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Iraq

Iraqi raid appears aimed at wooing Sunnis

2005-11-16

ROBERT H. REID Associated Press BAGHDAD, Iraq - The unprecedented U.S. raid on an Iraqi detention facility filled with malnourished torture victims appears aimed in part at scoring points among Sunni Arabs, whose participation in next month's parliamentary election is key to an American exit Iraq. Sunni Arab politicians have complained for months about arbitrary arrests, torture and assassinations of Sunnis, allegedly at the hands of special commandoes of the Shiite-dominated Interior Ministry, who are at the forefront of the battle against the largely Sunni insurgents. The discovery Sunday night of 173 malnourished prisoners - some of them bearing evidence of torture - in an Interior Ministry lockup appeared to vindicate many of the Sunni Arab claims. Most of the prisoners are believed to be Sunnis. One Sunni politician, Mohsen Abdul-Hamid, said he had personally told Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari about conditions at detention centers, including the one seized by American forces Sunday night. Other Sunni leaders who meet regularly with American officials have been outspoken in complaints about Interior Ministry forces. But the need to address Sunni Arab grievances has taken on new urgency as the Dec. 15 parliament election draws near and as Congress is demanding a greater role in Iraq policy. Most Sunni Arabs boycotted the January parliamentary election - a move that shut them out of power, worsened sectarian tensions and stoked the insurgency. This time, more Sunni Arab politicians have entered the race, and changes in the election law guarantee Sunnis a stronger voice in the next government. The Bush administration hopes that a broad-based democratic government will in time undermine the insurgency, enabling the United States to begin drawing down its 150,000-strong military force starting next year. A low Sunni Arab turnout would raise doubts about the minority community's commitment to a political process that U.S. commanders say is the best way to beat the Sunni-dominated insurgency. The legitimacy of Sunni Arabs elected to parliament would be in doubt. With stakes so high, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw and U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan have all visited Iraq within the past week. Each encouraged a big Sunni Arab turnout. For their words to have meaning, however, moderate Sunni Arab leaders must convince their people that their interests are better served by the ballot than the bullet. That task becomes difficult if rank-and-file Sunnis believe the Americans ignore them in favor of the majority Shiites and Kurds. It is unclear if such raids alone will win over disaffected Sunni Arabs, and insurgents may argue that the findings justify their attacks on Shiite civilians. The perception of U.S. favoritism to the Shiites and Kurds, who suffered the most under Saddam Hussein's Sunni-dominated regime dates, from the beginning of the occupation in 2003. It was fueled by U.S. decisions to disband the Sunni-led Iraqi army, to endorse Shiite moves to purge the bureaucracy of former Saddam party members and to change the political roadmap to accomodate the views of the top Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani. Iraqi army and Interior Ministry troops are mostly Shiites and Kurds, despite recent overtures to Sunni ex-officers to return to the ranks. Since most of the insurgents are Sunnis, U.S. and Iraqi military operations are concentrated in areas where Sunnis live. Raiding the Interior Ministry is an attempt to redress the balance. U.S. officials appear to be gambling that al-Sistani, who aides say is alarmed by rising sectarian tensions, won't complain about a move to stop torture.

