Comments on Informed Comment: Ayatollah Yaqubi Demands Khalilzad's Expulsion Ma...

Abbas Khadim has an interesting article in Al-Ahra...

2006-04-01T18:22:00.000-05:00

Abbas Khadim has an interesting article in Al-Ahram

Here are some extracts :
Against the wishes of the US Embassy and its close Iraqi allies, Ibrahim Al-Ja'fari was nominated by one vote over the US favourite -- or "the lesser of two evils" -- Adel Abdul-Mahdi of the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI).
The main problem that emerged from the recent Iraqi election, and the previous ones, is the devastating failure of US favourite candidates to achieve any success. .. Disturbing as it may be, this outcome is a test for the US rhetoric about democracy in the Middle East.

The next project Ambassador Khalilzad introduced is the establishment of a government institution consisting of the heads of the winning lists which is going to serve as a board of directors over the government. First of all, such council flies in the face of the Iraqi constitution. Second, it is going to establish the principle of consensus and stalemate and undermine electoral democracy. Iraqis are already seeing it for what it really is: an attempt to admit the losers from the window and make them equal to the winners of the election.

In defense of this council, the proponents say that it is a way to revive the Governing Council which former US administrator Paul Bremer appointed shortly after the occupation of Iraq. Given the fact that the Governing Council turned out to be the most incompetent and trivial institution in the history of Iraq, one can easily see what its revival will accomplish in the upcoming era.

The USA cannot put humpty dumpty together again; t...

2006-04-01T16:34:00.000-05:00

The USA cannot put humpty dumpty together again; that is the reality of the situation, but then it is good if the USA remains in Iraq for 'as long as it takes to do the job (what job).

All the American experts so they call them are useless ! There is no solution while the USA remains the occupation force in Iraq because the USA is that breed of BULL IN A CHINA SHOP. They are too stupid to know that they are too stupid. just today I hear Condileesa rice say to a few British school children that the USA made many mistakes but the USA is right and it was worth every American dead and wounded to get good ole Saddam. Yes All of 2,400 dead, GI, 17,000 traumatised GI wounded and all of 200,000 dead Iraqi civilians and who knows how many Iraqi wounded Iraqi civilians.

What is more long lasting & terminally damaging to the USA economy is the utter & senseless waste of USA$ 2 trillion thrown down the shit hole of Iraq. The USA is already on the tipping point of going bankrupt and those lovely green backs (printed of course)will be the last straw.

AMERICA IS GOING BROKE.

Dr. Jaafari and Da&wa and Fadiyla and the Sadriyya...

2006-04-01T13:44:00.000-05:00

Dr. Jaafari and Da&wa and Fadiyla and the Sadriyya are not very good at _Realpolitik_, I'd say. It would serve them right if they managed to chase Z. Khalilzad back to Crawford but then found themselves stuck with him making exactly the same GOP occupation policy from there as from the Green Zone. Politically competent persons would aim at changing the policy first, after which Sultan Zalmay would automatically have to resign or be dismissed.

They way they are actually carrying on, they'll probably change neither the person nor the policy and only manage to make Dubya and the GOP more petulant than ever. Not very smart.

But God knows best.

Khalilzad reports to W, not to the mullahs. He is...

2006-04-01T09:45:00.000-05:00

Khalilzad reports to W, not to the mullahs. He is to represent the US, not Iraqi factions. Were W to replace him at all, perhaps it would be with another trusted insider in the mold of Bolton, Libby, or Negroponte.

Ya`qubi denounces the US and Sunnis. Does he admit any Shia complicity in the violence?

Are the Shia clerics and their political parties are unwilling or unable to curb the death squad actions against Sunnis? Are they really pulling for a US embassador who will turn a blind eye to this?

Any sermons where Shia clergy specifically denounce the abuses of the Shia-dominated Interior Ministry?

The Shiia Turbans do not fully understand what the...

2006-04-01T05:31:00.000-05:00

The Shiia Turbans do not fully understand what the Afghan Hound is trying to do.

Bush's talk of "complete victory" is sincere, based on getting the insurgents not only to accept the US occupation, but to cooperate with it!

The senior Baathists in Jordan and Syria have persuaded the Americans that they "owned" the insurgency. They want a share of government in exchange for turning the insurgents into an American tool.

This is complete garbage. The senior Baathist are loathed even by the ex-Baathists. Only the top layer and Saddam's family benefitted from his rule. The vast majority of Sunnis and Baathists were as mush victims as everyone else.

Sure, the insurgents do accept money and help from the Baathists. They are fighting the biggest military power in history without any support from any country. But nothing short of a complete end of occupation would satisfy them. In short, the Americans are being taken for a ride.

The Sunni Turbans and neo-Baathists lists also want to milk the stupidity of the USA to get more power. In that, they no longer represent their constituencies but thier narrow personal gains.

The solution now is to follow the rules and have fresh elections. Having seen what secterian rule is like, this time the voters will not settly for "vote for us, and you will be safe and rich" but will ask for manifesto, in particular the position on the key issue: Federalism (opposed by the majority even in the south;) Shariia Law; and Kirkuk.