Notable Iraqi security analyst Hisham al-Hashimi was assassinated in Baghdad today, according to multiple reports.
On Monday, Agence France Presse reported that Hashimi was walking out of his Baghdad home when three gunmen on two motorcycles shot and killed him at close range.
Hashimi was a known and respected
commentator on Iraqi affairs who was particularly knowledgable on the
Islamic State. Just about an hour before his death, he tweeted
that division in Iraq was the result of the ethnic and religious quota
system put in place following the 2003 US invasion. The tweet, which
some shared after his death, has now been liked more than 11,500 times.
Horrifying video of the assassination today of #Iraq security expert Hisham al-Hashimi. Washington Post reports about threats al-Hashimi had received from #Iran-backed militia groups recently. 1/2
Oraid al-Rantawi (MEMO) explains, "Days before he was killed, Al-Hashimi announced the birth of a
parliamentary bloc, which may be a base for Al-Kadhimi and his project,
as he is a man without a bloc behind him. The bloc was duly formed with
more than thirty members." Arwa Ibrahim (ALJAZEERA) notes, "Last month, al-Hashemi provided updates and insights to tens of
thousands of his social media followers after Iraq's Counter Terrorism
Service raided a Baghdad base of Kataib Hezbollah (KH), one of the
groups under the umbrella of the PMF, over allegations it was behind rocket attacks on US and other diplomatic interests in Iraq." AFP observes, "The killing of jihadism expert Husham al-Hashimi has stirred fears Iraq
is entering a dark and violent phase, as boiling tensions between
pro-Iran factions and the government reach new heights." Hammam Latif (ARAB WEEKLY) offers, "Observers say that with Hashemi’s assassination, the Iran-backed
militias have killed more than one bird with the same stone. They got
rid of a constant thorn in their side and a highly influential voice in
directing public opinion against them, while also sending a warning to
anyone who dares to criticise them." Isabel Coles (WALL STREET JOURNAL) reports, "Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged Iraq to hold to account those
responsible for the assassination of a prominent Iraqi security analyst
who had been threatened by Iran-backed militias, raising pressure on the
new government to rein in the powerful paramilitary groups." Pompeo was speaking at a press briefing.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo: On Monday, Iraq tragically lost a patriot, prominent scholar, and
journalist when Hisham al-Hashimi was brutally assassinated in front of
his home in Baghdad.
Dr. Hashimi had devoted his life to a free and sovereign Iraq, and
gave voice to the aspirations of the Iraqi people. In the days leading
up to his death, he was repeatedly threatened by Iran-backed armed
groups.
And the United States joins partner nations in strongly condemning
his assassination, and call for the Government of Iraq to bring to
justice the perpetrators of this terrible crime and bring them swiftly
to justice.
A peaceful protest was held on Tuesday evening in Baghdad's Tahrir
Square to honour Al Hashimi as Iraqis and international colleagues
mourned his loss.
Protesters held signs which read: "They assassinated the voice of
truth with a fake bullet", and on social media videos circulated of
TukTuk drivers sounding their horns outside his home in a show of
solidarity and support.
The killing triggered fears that Iraq could enter a violent phase, as
tensions between pro-Iranian factions and the government of Prime
Minister Mustafa Al Kadhimi increase.
"Do not cry. Your father was a hero, you'll grow up and become really
proud of him," Mr Al Kadhimi told Al Hashmi's four children as he
visited their home to pay his condolences.
"The world is proud of him, everyone, whether they are in Iraq or
out, they are proud of him because he used to challenge terrorism in
order to build a better future for you."
He told the boys that he would be responsible for them, ensuring they
got a good education and were supported. "I will be your father and
brother," he said.
The assassination of al-Hashmi, as we noted at THIRD, is one of those rare Iraqi deaths that actually get attention from the world media. AFP reminds, "Already, there has been no accountability for more than 550 people
killed in protest-related violence since October, when mass rallies
slammed Iraq’s government as corrupt, inept and beholden to neighboring
Iran. Among them are around two dozen activists who were shot dead, often by masked assailants on motorcycles." In a separate report, AFP notes:
Hashemi’s killing appears to be a new challenge, said Iraqi politician Raed Fahmi.
“This is a political assassination that represents both the silencing
of freedom of speech and a challenge to the government, its prime
minister and any reform plan,” he said.
Other Iraqi activists said they had long feared being targeted for speaking out against Iran-backed groups.
“This could have been any one of us. Our friends have already been
notified to leave immediately,” said Omar Mohammad, a historian who
documented atrocities in Mosul under ISIS.
“If (Kadhimi) will not take a strong step, civil life in Iraq will
vanish. But I’m afraid he won’t do it. It’s a suicidal mission,” he told
AFP.