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Iraq

US, Iraqi troops storm town along Syrian border

2005-11-09

U.S. and Iraqi troops battled insurgents house-to-house on Monday, the third day of a major offensive against al-Qaeda insurgents in a town near the Syrian border, and the U.S. command reported the first American death in the operation. The U.S. commander of the joint force, Col. Stephen W. Davis, told The Associated Press late Sunday that his troops had moved "about halfway" through Husaybah, a market town along the Euphrates River about 200 miles northwest of Baghdad. At least 36 insurgents have been killed since the assault began Saturday, and about 200 men have been detained, Davis said. He did not give a breakdown of nationalities of the detainees. Many were expected to be from a pro-insurgent Iraqi tribe. A Marine was killed by small arms fire in Husaybah on Sunday, the military said. The New York Times, which has a journalist embedded with the U.S. forces, reported that three Marines were also wounded Sunday. CNN, which also had a reporter accompanying the offensive, said at least one Iraqi soldier has been wounded and that as many as 80 insurgents have died in the fighting. In a live report from the scene Monday morning, CNN said the house-to-house battles were continuing, with ground forces supported by Humvees and tanks working their way through the narrow streets of the bleak desert town. Scores of terrified Iraqis fled the besieged town on Sunday, waving white flags and hauling their belongings. The U.S. military announced Monday that it had killed two regional al-Qaeda in Iraq leaders operating in the Husaybah area during airstrikes that destroyed several insurgent "safe houses" on Oct. 31 near the towns of Karabilah and Obeidi. It identified one of them as Abu Umar, who helped smuggle foreign insurgents into the region and stage deadly roadside bomb attacks against Iraqi and American forces. The other militant was identified as Abu Hamza, who commanded several al-Qaeda cells and helped launch attacks against coalition forces, including ones based at U.S. Camp Gannon in the Husaybah area, the military said. Davis said the militants were putting up a tough fight in Husaybah because "this area is near and dear to the insurgents, particularly the foreign fighters." Speaking by telephone, he said: "This has been the first stop for foreign fighters, and this is strategic ground for them." The U.S. Marines said American jets struck at least 10 targets around the town Sunday and that the American-Iraqi force was "clearing the city, house by house," taking fire from insurgents holed up in homes, mosques and schools. Residents of the area said by satellite phone that sounds of explosions diminished somewhat Sunday, although bursts of automatic weapons fire could be heard throughout the day. The residents said coalition forces warned people by loudspeakers to leave on foot because troops would fire on vehicles. "I left everything behind — my car, my house," said Ahmed Mukhlef, 35, a teacher who fled Husaybah early Sunday with his wife and two children while carrying a white bed sheet tied to a stick. "I don't care if my house is bombed or looted, as long as I have my kids and wife safe with me." The Marines said in a statement that about 450 people had taken refuge in a vacant housing area in Husaybah under the control of Iraqi forces. Others were believed to have fled to relatives in nearby towns and villages in the predominantly Sunni Arab area of Anbar province. U.S. officials have described Husaybah, which used to have a population of about 30,000, as a stronghold of al-Qaeda in Iraq, which is led by Jordanian extremist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. Husaybah had long been identified as an entry point for foreign fighters, weapons and ammunition entering from Syria. From Husaybah, the fighters head down the Euphrates valley to Baghdad and other cities. Several people identified as key al-Qaeda in Iraq officials have been killed in recent airstrikes in the Husaybah area, the U.S. military has said. Most were described as "facilitators" who helped smuggle would-be suicide bombers from Syria. Damascus has denied helping militants sneak into Iraq, and witnesses said Syrian border guards had stepped up surveillance on their side of the border since the assault on Husaybah began. The Americans hope the Husaybah operation, codenamed "Operation Steel Curtain," will help restore enough security in the area so the Sunni Arab population can participate in Dec. 15 national parliamentary elections. If the Sunnis win a significant number of seats in the new parliament, Washington hopes that will persuade more members of the minority to lay down their arms and join the political process, enabling U.S. and other international troops to begin withdrawing next year. However, a protracted battle in Husaybah with civilian casualties risks a backlash in the Sunni Arab community, which provides most of the insurgents. On Sunday, Mohsen Abdul-Hamid, head of the largest Sunni Arab political party, Saleh al-Mutlaq, head of another Sunni faction and a member of the committee that drafted the new constitution, both sharply criticized the offensive, saying it was targeting civilians.

