Juan Cole: Military Coup Planned for Baghdad?

[swag]

http://www.juancole.com/2007/08/military-coup-planned-for-iraq.html

A rumor is circulating among well-connected and formerly high-level Iraqi bureaucrats in exile in places like Damascus that a military coup is being prepared for Iraq. I received the following from a reliable, knowledgeable contact. There is no certitude that this plan can or will be implemented. That it is being discussed at high levels seems highly likely.

"There is serious talk of a military commission (majlis `askari) to take over the government. The parties would be banned from holding positions, and all the ministers would be technocrats, so to speak. . .

The six-member board or commission would be composed on non-political former military personnel who are presently not part of the government OR the military establishment, such as it is in Iraq at the moment. It is said that the Americans are supporting this behind the scenes.

The plan includes a two-year period during which political parties would not be permitted to be part of the government, but instead would prepare and strengthen the parties for an election which would not have lists, but real people running for real seats. The two year period would be designed to take control of security and restore infrastructure.

. . . more

[no_hypocrisy]

1. Yeah, we "heart" democracy, purple fingers and all.

[DemReadingDU]

2. U.S. report sees precarious Iraqi government

The assessment also expresses deep doubts that the government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki can overcome sectarian divisions and meet benchmarks intended to promote political unity. It finds that Shiite factions have looked at ways to constrain him.

"The strains of the security situation and absence of key leaders have stalled internal political debates, slowed national decisionmaking, and increased Maliki's vulnerability to alternative coalitions," the document says.


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20408600/

[Myrina]

3. ... the "New Saddam" will be installed ...

... to get shit under control so that Blivet can save face and pull our troops out prior to the '08 "election".

Oh yeah, we'll have to go back there to 'liberate' the Iraqi people from the 'tyrant' in about 15 more years --- when the US has finally built up another budget surplus for some GOP toadie squander on military contracts.

:puke:

[Democrats_win]

4. "Oh what a tangled web we weave, When first we practice to deceive”

It all started with a lie about WMDs or was it about Al Qaed in Iraq? Or was it the lie that Bush is president? With that many deceptions, is it any wonder that scope of the calamity in Iraq?

[DURHAM D]

5. "military personnel who are presently not part ..."

Does this mean they would be Bathist?

[hedda_foil]

6. Gotta be the Bathists.

[DURHAM D]

7. Won't that go a long ways toward making the House of Saud

happy with Bush(again)? Also, Israel?

[Jack Rabbit]

8. Tomorrow's Friday

Tune in tomorrow. Same bat time. Same bat channel.

[Demeter]

10. I'm Getting Really Phobic About Fridays

and the other days of the week are starting to scare me, too.

[MasonJar]

9. It is time for a new secular government. Read the article posted today

about the plight of women. The Shias are among the most repressive, but do the Bushistas care? A big resounding no as long as they get control of the oil. I do NOT want the Iraqis' oil and no American should. We must protest such a suggestion. It is wrong to steal from these people that we have decimated and robbed of a decent life.