AP’s Qassim Abdul-Zahra wrote today that Nouri al-Maliki, the Daawa Party politician whom the Americans installed as PM in Iraq back in April,
- sharply criticized a U.S.-Iraqi attack Monday on a Shiite militia stronghold in Baghdad, breaking with his American partners on security tactics as the United States launches a major operation to secure the capital.
The militia thus targeted is part of Moqtada Sadr’s movement. Sadr is a crucial ally of Daawa within the UIA alliance.
It is also quite relevant to note (but not mentioned by AP) that the Iraqi Daawa Party has longstanding links with Lebanon’s Hizbullah, and that Sadr’s most notable recent action was a large-scale rally in Baghdad in support of Hizbullah.
The situation of the US military in Iraq seems to be deteriorating fairly fast. US military commanders have been trying to sell a narrative that Iraq is “on the brink of civil war”… I’m not sure if this is intended to justify the higher profile US forces have been adopting in Baghdad, to excuse their failure to bring security to the capital and the rest of the country, or to act as a sort of early excuse for an imminent pullout (okay, more realistically, a drawdown) of of the US troop presence from the country.
A couple of things are very clear, though. One is that the US-conducted “rebuilding” of the Iraqi security forces as a single unified (and pro-US) body has failed miserably and another, that there have been numerous signs of heightened sectarian violence in and around Baghdad.
Why, in this uncertain atmosphere, did the US military decide to go in and try to attack the Sadrists? I haven’t a clue. They “accused” the Sadrists of having run death squads, etc. But my understandinbg is that SCIRI and its associated Badr Corps has been much more involved in that than the Sadrists; but that has not led the Americans to launch notable attacks against Badr offices in recent times.
I would welcome any information readers could provide on all of this.
In the meantime, I am also grateful to Gilbert Achcar for having sent along this translation of a report in today’s Al-Hayat, which shows another dimension of the collapse of the pro-US political order in Iraq:
- Excerpt from a report published in Al-Hayat, August 7, 2006:
The president [Speaker] of the Iraqi Parliament, Dr. Mahmoud] Al-Mash’hadani spoke to Al-Hayat yesterday, at the end of an official visit to Damascus, where he met with president Bashar al-Assad… On the accusations directed at Syria and Iran of interfering in Iraq’s affairs, al-Mash’hadani said vehemently: “America installs itself between two countries like Syria and Iran that it considers as enemies and you want them to stay passive! That is not realistic at all, and if ever they intervene, it is to protect their national security. And we do not object to that, the national security of Syria and Iran is threatened by the American presence … Let’s suppose that they (the Syrians) interfere in Iraq’s affairs, why don’t you object to America’s rule over Iraq before objecting to Syria’s interference in order to protect its security? In this respect, Iraq has opened its doors to all countries, even to an Israeli presence, so has Syrian interference now become a threat to Iraq’s security? Who destroyed Iraq? Who plundered Iraq? Who stole from Iraq? Who humiliated Iraq? Who desecrated Iraq’s holy sites? Who damaged the honor of Iraqi women? It is none other than the blue jinn whose name is: the occupation.”
Al-Mash’hadani accused the American forces of standing behind terrorist attacks in Iraq, saying: “The occupation is the first and last cause of the problem, it has overthrown the [former] regime without a plan, it has suppressed the state with no reason, it has led to the resistance and it has infiltrated it, it has brought Al-Qaeda to Iraq…” After approving the statement that “American occupation troops stand behind some of the terrorist attacks,” he described today’s Iraq as “Americastan.”
Mashhadani, who is described as a Salafi (fundamentalist) Sunni from the Islamic Accord Front, has made a number of strongly anti-US statements in the past. (See this one, for a notable example.)
I suppose Bush and all his coterie of hangers-on may be sincerely perplexed, and asking themselves, “Why on earth aren’t these Iraqi politicians more grateful (and obedient) to us?”
Of course, the way the Bush administration has given continued and fawning support to the Israeli government, even as the latter has visited horrendous devastation on important populations of Muslims– both Shiite and Sunni– in Palestine and Lebanon probably has a lot to do with this…
Mashhadani, who is described as a Salafi (fundamentalist) Sunni from the Islamic Accord Front, has made a number of strongly anti-US statements in the past. (See this one, for a notable example.)
Just to add there are few Iraqi accused Mashhadani he is also supported by Iranians although he denied this accusation before his visit to Iran.
I suppose Bush and all his coterie of hangers-on may be sincerely perplexed, and asking themselves, “Why on earth aren’t these Iraqi politicians more grateful (and obedient) to us?”
