Iraq aide quits over US conduct

[BBond]

Iraq aide quits over US conduct

The Iraqi politician managing interim leader Iyad Allawi's election campaign has resigned from the government in protest at the conduct of US troops.

Minister of State Adnan Janabi stepped down after US troops apparently held him in handcuffs for more than 30 minutes at a Baghdad roadblock.

He is expected to continue in his role preparing Mr Allawi's party for elections due on 30 January.

Iraq's interim leaders often accuse US troops of insensitivity.

According to the BBC's Jim Muir in Baghdad, Mr Janabi's resignation is being seen largely as a protest at the Americans' perceived arrogance in their dealings with the interim Iraqi government.

Mr Allawi is trying to persuade Mr Janabi to retract his resignation, the prime minister's office said.

Mr Janabi was reportedly detained on Wednesday at a checkpoint bordering the Green Zone, the heavily-fortified compound that serves as a Baghdad base for US officials and their Iraqi appointees.

As campaign manager for the party headed by Mr Allawi, Mr Janabi earlier this week had to fend off accusations of bribing journalists.

Following revelations that reporters at a campaign meeting received gifts of $100 bills, he told London's Daily Telegraph newspaper the gesture was "just hospitality".

"If we wanted to bribe the press, we would have to pay a lot more," he said.

 

[conjur]

Why was he held in cuffs for 30 min.?

 

[BBond]

Originally posted by: conjur
Why was he held in cuffs for 30 min.?

SOP in the new Iraq. Handcuff all Iraqis who have the courage to express their opinion.

Things are going so well there we're handcuffing Iraqis to keep them from injuring themselves in fits of pure joy. :roll:

Baghdad election center director killed

Thursday, January 13, 2005 Posted: 12:41 PM EST (1741 GMT)

BAGHDAD (CNN) -- Gunmen killed the director of a Baghdad election center Thursday, another in a series of attacks targeting election officials and candidates as the vote set for January 30 approaches.

Baghdad police, who reported the slaying, did not release the director's name. He was in charge of an election center in the al-Khadoumiyah neighborhood in the northern part of Baghdad.

Also on Thursday, the Democratic Islamic Party announced Iraqi presidential candidate Mithal al-Alousi was targeted for the second time in two weeks.

Al-Alousi, who supports normal relations between Iraq and Israel, was attacked Tuesday at midnight in western Baghdad.

Al-Alousi said an explosion went off on the second floor of his home just as the lights were turned on in those rooms. No one was injured. Police believe a grenade was thrown through the window of the house.

On Wednesday, a representative for prominent Shiite cleric Ali al-Sistani was shot in Salman Pak, east of Baghdad. Others shot in the attack were the representative's son and four bodyguards, police said.

Sheikh Mahmoud al-Madaeeni was al-Sistani's representative in Salman Pak, according to the town's police chief. Al-Sistani is Iraq's most influential Shiite leader and strongly supports the general elections. (Full story)

In a separate election-related development, an organization claiming about 3 million Iraqi tribesmen as members said it expects many of them to follow its lead and boycott the elections.

The organization said it was withdrawing from the elections because of security and fairness concerns.

The Patriotic Front of Iraqi Tribes comprises Sunni and Shiite Muslims as well as Turkomen and Kurds, according to the group's spokesman, Ibrahim Al-Nahar. The majority are Sunni, he said. The group Wednesday announced it will withdraw from the elections.

Formed in April 2004, the group is named on the election list as the Patriotic Front of the Unity of Iraq, as the country's election commission refused to allow them to register with the word "tribes" in their name, Al-Nahar said Thursday. It could not be confirmed how many candidates representing the group are on the ballot.

The organization initially submitted 275 names for the ballot, Al-Nahar said.

The group's main goal is to have a united, democratic Iraq, Al-Nahar said. While it is opposed to the presence of occupying troops, it believes in legal, not armed, resistance, he said.

The tribal system and allegiances remain important to Iraqis, Al-Nahar said, and many tribesmen are expected to follow them as far as political and social decisions.

Meanwhile, a U.S. commander overseeing security in north central Iraq said Iraqi forces will lead security efforts on election day and U.S. troops will lend support.

Maj. Gen. John R.S. Batiste, commander of the 1st Infantry Division, said quick-reaction forces will be on hand to "stomp on the insurgent when he raises his ugly head."

And despite some problems in certain provinces, "the bottom line is, north-central Iraq is ready for elections," Batiste said.
Other developments

# The United States might be able to withdraw some troops from Iraq this year if Iraqi forces can take a greater role in security, Secretary of State Colin Powell said Wednesday. "But I cannot give you a timeline as to when they'll all be home." (Full story)

# The United States is taking steps to determine how it received faulty intelligence regarding deposed Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein and his alleged weapons of mass destruction program, White House spokesman McClellan said Wednesday. His comments followed reports that the search for WMDs has ended without any such weapons being found. (Full story)

# President Bush on Wednesday defended his decision to invade Iraq. "I felt like we'd find weapons of mass destruction -- like many here in the United States, many around the world," Bush told Barbara Walters of ABC News in an interview to be broadcast Friday night. "We need to find out what went wrong in the intelligence gathering. ... Saddam was dangerous and the world is safer without him in power."

# Gunmen on Thursday morning opened fire on a minibus in central Baghdad -- killing all six Iraqis on board -- before abducting a Turkish businessman waiting for the bus outside a hotel, according to police. The Turkish Embassy in Baghdad said it is investigating the incident.

 

[piasabird]

I guess if we chopped his head off they would consider that OK. We should follow their way of doing things. We wouldnt want to offend them.

 

[conjur]

Maybe once Iraq is no longer in a self-imposed state of emergency, then people like this guy wouldn't be cuffed for 30 min.

 

[lozina]

Originally posted by: piasabird
I guess if we chopped his head off they would consider that OK. We should follow their way of doing things. We wouldnt want to offend them.

Who exactly are you talking about when you say "their way of doing things" ???

 

[Infohawk]

Originally posted by: piasabird
I guess if we chopped his head off they would consider that OK. We should follow their way of doing things. We wouldnt want to offend them.

You're right. The answer to our problems in the ME is to torture and kill everyone who even looks like a terrorist. Anything else is pandering to them. 9/11 changed everything. We can't let them think we are listening to their needs or that we will in any way change our behavior based on their acts of terror/resistance. How do we make sure they don't get the wrong message? We kill and torture all of them. Anything else is surrender.

 

[BBond]

Originally posted by: Infohawk

Originally posted by: piasabird
I guess if we chopped his head off they would consider that OK. We should follow their way of doing things. We wouldnt want to offend them.

You're right. The answer to our problems in the ME is to torture and kill everyone who even looks like a terrorist. Anything else is pandering to them. 9/11 changed everything. We can't let them think we are listening to their needs or that we will in any way change our behavior based on their acts of terror/resistance. How do we make sure they don't get the wrong message? We kill and torture all of them. Anything else is surrender.

It's the Christian thing to do.

:roll: