraq despite the recent clashes.

Read more: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L13175660.htm

[Botany]

1. Are they going to ask that they give up their guns too?

:bounce:

[annabanana]

4. already did...

Al Sadr said he would, if Sistani & the other clerics told him to. Apparently they DIDN'T.

[Itchinjim]

2. Well so much for "free and fair" elections

n/t

[acmavm]

3. Has no one in Iraq's cabinet been paying attention? Do they think that their

'word' carries any weight with these militias? Are these people serious? Sheesh, someone killed al Sadr's brother-in-law. All this, in my humble opinion, just might not bode well for calming things down in the Baghdad area. So this is just like poking a bee hive with a stick. You're gonna get a reaction, but it just might not be a good one.

[HuffleClaw]

5. they are being prodded by cheney and friends into provoking a civil war

pretty damn silly of them

[bluesmail]

6. by hook or by crook

if they can't win on their own merits, Steal The Election.