Helena, you are trying to put some thing here as if Iraq still as a STATE!!! Iraq no longer a STATE, those thieves heired by your administration to run the show what you talking here they oppose GWB or whatever you think its just make me laugh of this very smear fishy post and its not related to the reality on the ground, Iraq was a country occupied and destroyed by you and Israeli whatever you try to write from you counter Democracy Denial and all your talk about Iraqi government and elections its all fake and excuse me “Rubbish” Iraq LOST in recent history you need to understand that.
This is the plan Helena do not left behind Helena and don’t try to fool us here more
it’s time to consider partitioning the rest of Iraq. If the Kurds, Sunnis and Shiites were essentially autonomous, with a very loose central governing authority, the United States could get out.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/2006-08-07-common-ground_x.htm
Just one thing the OIL fields still pumping OIL 2,5-3Millions B/D, where all this oil goes Guess Helena?
“It is the emergence of resistance on the ground from Iraqis themselves which lifted the veil of lies from the war for many Americans. Were it not for the daily casualties and attacks inflicted upon U.S. troops in Iraq, it is doubtful that the recent uproar about the falsity of war claims and the merits of the occupation itself would be so loud and widespread at home now”
http://www.lefthook.org/Politics/Alam011104.html
The Shame of Being an American
by Paul Craig Roberts
“This has been the hope of the Arab world. This is the reason our puppets have not been overthrown. This hope is the reason America still had some prestige in the Arab world.”
http://www.antiwar.com/roberts/?articleid=9381
Helena, I think you are pointing at one of the really big issues which are simmering underneath the surface in Iraq, but which are difficult to catch sight of at the moment. I agree that there is an apparent imbalance with regard to how different Shiite militias are approached by the US military. It is quite conspicuous how, over the last few months, certain smaller groups within the United Iraqi Alliance have repeatedly become entangled in difficulties and quite frankly have been made to look stupid. This happened of course most prominently with Fadila in Basra, but also in incidents involving US or UK forces, with Fadila in Karbala and with various Sadrist factions in Baghdad and Basra. Owing to the lack of detail I think it is terribly difficult to discern what is going on. At least in some of the cases (as in Basra), there seems to be an attempt by Maliki himself to marginalise localist contenders within the UIA. And because internal party coherence among the Sadrists is low, it may well be that some of the Sadrists factions are not as friendly with Maliki as the party mainstream are. But clearly Maliki did not approve of this latest anti-Sadrist US action. The Sadrists are not particularly adept at communicating with the media, but their recent demonstrations in Baghdad proved beyond doubt that they are a force in Iraqi politics that ought to be taken seriously – something Maliki appears to be still doing.
To better understand these developments we would really need more intelligence about what is going on inside the interior ministry at the moment, and how Jawad al-Bulani is navigating in a situation where he is under cross-pressure from SCIRI, various Sadrist factions and Fadila adherents. To what extent the US involvement in all of this is a deliberate effort to prop up certain UIA factions at the expense of others I think is impossible to tell on the basis of the available information. In general, if long-term stability is the objective, it sounds like a bad strategy to try to manipulate the internal balance in the UIA, or to become party to any such a manipulation.
Helena:
Since you so foolishly asked for comments on the “Why so hostile to the Sadrists?” issue, I’ll insert my (entirely non-expert) opinion.
The US forces have been hostile to Sadr from the start – they have repeatedly had fights with the Mahdi brigade, and have sought to arrest, kill or capture Muqtada Al-Sadr at various times. That, I think is the proximate answer.
The ultimate answer is likely not available, as a meaningful answer would have to be predicated on the idea that some kind of reasonably careful analysis underlied any of this ghastly imbroglio. Increasingly, the whole dreadful mess reminds me more of a Kafka novel, or perhaps the Gormenghast trilogy.
There may be some vague, muddy causation related to the fact that the Sadrists are (IIRC, uniquely)Iraqi nationalists opposed to the (AFAIK) pan-Shi’a sentiments of, say SCIRI or Dawa’a. The Sadrists have also sought, like Hezbollah in Lebanon, to provide social/governmental services, making them more “serious” – like a body that might actually form a real government. US occupation forces – both political and military, have been exceedingly sensitive to the possibility of any real or effective government they don’t control.
Well, that was passably vague and rambly. Hopefully some meaning has come through with the ruminations.
PS – thanks for a great site!
Gilbert Achkar also has an interesting anlysis on the theme of the “Pro-American order falling appart”, this not only in Iraq, but in the whole ME.
