Heck of a job, Maliki! - Or where do all them "suicide" bombers come from?

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/HJ21Ak02.html

By Sami Moubayed

DAMASCUS - This Friday marks exactly the 150th day of Nuri al-Maliki's tenure as prime minister of Iraq. Usually in democracies, the performance of a prime minister and his government is measured by the first 100 days in office. Even with the extra 50 days, Maliki has failed completely to bring security to Iraq.

He has failed to disarm the militias. And he has failed to bring about economic reforms, in addition to being unable to combat unemployment or prevent the immigration of Iraqi youth. The
Ministry of Interior under Maliki is swarming with armed Shi'ite militias, just as it was under his predecessor, Ibrahim al-Jaafari.

The Iraqi police have been infiltrated by militiamen, who are using official equipment and funds to kill other Iraqis in the Iraqi Army, controlled by the Sunnis. Death squads roam the streets, killing over 100 Iraqis per day. Under Maliki, the death toll has risen to over 3,000 Iraqis killed per month. On the anniversary of his 150th day in power, 50 people were killed in Mosul, Kirkuk and Baquba, and another 100 were wounded, while 33 unidentified bodies - all shot in the head, were found in Baghdad. Earlier in the week, 60 beheaded bodies were found. snip

Under Maliki, according to a report in the London-based daily Al-Hayat, Iraqi men are carving tattoos on their bodies, with their home address and telephone number. This is so that if they are killed, mutilated or beheaded, police would be able to identify their bodies and send them back to their families for burial.

Although unconfirmed, some claim that the abundance of suicide bombers in Iraq under Maliki is a result of a trick carried out by the militias and the Ministry of Interior on ordinary Iraqi citizens. They offer young men well-paying, non-military jobs, which are quickly snapped up due to the terrible economic conditions, with no questions asked. While on duty, they are sent in a car to a certain location and told to call a certain person when they get there. The employee does not realize that his mobile phone is connected to a hidden car bomb. When he makes the call, his car explodes.

[madrchsod]

1. the same message from several quests on npr several days ago.

nothing in the msm here in the states. the quests also brought up the rumors that the us is secretly trying to get iran and syria to help stop the violence so the us can withdraw. the us faces a really ugly withdraw with out a deal that kissinger struck with the vietnamese...wait a minute- kissinger and bush`s viet nam references?

[Dhalgren]

2. I was wondering when this was going to happen.

From the article:

"With all of this going on in Iraq, it is not surprising that there is a lot of talk about a coup being planned to oust Maliki. Rumor has it that the newly created Iraqi Army, along with former officers in Saddam Hussein's forces, will stage a coup to topple Maliki and replace him with a strong prime minister who is able to clamp down on the militias.

This prime minister would be pro-American, owing no loyalty to the militias as Maliki or Jaafari did. The name circulating is former prime minister Iyad Allawi. Rumors add that the US would initially denounce the coup in lip-service to democracy, but eventually cooperate with the new regime because it would bring security to Baghdad.

It all just shows how impatient everybody is with Maliki. The coup scenario is being actively discussed by Iraqis - almost as if they actually want it to happen."

Meet the new Saddam, same as the old Saddam...

[filer]

3. Hey Bush. Got any spare Medals of Freedom hanging around?

Looks like your boy Maliki has earned himself one.