The tensions continue between Baghdad and Erbil over Nouri and his Tigris Operation Command forces. Rudaw speaks with KRG Chief of Staff Fuad Hussein. Excerpt:
Rudaw:
Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, is taking stronger positions
against Kurds day after day, but the Kurds insist on negotiations. What
is the reason behind this soft policy of the Kurds?
Fuad Hussein:
Kurdish soft policy is not a result of weakness, but rather from the
belief that problems can be solved through negotiations. However, Kurds
also have prepared for a war, in case it happens.
Rudaw: Is Maliki willing to solve the problems through negotiations?
Fuad Hussein:
We have had many negotiations with Maliki, and signed many agreements.
But the problem is that he does not abide by the agreements. What is
clear is that Maliki is preparing for war. When he prepares for war, the
Kurds have the right to prepare for self-defense.
Now is the time a smart politician would be attempting to shore up support. Nouri al-Maliki's never been mistaken for smart. In yesterday's snapshot we noted how Nouri used a supposed speech on human rights to launch into an attack on Moqtada al-Sadr -- cleric and movement leader. Moqtada has his response today. Al Mada reports that the Sadr bloc states Moqtada could care less what Nouri says about him because Moqtada's concerns are with the suffering of the Iraqi people. All Iraq News reports Baghdad is scheduled to see a heavy demonstration today as Moqtada's supporters take to the streets to protest Nouri's verbal attack on Moqtada.
Right now the panic you hear at the wire services goes something like this, "Holy s**t! We distracted for Nouri yesterday by ignoring his attack on Moqtada and now as many as a million Sadr supporters may turn out in Baghdad to protest. How the hell are we going to cover this without explaining what we refused to cover yesterday?"
All Iraq News notes that MP Awad al-Awadi (with the Sadr bloc) has delcared that they have seen no improvement in Nouri's government since the talk of a withdrawal of confidence vote in the Parliament. Again, smart politicians attempt to shore up support when they're struggling. By contrast, Nouri seeks to piss everyone off.
Al Mada observes that, come April, Nouri will have been prime minister for seven years and that during this time, Iraq has seen no imporvement in the average Iraqi's life and that the policies implemented favor elites and indicate the emergence of yet another strong-man leader, one who seeks to control everything. Nouri has ignored the Constitution, the article explains, and has openly, since 2009, stated his intent to change the rules as he attacked diversity and pluralism as well as the role Parliament is supposed to play in law making and oversight. The article notes his attacks on Iraqi protesters, his demanding recounts in 2010 when he was unhappy with the results, the concerns about how he will behave after the people vote in the provincial elections (scheduled for this April), his secret prisons and much more. It's a thorough look at the rule of Nouri al-Maliki and it's not pretty.
Violence continues in Iraq. Alsumaria reports that an armed attack in Baquba today claimed the life of 1 Sahwa, and Abbas Abdul Hadi Tai was shot dead (repeatedly) in his Diyala Province home, he is the brother of the Deputy Officer of the Islamic Party. On the subject of violence, the US State Dept issued the following this morning:
Press Statement
Victoria Nuland
Department Spokesperson, Office of the Spokesperson
Department Spokesperson, Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
December 11, 2012
The Department of State has amended the Foreign
Terrorist Organization (FTO) and Executive Order (E.O.) 13224
designations of al-Qa’ida in Iraq (AQI) to include the following new
aliases: al-Nusrah Front, Jabhat al-Nusrah, Jabhet al-Nusra, The Victory
Front, and Al-Nusrah Front for the People of the Levant. The Department
of State previously designated AQI as an FTO under the Immigration and
Nationality Act and as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist under
E.O. 13224 on October 15, 2004. The consequences of adding al-Nusrah
Front as a new alias for AQI include a prohibition against knowingly
providing, or attempting or conspiring to provide, material support or
resources to, or engaging in transactions with, al-Nusrah Front, and the
freezing of all property and interests in property of the organization
that are in the United States, or come within the United States or the
control of U.S. persons.
Since November 2011, al-Nusrah Front has claimed nearly 600 attacks – ranging from more than 40 suicide attacks to small arms and improvised explosive device operations – in major city centers including Damascus, Aleppo, Hamah, Dara, Homs, Idlib, and Dayr al-Zawr. During these attacks numerous innocent Syrians have been killed. Through these attacks, al-Nusrah has sought to portray itself as part of the legitimate Syrian opposition while it is, in fact, an attempt by AQI to hijack the struggles of the Syrian people for its own malign purposes. AQI emir Abu Du’a is in control of both AQI and al-Nusrah. Abu Du’a was designated by the State Department under E.O. 13224 on October 3, 2011, and by the United Nations under UN Security Council Resolution 1267 on October 5, 2011. Abu Du’a also issues strategic guidance to al-Nusrah’s emir, Abu Muhammad al-Jawlani, and tasked him to begin operations in Syria.