I certainly don’t have an answer to why the US is moving on Sadr’s militia–but some of this latest madness from our Junta in Washington sure looks like the ground work for moving on Iran or Syria or both.
Car explosions in Iraq’s market is quiet puzzling. Killing shoppers regardless of their sect does not lead a sane person to believe that this is related to sectarian rift, but more than anything an acute hatred to Iraqis regardless of their sect or ethnicity. I am not and in any way ignoring sectarianism that exist in the mind and soul of a minority.
The target killing of professors and educators had no meaning neither.
Hizbullah in lebanon have ignited a stagnant reality in the Arab war. Sooner rather than later we will thank Bush for his fictional war on terrorism, as well his selfish support for Zionism.
In six years, Bush was able to kill tens of thousands of innocent Muslims and Arabs at the same time he managed the impossible, he unintentionally united Sunnis and Shiites, and to a certain extent opened the minds of thousands of clerics whom hijacked a wonderful religion.
All the factions in Iraq will unite against the real enemy . The occupier. More soldiers are transfered from the United Snakes of America, the Americans have no guts for another war neither in Iran nor in Syria . Suicidal, he might be . Arabs and Muslims have nothing to lose . The poor ,the needy, the uneducated combined with the anger of the wealthy and educated is equivelant to a nuclear power.
Occupation is no longer accepted in any name, form or language.
Helena in few months we will have an answer to your question.
Reidar
we would really need more intelligence
Yah, you need more intelligence to increase your dose of poisonous plans and thoughts and work, isn’t Reidar?
Helena,
Nouri al-Maliki,sharply criticized a U.S.-Iraqi attack Monday on a Shiite militia stronghold in Baghdad
“..Look how he is talking about Robert Murdock of Sky news….I remember one day I heard that Bush ws calling Mubarak on phone and telling him simply…to SHUT UP…yes he used those words….”
http://news.sky.com/skynews/video/videoplayer/0,,31200-galloway_060806,00.html
Helena those Shiite are same those you cried for them during Saddam now you killing them shooting them because simply the demonstrated in Baghdad against the Beast Israeli!!! How the time changed and let us to see the reality of your Democracy and Human Rights and all sorts of these lies we did heard 100 years ago.
Best to you to charming those Sheikh and Ameers in the Gulf, they are your slaves there, where is 71 Billions armed deals with Saudi? Where all the weapons to Gulf funny states worth of billions of Dollars where all of them? Who have they and for what purpose those billons spent for?
“I certainly don’t have an answer to why the US is moving on Sadr’s militia.”
I do. The US is attacking the Sadrists because they are becoming too influential. The US is opposed to the existence of any significant power in the region other than itself and its agents. The Sadrists are not our agents, therefore they are our enemies. Likewise with Hezbollah.
Unfortunately for the US, its agents in Israel are so far failing to perform their job of eliminating that particular threat to US hegemony, thus earning stern rebukes from the likes of Charles Krauthammer:
“Israel’s leaders do not seem to understand how ruinous a military failure in Lebanon would be to its relationship with America, Israel’s most vital lifeline.”
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/editorial/outlook/4093698.html
The threat imbedded in this astoundingly fascist outburst is not even veiled. With friends like Krauthammer, why does Israel need enemies?
Of course, neocon lunatics like Bill Kristol have been raking the Bush administration over the coals for months for failing to slaughter a sufficient number of Iraqis so that our extremely unreliable agents in that part of the world could manage to enslave the rest of the population.
Ultimately, nothing but genocide on a massive scale will satisfy these people, or bring about the kind of “rebirth” they have in mind. If you don’t understand why simple-minded people like George W. Bush are attracted to this worldview, try reading the “Left Behind” series of entertaining, family oriented Christian fiction. Post a book report here.
Salah, I’m afraid I find many of your comments here to be puzzling and/or hostile. To me and to our friend Reidar. For example, when you write: Helena those Shiite are same those you cried for them during Saddam now you killing them shooting them or, for Reidar, your dose of poisonous plans and thoughts and work— it seems you’re thinking that Reidar and I are just like the neocons or the American warmongers?
Please don’t come on here with such discourteous comments. Try to stick to the guidelines…
You all have to read this sad speech made by Lt. Gen. Chiarelli, our commanding general in Iraq, to the soldiers we are now asking to extend their stay in that field of broken dreams, to participate in “the defining battle” to “take back Baghdad.” Read it all the way to the General’s exchange with a soldier at the end.
http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/story?id=2288564&page=1
My fellow Americans, this is what defeat sounds like. Can you feel that taste in your mouth, and that knot in your stomach?
