The Common Ills: Iraq -- tanks the British elections, cozies up further to Iran and much more

Let's start with British politics:

#Murphy #Milliband #SLab trying 2 blame everyone else 4 their shambles. Want the answer? #LookInTheMirror #Iraq #BT

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The results were not pretty.

But they should have been expected.

Over two years ago -- I know the Milliband brothers -- we were noting here that Labour had to step away from Blair if they wanted control of the Parliament.

And they did that.

They took steps.

And their own internal polling demonstrated that was the way to go.

Then they started importing crap from Chicago and telling themselves these guys (and they were all men) knew what they were doing, why, look at the 2008 success that they made for Barack!

They didn't know a damn thing.

And Ed has no excuse of "I put my trust in them!"

The minute they started insisting Tony Blair was an asset that needed to be used for the campaign, was the minute Ed and company should have sent them packing.

From high polling numbers as they rebuked Blair to low polling numbers as they played footsie with War Criminal Tony.

It's all on them. They were idiots who believed idiots.

(And that's just in terms of the campaigning. That's before you get to New Labour's hideous lack of messages that addressed the needs of the people.)

So they got cozy with Tony and they lost.

Let it be a lesson. Tony Blair is a War Criminal and he is toxic.

Equally toxic is the repulsive Hadi al-Ameri.

You may remember Hadi from earlier this week when he issued his public threat of violence against the United States.

The elderly thug has spoken to Iran's Press TV:

“The role of Iran is very important. If it was not for the stance of Iran, Baghdad would be in danger,” Hadi al-Ameri, who is the secretary general of Iraq’s Badr Organization, told Press TV in an exclusive interview.
The commander, who also serves as the current transportation minister of Iraq, added that Iran is “the only country” that has supported the Iraqis since ISIL began hostilities last year.
Ameri also lashed out at the United States over its claims that the battle in Iraq is of “sectarian” nature.

And the thuggery of Hadi al-Ameri and his ilk has led to the mood in Iraq today:

Rasha Al Aqeedi ‏@RashaAlAqeedi 5 hours ago

It has come to a point in Iraq that disliking Iran's meddling,or Suleimani's portraits in Iraqi territory automatically makes you pro-ISIS.

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And those Shi'ite militias just keep spreading the love. Rudaw reports, "A clash between the Shiite militia Hashd al-Shaabi, or Popular Mobilization Units, and residents of the town of Tuz Khurmatu has left at least two civilians and one militia member injured, a security official told Rudaw."

Usually those militias wait until they 'liberate' a town to terrorize it but Hashd al-Sha'bi is proving that they can skip the 'liberation' process and go straight to terrorizing.

Last month, Iraq's Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared that they would be arming Hashd al-Sha'bi throughout Iraq -- this as he refuses to honor his promise to the US to fully arm the Kurds and the Sunnis.

But thugs who threaten, bully, loot, steal and kill?

He rushes to arm them.

On the topic of who gets arms, Rudaw reports:

The United States has reassured Iraq’s Kurds they will have the weapons they need in the war with ISIS, promising the arms will continue to be expedited by Baghdad, a member of the Kurdish presidential delegation in Washington told Rudaw.

The official, speaking to Rudaw on background and refusing to be named or directly quoted, said US officials had told Kurdish President Masoud Barzani’s delegation that Baghdad would be courting problems with Washington if it tried to delay weapons funneled to Erbil through the Iraqi central government.

Oh.

Can someone pick Akbar Shahid Ahmed off the ground? He was in the middle of putting on his pink panties -- the one with Barack's face on the crotch -- when he heard that news and fell to the floor in shock.

Doesn't help to lie, Akbar. You were lying on Wednesday, you were distorting the truth and now you're publicly humiliated as liars like yourself should be.

(See Wednesday's snapshot for what Barzani said as opposed to what liars like Akbar insisted Barzani meant or would have said or should have said.)

Lastly, AP reports a Balad Ruz bombing targeting a mosque has left at least 12 people dead.

The following community sites -- plus NPR, Pacifica Evening News, Jody Watley and Susan's On the Edge -- updated: