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2005-02-03 Iraq-Jordan

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Posted by Fred 2005-02-03 00:00:00 AM|| || Front Page|| [11131 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Ah, the smell of regular ol' politics... Gotta love it.

Posted by someone 2005-02-03 12:21:50 AM|| 2005-02-03 12:21:50 AM|| Front Page Top

#2 Hazim Saalan, mentioned in the article, was the one who had named Iran as the "number one enemy of Iraq", saying that Iran supported terrorism and brought enemies to Iraq, sending spies and saboteurs and even infiltrating in the Iraqi government. He had even threatened of invading Iran, if it didn't stop what it was doing.

It's therefore probably not a coincidence that he's been singled out for this attack.

Posted by Aris Katsaris 2005-02-03 12:41:45 AM|| [http://www.livejournal.com/~katsaris/] 2005-02-03 12:41:45 AM|| Front Page Top

#3 Both comments above are spot on. I spent most of a day this week near a checkpoint to the Zone, and just outside at one point a smallish group of Iraqis demonstrated, holding hand-lettered banners aloft and chanting. An Arabic-speaking colleague said he could just make out something about "Allawi is a thief". We both smiled and thought -- "Merely a thief? What an improvement over the previous regime!".

Posted by Verlaine in Iraq 2005-02-03 1:10:47 AM|| 2005-02-03 1:10:47 AM|| Front Page Top

#4 note shaalan also said Chalabi was about to be arrested. Hes made some odd statements himself over the last couple of months.

Look, whoever want to dig at the Iraqi Alliance list will call them pro-Iranian. The Iraqi alliance will naturally respond with charges of corruption (though there own administration of Basra has been riddled with corruption, per the WaPo.) Its regular politics, like someone said. -:) -

Ive seen reports that Iraqi Alliance will only get 40% of the vote. That will mean they will heavily need coalition partners. Allawi will get about 20%, as will the Kurdish alliance. the Communists will get about 5%, and two sunni parties (led by Yawer and Pachachi respectively) will get 2 - 3 % each. Rest scattered, including smaller ethnic minorities.

That to me is hopeful, as it means no one agenda can be imposed. But it also means the maneuvering will be bitter, and the name calling loud.

This is beginning to sound very much like Israeli (!!!!!) politics, and that to me is a hopeful sign.

Posted by Liberalhawk 2005-02-03 9:10:06 AM|| 2005-02-03 9:10:06 AM|| Front Page Top

#5 Corrupt? thats ALL? When will Hakim accuse Shalaan of being a Bolshevik? When will Shalaan accuse Hakim of being a racist bigot? Theyve got a long way to go to reach Israeli levels of civilized political discourse.

Posted by Liberalhawk 2005-02-03 9:11:48 AM|| 2005-02-03 9:11:48 AM|| Front Page Top

#6 A top Shia leader tipped to become Iraq's next prime minister has branded Iyad Allawi's interim government as the most corrupt in the country's history.

Hey man, the time for stump speeches has passed. It's time to start compiling material for your "49% of Iraqis were disenfranchised" speech.

Posted by BH 2005-02-03 10:12:04 AM|| 2005-02-03 10:12:04 AM|| Front Page Top

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