Helena,
If my posts make you unhappy from some points I put, its looks to me you don’t like to see the real things and you are unhappy to listen to other side view of the discussion in regards to Iraq.
Yes, those you call them Shiite and Sunni your troops did and doing mass killing of Iraqis if you are unhappy this your problem Helena, this is the truth Helena any one can denying the destructions of Iraq State and humiliating Iraqis?
What US/ “Your country” did in Iraq?
Why you “your country” punishing 26Millions of Iraqi for revenge from one person “Saddam” and your country destructing our country and our lives for no reasons and now you are objecting my words if I said “You” as Americans?
Is it your responsibility and you duty in fact every single American should feel his responsibility of what your administration doing in our country, don’t tell me they are pad group, this not the answer from a democratic country not like our Third World Country should stand up and stick to the rule of Humanity when the war started?
Is it your duty in a democratic country who values the freedom and human rights to stop this process and the systematic killing and distraction of Iraqi and our country?
So why you are unhappy of my words? What you think Iraq thinking with your action in our country? Put yourself in same shoes and replay here I love to hear your reaction Helena.
what you need me accepting your views and fellow your words which to me far from the reality and you chose to set what happing in Iraq as internal Iraqi affairs and US have no responsibility of rules in all what’s happing their.
Shame what you wrote about my posts and I think this the drama here obviously any western love to hear what he like and like the other follow him , very sad and shameful Helena
About your friend Reidar (Which I expected he emails you some unhappy words about me).
I think I have told him in the past and I posted here in your space what the other with him academics from same university saying about his project in regards to South Iraq, its clearly stated that his interests and thoughts to bring the life for the old colonial thoughts and plans of separation of South Iraq, in one of his post here to me he mentioned some that some Christians, Jews and others can get split South Iraq for better future. To me and to most Iraqi it’s just pathetic and naïve work Helena and Reidar, go to your country and do same project their on your land if you are more concern about human and their living.
Enough of this attitude and thinking using academic cover to do dirty tricks and works on other lands, its so ironic for some one taking the rights of millions of people and he plan and decided on behalf of them for his interest and his benefits obviously no one in Iraq will benefits fro the slip it of south just those thieves you brought then with you.
I am Iraqi and I Knew what’s in Basra and what Iraqis in Basra thinking and I had many friend whom I admire them very much they “puzzling” with what your friend doing and others.
“Services are a cruel joke. As summer temps climb to 120˚, there has been no perceptible improvement in electricity or the water supply. And at a time when people desperately need their gasoline-powered generators to operate ceiling fans and air conditioners, fuel has become scarce. The wait in a gas-station line can last all day. Last month the black-market rate for a liter of gas briefly reached $1–exactly 100 times the official price just before the war.” But remember folks. This is what “liberty” has brought the Iraqis,”
We saw you so frustrating if you have slow or crappy internet connection while you travelling, what will happen you live under this conditions Helena?
What will Happen if any American live under this?
Is it US made Life for Iraqis Helena? Isn’t?
You remember our early argument that you suggested Hezbollah style to build the destroyed Iraq?
Civil War? What Civil War?
I would to hear from that US guy “Live From Baghdad” , his name Brian come on tell us what your new argument about Iraq.
When I wrote about the electricity in Baghdad he has the ignorance to argue here he saw the power OK.
Other lire here we hear a lot of them around.
In a Christian Science Monitor article entitled US Neocons Hoped Israel Would Attack Syria Tom Regan says:
“Neoconservatives, or ‘neocons,’ believe that the United States should not be ashamed to use its unrivaled military power to promote its values around the world.”
Meanwhile, a News 24 piece entitled July: Iraq’s Deadliest Month reports that “at least 1800 people were killed across Iraq in terror attacks and other violence during July”.
Hmmmmm. I think I’m beginning to get it. Dead Arabs – lots of them – that’s what the neocons are all about really, isn’t it.
Some value. Some promotion.
But hey, different strokes for different folks.
There’s more. As Bush himself said, “Iraq is a grave and gathering danger”.
No question about that. It’s dangerous to itself and its people. And to “other people” who are there. And in a genie-out-of-the-bottle sense it surely is “a grave and gathering danger” to the region, to the United Kingdom (e.g., 7/7, let alone today’s terror alert), to the United States and maybe to the whole world.
So what’s Bush waiting for? Why the hell isn’t he doing something about it? What kind of a pussy is he? Surely a real man would attack and invade and occupy Iraq.