Out of hiding: The engineer whose ‘evidence’ led to war in Iraq An Iraqi engineer who provided the information that became one of the key planks in the Bush administration’s case justifying the invasion of Iraq has been tracked down by undercover reporters to a drab residential block in southern Germany. Rafid Ahmed Alwan, code-named […]
Iraq’s latest battle A.J. Rossmiller …In reality, Maliki (et al, including, it seems, US officials) drastically misjudged his ability to project power in Basra against the Mahdi Militia. As it turns out – and I know you’ll be shocked to hear this – it’s tough to fight an indigenous force that is highly motivated, knowledgeable […]
HUD Secretary Expected to Quit Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson is expected to announce his resignation Monday, according to people familiar with the matter, a decision that will deal a blow to the Bush administration’s efforts to tackle the housing crisis. The exact reasons for Mr. Jackson’s decision couldn’t be learned. Earlier this […]
Al – Sadr Pulls Fighters Off Streets In a possible turning point in the recent upsurge in violence, Muqtada al-Sadr ordered his Shiite militiamen off the streets Sunday but called on the government to stop its raids against his followers. The government welcomed the move, which followed intense negotiations by Shiite officials, including two lawmakers […]
The Battle in Basra Escalates Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has staked his credibility and that of his government on the Iraqi military’s ability to crack down on militants in Iraq’s second-largest city. He and top security ministers traveled south as the operation got underway to supervise it in person. But the pretense that the […]
Shiite Leader Al-Sadr Defies Iraq Gov’t Anti-American Shiite militia leader Muqtada al-Sadr ordered his followers Saturday to defy government orders to surrender their weapons, as U.S. jets struck Shiite extremists near Basra to bolster a faltering Iraqi offensive against gunmen in the city. Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki acknowledged he may have miscalculated by failing to […]
U.S. Has Little Influence, Few Options in Iraq’s Volatile South … President Bush yesterday hailed the decision of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to launch a full-scale military offensive against militias in Basra as a "defining moment" for his leadership. But other officials said the administration remains unsure of Maliki’s motives and warned that the […]
Spinning the Bloodshed in Basra By Dan Froomkin Thursday, March 27, 2008; 1:43 PM There is plenty of reason to doubt the White House spin… At last, someone is calling it when it’s happening. Thanks Dan… Bush’s Simplistic Vision By Dan Froomkin Friday, March 28, 2008; 1:36 PM The new wave of violence sweeping Iraq […]
My last post was something I woke up thinking. I guess it’s like going to bed worrying, and waking up knowing what to do. I believe this is a Bush/Cheney Operation. They got Malaki to initiate it because they could legitimately say, if you don’t do this now, you’re going to be left with an […]
Scenario I: Prime Minister Nouri Kamal al-Malaki using his Iraqi Army engages the rogue elements of Cleric Moqtada al-Sadr’s Mahdi Army setting off a full scale Shiite Civil War in Iraq. Scenario II: Cleric Moqtada al-Sadr’s Mahdi Army engages the Iraqi Army of Prime Minister Nouri Kamal al-Malaki setting off a full scale Shiite Civil […]