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Iraq

Terrified Residents Flee Husaybah

2005-11-07

Scores of terrified Iraqis fled a besieged town Sunday, waving white flags and hauling their belongings to escape a second day of fighting between U.S. Marines and al-Qaida-led militants along the Syrian border. U.S. and Iraqi troops battled insurgents house-to-house, the U.S. military said. The U.S. commander of the joint force, Col. Stephen W. Davis, told The Associated Press late Sunday that his troops had moved "about halfway" through Husaybah, a market town along the Euphrates River about 200 miles northwest of Baghdad. At least 36 insurgents have been killed since the assault began Saturday and about 200 men have been detained, Davis said. He did not give a breakdown of nationalities of the detainees. Many were expected to be from a pro-insurgent Iraqi tribe. Davis would not comment on U.S. and Iraqi government casualties but said the militants were putting up a tough fight because "this area is near and dear to the the insurgents, particularly the foreign fighters." Could be they're starting to run out of Fallujahs. And every time they move on to the next Fallujah the locals are going to be that much less happy to see them. But given the evident reasoning deficiencies of the average tribal Iraqi, this could take a while... "This has been the first stop for foreign fighters, and this is strategic ground for them," he said by telephone. Next week someplace else will be the first stop and the MNF will let it fester for awhile until there are enough bad guyz gathered in one place to make throwing them out worthwhile. That's entirely too subtle for the press to comprehend, of course... Earlier Sunday, Brig. Gen. Donald Alston, a U.S. military spokesman, told reporters in Baghdad that none of the 3,500 U.S. and Iraqi troops had been killed so far. That's good to hear, though I don't imagine it'll last more than another day or two... The U.S. Marines said American jets struck at least 10 targets around the town Sunday and that the U.S.-Iraqi force was "clearing the city, house by house," taking fire from insurgents holed up in homes, mosques and schools. Residents of the area said by satellite phone that sounds of explosions diminished somewhat Sunday, although bursts of automatic weapons fire could be heard throughout the day. The residents said coalition forces warned people by loudspeakers to leave on foot because troops would fire on vehicles. So much for the bad guyz' idea of booming their way out... "I left everything behind — my car, my house," said Ahmed Mukhlef, 35, a teacher who fled Husaybah early Sunday with his wife and two children while carrying a white bed sheet tied to a stick. "I don't care if my house is bombed or looted, as long as I have my kids and wife safe with me." Good idea. You can build another house, and the U.S. has been handing out money to help. We won't help you get another wife and kids... The Marines said in a statement that about 450 people had taken refuge in a vacant housing area in Husaybah under the control of Iraqi forces. Others were believed to have fled to relatives in nearby towns and villages in the predominantly Sunni Arab area of Anbar province. I'd guess they were combing through the 18-35 year-old male refugees pretty thoroughly... U.S. officials have described Husaybah, which used to have a population of about 30,000, as a stronghold of al-Qaida in Iraq, led by Jordanian extremist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. You can bet Zark is someplace else... Husaybah had long been identified as an entry point for foreign fighters, weapons and ammunition entering from Syria. From Husaybah the fighters head down the Euphrates valley to Baghdad and other cities. Several people identified as key al-Qaida in Iraq officials have been killed in recent airstrikes in the area, the U.S. military has said. Most were described as "facilitators" who helped smuggle would-be suicide bombers from Syria. Now they're "deceased." Their survivors will soon be describing them as simple religious instructors, in the wrong place at the wrong time, led astray, perhaps, but really nice fellows at heart... Damascus has denied helping militants sneak into Iraq, and witnesses said Syrian border guards had stepped up surveillance on their side of the border since the assault on Husaybah began. Catch anybody? The Americans hope the Husaybah operation, codenamed "Operation Steel Curtain," will help restore enough security in the area so the Sunni Arab population can participate in Dec. 15 national parliamentary elections. "The insurgents are throwing everything they have at the Iraqi people and coalition forces in an effort to derail Iraq's democratic reforms," Alston said. He said the offensive is aimed at interrupting the supply lines that al-Qaida in Iraq uses to launch some of the deadliest suicide attacks hitting Baghdad and other Iraqi cities. And now the spin... However, a protracted battle in Husaybah with civilian casualties risks a backlash in the Sunni Arab community, which provides most of the insurgents. Yep. Better to have left them alone than to risk the backlash of the feared Sunni Arab community, which coincidentally provides most of the insurgents. Why they might... uhhh... ummm... provide more insurgents. In Baghdad, Mohsen Abdul-Hamid, head of the largest Sunni Arab political party, sharply criticized "all military operations directed against civilian targets" because they "lead to the killing of innocent people and the destruction of towns and cities." Any military operation, of course, is by definition directed against civilian targets in Iraq, especially in the Sunni Arab community, which provides most of the insurgents. Saleh al-Mutlaq, head of another Sunni faction and a member of the committee that drafted the new constitution, accused the Americans and their Iraqi allies of mounting "a destructive and killing operation of secure cities and villages" on the "pretext that they hide and secure terrorists." So he's basically denying that Husaybah shelters a nest of vipers, right? At least we know which side he's on... The U.S.-led assault includes about 1,000 Iraqi soldiers and will serve as a major test of the fledgling army's capability to battle insurgents — seen as essential to enabling Washington to draw down its 157,000-strong military presence.

