Maliki's Office Is Seen Behind Purge in Forces

[cal04]

Source: Washington Post

Some Commanders Had Pursued Militias
A department of the Iraqi prime minister's office is playing a leading role in the arrest and removal of senior Iraqi army and national police officers, some of whom have apparently worked too aggressively to combat violent Shiite militias, according to U.S. military officials in Baghdad.

Since March 1, at least 16 army and national police commanders have been fired, detained or pressured to resign; at least nine of them are Sunnis, according to U.S. military documents shown to The Washington Post.

Although some of the officers appear to have been fired for legitimate reasons, such as poor performance or corruption, several were considered to be among the better Iraqi officers in the field. The dismissals have angered U.S. and Iraqi leaders who say the Shiite-led government is sabotaging the military to achieve sectarian goals.

"Their only crimes or offenses were they were successful" against the Mahdi Army, a powerful Shiite militia, said Brig. Gen. Dana J.H. Pittard, commanding general of the Iraq Assistance Group, which works with Iraqi security forces. "I'm tired of seeing good Iraqi officers having to look over their shoulders when they're trying to do the right thing."



Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/29/AR2007042901728.html?hpid=topnews

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is someone planning a change of prime ministers?
Former Iraqi prime minister Ayad Allawi, a sharp critic of the Shiite-led Iraqi government, will participate in an international conference on the country next week, an Egyptian news agency reported Saturday. The move could spark conflict with Baghdad since Allawi is believed to be garnering support to replace Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's government, which he has accused of being sectarian.

[bemildred]

1. I guess Maliki's days are numbered, WaPo doesn't like him anymore.

I would hazard that we are going to get some more blather about the need for a "strong hand" in the coming days.

[foo_bar]

2. Maliki pulled a Gonzales, so we oppose sectarianism in government?

From the tangled web department:

"Their only crimes or offenses were they were successful"
(...)
"I'm tired of seeing good Iraqi officers having to look over their shoulders when they're trying to do the right thing."

[Vinca]

3. Between this and the government going on a 2 month vacation,

I don't know what the hell we are doing there for 1 day longer.