The United States takes this action in the context of our overall support for the Syrian people. We have provided approximately $50 million in non-lethal assistance to the unarmed civilian opposition and nearly $200 million in humanitarian assistance to those affected by the violence in Syria. The violent, sectarian vision of al-Nusrah is at odds with the aspirations of the Syrian people, including the overwhelming majority of the Syrian opposition, who seek a free, democratic, and inclusive Syria and have made clear their desire for a government that respects and advances national unity, dignity, human rights, and equal protection under the law – regardless of faith, ethnicity, or gender. Extremism and terrorist ideology have no place in a post-Asad Syria, and all responsible Syrians should speak out against al-Qa’ida and other extremist elements. By opting for the use of force against its own people, the Asad regime has created the circumstances that attract the violent extremists of al Qa’ida, who seek to exploit civil strife for their own purposes. The sooner the political transition to a post-Asad Syria begins, the better it will be for the Syrian people and the region.
Since November 2011, al-Nusrah Front has claimed nearly 600 attacks – ranging from more than 40 suicide attacks to small arms and improvised explosive device operations – in major city centers including Damascus, Aleppo, Hamah, Dara, Homs, Idlib, and Dayr al-Zawr. During these attacks numerous innocent Syrians have been killed. Through these attacks, al-Nusrah has sought to portray itself as part of the legitimate Syrian opposition while it is, in fact, an attempt by AQI to hijack the struggles of the Syrian people for its own malign purposes. AQI emir Abu Du’a is in control of both AQI and al-Nusrah. Abu Du’a was designated by the State Department under E.O. 13224 on October 3, 2011, and by the United Nations under UN Security Council Resolution 1267 on October 5, 2011. Abu Du’a also issues strategic guidance to al-Nusrah’s emir, Abu Muhammad al-Jawlani, and tasked him to begin operations in Syria.
The United States takes this action in the context of our overall support for the Syrian people. We have provided approximately $50 million in non-lethal assistance to the unarmed civilian opposition and nearly $200 million in humanitarian assistance to those affected by the violence in Syria. The violent, sectarian vision of al-Nusrah is at odds with the aspirations of the Syrian people, including the overwhelming majority of the Syrian opposition, who seek a free, democratic, and inclusive Syria and have made clear their desire for a government that respects and advances national unity, dignity, human rights, and equal protection under the law – regardless of faith, ethnicity, or gender. Extremism and terrorist ideology have no place in a post-Asad Syria, and all responsible Syrians should speak out against al-Qa’ida and other extremist elements. By opting for the use of force against its own people, the Asad regime has created the circumstances that attract the violent extremists of al Qa’ida, who seek to exploit civil strife for their own purposes. The sooner the political transition to a post-Asad Syria begins, the better it will be for the Syrian people and the region.
PRN: 2012/1952
Yesterday's snapshot covered reports that 3,000 US troops entered Iraq from Kuwait yesterday and it covered violence against Iraqi women. Two articles have been suggested on both topics. We won't be linking to either. One, linked to be a women's news outlet, I was aware of. It's from "Radio Free Europe." If I link to them in any form, it's because I don't know better. They have a multitude of names. They are not allowed to broadcast in the US. Why? Because the US government is not supposed to use propaganda against its own citizens. "Radio Free Europe" is Voice of America in another incarnation. The US government picks up the tab for Radio Free Europe. The other article is by a new group -- or a group with a new name. It's the John Birch Society. I feel we had enough reports on the 3,000 troops without linking to the John Birch Society. We will note that ABC Radio is the first US outlet to report the rumors of the 3,000 troops going into Iraq.
Lastly, Senator Patty Murray is the
Chair of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee and her office issued the
following today on homelessness:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, December 10, 2012
Contact: Murray Press Office
(202) 224-2834
HOMELESS VETERANS: Chairman Murray Statement on Decline in Homeless Veterans Population
WASHINGTON,
D.C. -- Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray, Chairman of the Senate
Veterans' Affairs Committee and the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee
on Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development (THUD), made the
following statement after the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development, in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Veterans
Affairs, released the 2012 Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR). The
report showed a 7.2 percent decline in veterans homelessness since 2011
and a 17.2 decline since 2009. However, the report also details a 1.4
percent increase among persons in families.
"Those
who heroically served America in the military should not find
themselves struggling to find a bed to sleep in or a meal to eat," said
Chairman Murray. "With new servicemembers returning home every day and
the economy on the road to recovery, it is critically important to
continue supporting programs like HUD-VASH and the SSVF. I am grateful
for the progress we have seen, because these programs have been working.
However, I am deeply concerned about the data indicating an increase in
homeless families. I firmly believe the success of our nation's
families and the future of our economy are rooted in the investments we
make in basic necessities like education and housing. And I remain
committed to providing Ameirca's families and veterans with the sense of
security and dignity they all deserve."
###
Megan Roh
Deputy Press Secretary | New Media Director
Office of U.S. Senator Patty Murray
202-224-2834
The e-mail address for this site is common_ills@yahoo.com.
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