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Iraq-Jordan

Outrage as US troops arrest moderate Sunni leader

2005-05-31

US troops outraged Iraq's new government yesterday by arresting one of the country's foremost Sunni leaders only to release him later and call the whole episode a mistake. "This is an outrage, dammit! Do you know who I am?" "Into the paddy wagon wit' yez!" Firing stun grenades, American soldiers burst into the home of Mohsen Abdul-Hamid, head of the largest Sunni Arab political party, shortly after dawn. They forced a hood over his head and dragged him away along with his three sons. Mohsen Abdul-Hamid is widely considered to be a moderate A number of Sunni politicians and religious leaders have been accused of links to Iraq's insurgency - but never Mr Abdul-Hamid. A Sunni Kurd, he is widely considered a moderate and played a leading role in bringing Sunni Arabs who boycotted January's elections back into the political process. He was freed 10 hours later, but the US military offered no explanation for his detention and stopped short of apologising. "It was determined that he was detained by mistake and should be released," US central command said in a statement. "Coalition forces regret any inconvenience and acknowledge Mr Hamid's co-operation in resolving this matter."

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Iraq-Jordan

Iraqi Islamic Party Leader Arrested

2005-05-30

U.S. troops detained the head of Iraq's largest Sunni Muslim political party during a house raid early Monday in western Baghdad, a top party official and police said. Mohsen Abdul Hamid, head of the Iraqi Islamic Party, was detained by American soldiers along with his three sons and four guards, said party-secretary-general Ayad al-Samarei. U.S. military officials could not immediately confirm the detentions. Al-Samarei said American soldiers raided Hamid's home at around 6 a.m. and confiscated various items, including a computer. "This is a provocative and foolish act and this is part of the pressure exerted on the party," he said. "At the time when the Americans say they are keen on real Sunni participation, they are now arresting the head of the only Sunni party that calls for a peaceful solution and have participated in the political process," he added. In a statement, the party demanded Hamid's immediate release, saying he "represents a large sector of the Iraqi people." "This irresponsible behavior will only complicate the situation," the party statement said. Hamid, aged in his late 60s, is regarded as a moderate Islamic leader. He was a member of the now dissolved U.S.-appointed Iraqi Governing Council and and has been involved with the party since the 1970s and headed it since 2003.