In other news, there was talk of a US withdrawal from Iraq. We guessed it would actually be a drawdown. The Pentagon made the distinction in 2011 when all US troops did not leave Iraq. Much of the media ran with the lie that they were all removed. Ted Koppel, on a short lived NBC news magazine and on NPR's now cancelled TALK OF THE TOWN, was one of the few to accurate report what was taking place. Again, both programs he reported reality on are no more. When talk started this year about a withdrawal, there were the usual idiots on the faux left telling us withdrawal was coming. Turns out, being skeptical was a good position to take. Ellen Mitchell (THE HILL) reports:
The top U.S. general in the Middle East predicts that a small amount
of U.S. troops will remain in Iraq for the foreseeable future.
“I believe that going forward, they’re going to want us to be with them,” U.S. Central Command head Marine Gen. Kenneth McKenzie told reporters Tuesday after he met with Iraq’s new prime minister, Mustafa al-Kadhimi, according to The Associated Press.
“I don’t sense there’s a mood right now for us to depart precipitously. And I’m pretty confident of that.”
McKenzie is just the latest to predict that everyone would want US
troops to remain at the end of the day, and he too cited the battle with
ISIS, which Iraq’s government has presented as over for months. The US
structured the talks on presence to tie it to diplomatic and economic
ties, allowing the US to threaten isolation for expelling the unwelcome
troops.
Since the parliament’s call for the US ouster, Iraq has
gone through multiple PMs, and the post is now held by a pro-US
official, which may add to the US sense that they can continue to push
allies to keep troops there.
First paragraph? Who the hell cares what the Iraqi government says about ISIS being vanquished when the reality is that it's not? ISIS remains active in Iraq. We've noted that reality has been ongoing. I don't argue that the US military needs to stay in Iraq for ISIS -- that's Iraq's battle to fight. But I also don't lie about ISIS and that's what Jason's doing when he cites a claim by the Iraqi government that is false and known to be false. He cites their claim and presents it as fact when it's not. I try to be nice but I'm so sick of liars. I want the Iraq War over (I want this website over) but I'm not going lie.
Second paragraph, that's not a valid vote in the Parliament. Sunnis and Kurds boycotted and they didn't have a quorum.
Now if you read 'reporting' on it -- I'm sure Jason did -- you might have gotten that impression because a bunch of US idiots not capable of writing headlines farmed out on the topic.
I get so damn tired of doing the work required while the Jason Ditzy are able to just write whatever lie they want. Here's another lie he serves up in the article, " Iraq’s parliament had unanimously voted to call on the US to leave,
though the US has not recognized that vote, and has ruled out leaving
repeatedly." Even the people leaving comments at ANTIWAR.COM call Ditzy out for that lie.
This is how ANTIWAR.COM's ''news editor'' 'reports'?
No wonder the Iraq War never ends.
It's cute, like the way they pretend they're fair and they all have their agendas. I don't know what the Kurds ever did to so many US outlets but it's apparently so awful that they don't ever have to report accurately on the Kurds. They can -- and, after all, did -- attack the Kurds for holding a non-binding referendum.
And they can -- and do -- ignore Turkey's continued assault on Iraq.
Iraqi President Barham Salih reiterated Wednesday that neighboring
Turkey must suspend its recent offensive against alleged Kurdistan
Workers’ Party (PKK) positions in the Kurdistan Region and disputed
territories of Iraq, describing the ongoing operations as a “military
violation” on Iraqi soil.
Receiving a number of Arab countries’ ambassadors to Iraq, Salih
stressed that Iraq maintains its sovereignty and “reiterated that Turkey
has to suspend its military violations on the Iraqi soil,” according to
a statement from his office.
Click here for garbage and trash. We may take that apart next time. We may not -- life is too short. Not that the writer of the piece would note -- notice how the deaths of Iraqis are ignored except for a sweeping statement but the claims of the Turkish government are presented as fact. Garbage. Trash.
Turkey is not trying to end terrorism, the government is actively terrorizing Kurds -- in Iraq and in Turkey. Pinar Tremblay (AL-MONITOR) explains:
Picture this: A woman is home alone in
Diyarbakir province in Turkey's Kurdish-majority southeast. At 5 a.m.,
100 policemen from counterterrorism and special forces units storm the
apartment, instructing the neighbors to stay inside and not communicate
with anyone. Then they sledgehammer the door and unleash two police dogs
to attack Sevil Rojbin Cetin. But that is only the beginning.
Cetin is an activist in women’s
movements and a former Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) mayor, elected in
2014 and replaced by a government appointee in 2016.
Cetin was interrogated for 3½ hours
in her apartment while her legs were bleeding from multiple dog bites.
The apartment was turned upside down, while she was blindfolded and
beaten.
She was stripped half naked with her
hands tied, while photos were taken of her. The physical and sexual
torture was coupled with verbal abuses; a gun was held to her head. “At
one point she was taken to the balcony and the officer told her, ‘If
your apartment was on the 5th floor, you would have jumped by now and we
would not have to deal with you,” said Meral Danis Bestas, a
pro-Kurdish HDP lawmaker.
Cetin’s Attorney Gulistan Ates, who
took photos of her injuries after the ordeal and shared them with
the press, was called to the police station and an investigation has
been launched against him.