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Iraq-Jordan

Iraqis want elections delayed

2004-11-27

This article has a representative sample of the sins of the MSM. First sin is a misleading headline. The way its phrased strongly implies most Iraqas want this. ASSOCIATED PRESS: Seventeen Iraqi political parties demanded postponement of the Jan. 30 elections for at least six months until the government is capable of securing polling places. Over 200 parties have been registered, so 17 is a small minority of parties want the election delayed. The parties, mostly Sunni Arab, Kurdish and secular groups, made the call Friday in a manifesto signed at the home of Sunni elder statesman Adnan Pachachi. A former foreign minister, Pachachi said he believed the government was waiting for such a request before addressing the question of whether elections could be held by Jan. 30. Might be true, but no indication the claim was checked. Among the manifesto's backers were two major Kurdish parties that are among the strongest U.S. supporters in Iraq. The Kurds have a legitimate reason to delay the election. Its the middle of winter and mucho snow in the Kurdish mountains and communications are difficult. No mention of this reason and any tolerably educated person would know or figure this out. Also appearing on the list of parties attached to the manifesto was the Iraqi National Accord, the party of interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi. It wasn't clear late Friday whether Allawi himself endorsed delaying the election. The New York Times, quoting an unidentified participant, reported that the INA gave only verbal support to the call for a delay. Sounds like party dissent. A quote from Allawi would be nice. In Wales, Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Bahram Saleh said Friday that holding elections as scheduled in January will be "a tough challenge" because of the security situation. Parties of the majority Shi'ite community strongly support holding the elections on time, but there is widespread doubt within the minority Sunni community because of guerrilla unrest in Sunni regions of central and northern Iraq. No mention of the real reason. The Sunnis will lose the election. A widespread boycott by the Sunni community could deny legitimacy to the elected parliament and government. Meme du jour. U.S. and Iraqi authorities believe legitimate elections are necessary to help bring stability to Iraq and curb the insurgency. The journalist introduces a premise in the first sentence and then tacks on a legitimate statement in the second. But the second sentence was *NOT* made in the context of the first sentence. Mohsen Abdul Hamid, leader of the Iraqi Islamic Party and one of the signatories, said Prime Minster Ayad Allawi, a secular Shi'ite, fears the government will be misunderstood if it requests a delay. "The government can't talk about that," Abdul Hamid said. Filler that will cause most readers to switch off. Entifadh Qanbar, spokesman of the Iraqi National Congress party, said that postponing the elections "would cause a constitutional crisis. What would guarantee that the security issue will be better after six or seven months from now? We want the Iraqis to have the chance to express their clear opinion through the ballots." Then conclude with a sensible and reasonbale statement cos you are not a real journalist unless you have 'balance'.

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Anyone who says Kuwait is part of Iraq is doomed

2004-02-22

Political Science professors at the Kuwait University have criticized a statement by the President of the Iraqi Transitional Governing Council, Mohsen Abdul Hamid, who was quoted Saturday as saying in response to a query from Baghdad consultative council member, that Baghdad could consider territorial claims over Jordan and Kuwait in the near future. Reacting to the statement published earlier by several news agencies, political science professors at the Kuwait University said anyone who keeps repeating Kuwait is part of Iraq will enter the trashbin of history. If I was running Kuwait, which I ain't, I think I'd take the position that Iraq is the remaining 18 provinces of Kuwait and negotiate from there... The professors have come to the conclusion, such statements only portray bad Iraqi intentions towards Kuwait. The members of the interim government have inherited these ideas from Saddam Hussein and it will take Iraqis some time before they abandon these theories. Professor Abdullah Al-Enezi said the statement by Abdul Hamid only proves the amateur policies adopted by governing council. It also proves a large number of Iraqis still follow Saddam Hussein's doctrine that Kuwait is one of Iraq's provinces. "We are not surprised but Kuwait must take its time before rushing into any sort of relationships with the Iraqis. This is how we dealt with Saddam Hussein and now we are no longer sure with whom we must deal, particularly since it appears members of the Iraqi government have inherited the teachings and theories of Saddam," said Professor Enezi. "It is sad Kuwait rushes towards Iraq to please the United States of America, but we must adopt a careful approach in rebuilding Iraq and on the issue of opening borders between the two countries particularly since the true intentions of the Iraqis are strange," he added. I think Iraq has enough problems right now, without worrying about trying to gobble up Kuwait at some point in the indefinite future. Followed by Jordan. Are they handing out "kick me here" signs in Baghdad this week? Commenting on Abdul Hamid's statement, Professor Falah Al-Mudairees said, "the statement shows the Iraqi politicians are not keen in this field. If what Abdul Hamid said is true, he is harbouring bad intentions towards Kuwait, in spite of the fact that Kuwait was never a part of Iraq as the Iraqis claim." Calling the statement irresponsible, Al-Mudairees said, the borders separating both countries were approved by the United Nations before the invasion of Kuwait and after its liberation. Throughout history, Kuwait was never a part of Iraq, he added. "We heard similar statements from the supporters of Al-Julaibi during the National Conference of Iraq. They said the borders are colonial are incorrect, although Kuwait is an independent state while Iraq was a part of the Ottoman Empire. So this statement is baseless," he said.

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