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Monday,
January 14, 2013. Chaos and violence continue, protests continue,
Nouri uses the Iraqi military to demonstrate in support of him, a tribal
leader and protest organizer is shot dead in his home, a for-show
'release' fails to generate the spin Nouri wanted, a man Barack's
Justice Department demonized took his own life, and more.
A
bit of news was supposed to reassure the international community that
Nouri al-Maliki was the thug the world suspected and cause them to say
"Look what he's done!" instead. However, that bit of Happy Talk just
got overshadowed by reality.
First for the wave of Happy Talk. Adam Schreck Qassim Abdul-Zahra and Sameer N. Yacoub (AP) report
that some 'prisoners' were 'freed' today with some ("dozens') at a
ceremony presided over by "one of the prime minister's most trusted
political allies" Deputy Prime Minister Hussain al-Shahristani who
distributed candy and Korans. Having a hard time seeing Nouri okaying
candy for Sunnis? You're not alone. Though they're trying to spin this
as prisoners being released to meet the protesters demands, they won't
give details about the prisoners (including whether they are Sunni or
not). Schreck notes that some of those 'freed' had already completed
their sentences. That's really not 'freed,' that's sentence was
completed and they were released. Suadad al-Salhy, Patrick Markey and Angus MacSwan (Reuters) also note the 'release' aspect, " Officials
said a ministerial committee had freed 335 detainees whose jail terms
had ended or whose cases had been dismissed for lack of evidence." In other words, people who should have never been held got released. And how many are women?
The western outlets -- except for AFP
-- have ignored that aspect. Women are said to have been raped and
tortured in the prisons. The protesters have demanded the women
prisoners be released, it's not a minor point. The Arabic press grasps
that. Alsumaria leads
with the claim that 335 prisoners have been released over the last days
and only four of these were women. Four. Alsumaria notes the mass
demonstrations that have been taking place and that the demands have
included demands about women prisoners. Via the BRussells Tribunal, let's note the basic demands of the protesters:
In
this situation it is of utmost importance that the international
community exposes the true nature of the al Maliki dictatorship and
stands with this broad movement for human dignity and against repression
and violations of human rights. It is therefore of vital importance
that all peace-loving forces support what is taking place on the streets
of Iraq.The protesters are justly demanding:1 – the immediate release of detained protesters and dissident prisoners.2 – a stop to the death penalty.3 – the approval of an amnesty law for innocent detainees.4 – the abolition of anti-terrorism laws (especially Clause 4 used to target them).5 – the repeal of unfair rulings against dissidents.6 – fair opportunities for work based on professionalism.7 – the end of the use of all military command based on geographic areas.8 – the provision of essential services to all areas in Iraq neglected by the state.9
– the holding of all members of governmental official, army or security
units who have committed crimes against dissidents accountable,
especially those who have violated the honour of women in prisons.10 – a UN sponsored population count.11
– an end to marginalization, and a stop to agitating divisions between
ethnic and religious groups, and a stop the house raids without legal
warrant based on the information of secret informers.12 – a stop to financial, administrative and legal corruption.13
– the combating of sectarianism in all its forms by returning Religious
buildings and all religion properties to their rightful owners and
the abolishment of law No. 19 of 2005.The International
Anti-Occupation Network (IAON) welcomes the spread of these
non-sectarian protests and supports the efforts of the Iraqi people to
regain their full independence and national sovereignty. 10 years of
foreign occupation is enough! 10 years of massive human rights
violations is enough! 10 years of corruption and depriving the whole
population of basic services is enough!
Now for the news that punctured Nouri's claims that things were improving, Alsumaria reports
that Mohammed Taher al-Rabbo Jubouri was shot dead in his Mosul home
today. The tribal leader, part of the Jabour tribe, was one of the
leaders of the protests. Unknown assailants carrying machine guns
stormed his home today and shot him dead. Let's all pretend this has
nothing to do with Nouri. And let's pretend to that it doesn't appear
that the US government hasn't recently labeled the protesters
terrorists. Throughout Iraq, things are happening. There's a label for
the actions taken against the protesters: counter-terrroism
measures. The US military remains in Iraq and the Memorandum
of Understanding For Defense Cooperation Between the Ministry of
Defense of the Republic of Iraq and the Department of Defense of the
United States of America (signed December 6th. -- see the December 10th and December 11th
snapshots) allows US troops to participate in counter-terrorism
operations. Someone needs to ask the White House and the State Dept (a)
who is targeting Iraqi protesters and (b) is the US military being used
to suppress a peaceful and popular uprising in Iraq?
The US-backed Nouri is tearing Iraq apart. A t Policy Mic, Kevin Coyne offers his predictions for 2013 which include "The Doomed" countries headed for deep trouble in 2013. Topping the list? 1) Iraq: Better
known to most Americans these days as "NotOurProblemAnymoreistan," Iraq
is in for one rough year – which is really saying something. The
federal system set up following the U.S. invasion is splitting apart at
the country's regional and sectarian seams, and upcoming provincial
elections in the spring will only exacerbate tensions.In
recent weeks, a national protest movement against the ineffective Shia
Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has spread, but frustration with the
status quo is about the only unifying element among the Sunni, Shia,
and Kurdish elements taking part. In 2013, expect the rift between the
cash-strapped government in Baghdad and the oil-rich autonomous Kurdish
region in the North to reach a breaking point. Also, while much is said
of the Sunni-Shia divide, keep an eye on rifts within the Shia majority,
which may not only cast out Maliki, but also topple the regime and send
everyone back to the streets to "re-negotiate" the political order…
Yesterday, Reuters noted that Minister of Finance Rafai al-Issawi was targeted with a bombing today which left two of his guards injured. Kitabat notes that al-Issawi's convoy had left Falluja and was headed for Abu Ghraib when the bomb went off. Al Mada explains he was in Falluja meeting with tribal leaders to discuss the demonstrations. World Bulletin reminds,
"The Sunni Muslim minister is caught up in a crisis that has triggered
protests in Sunni regions and is straining Shi'ite Prime Minister Nuri
al-Maliki's power-sharing government." AFP notes
protests began following "the December 20 arrest of at least nine of
Essawi's guards. Essawi is a leading member of the Iraqiya bloc, which,
while a member of Maliki's unity government, has called for him to
quit." Al Jazeera adds,
"Sunnis have also decried alleged misuse of anti-terror laws to hold
members of the minority community, and claim Sunnis are being targeted.
Former vice-president Tareq al-Hashemi, a Sunni, was handed down a death
sentence in absentia on charges of running a death squad, a charge he
denounced." Alsumaria notes
that Iraqiya has condemned the attack on al-Issawi and has called on
Nouri to ensures the protection and safety of Iraqi citizens.
Nouri
might not have targeted the Minister of Finance is the Iraqi President
had been in the country. Late on the evening of December 17th (see the December 18th snapshot), President Jalal Talibani had a stroke and was admitted to Baghdad's Medical Center Hospital. Thursday, December 20th, he was moved to Germany's Charite University Hospital. He remains in Germany currently. Al Mada reported
last week that Fuad Masum of the Kurdistan Alliance states he visited
with Jalal yesterday and that he is "steadily improving" that Jalal was
able to shake hands, that he listened and spoke -- and spoke to those
in the room in Kurdish, Arabic and English. Along with being president
of Iraq, Jalal Talabani is also the head of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (political party) which notes
that US President Barack Obama sent a message inquiring on Talabani's
health and "described President Jalal Talabani as a great friend of the
United States for many years and a vital leader of the new democratic
Iraq. I extend to you my best wishes for full and speedy recovery,
President Obama added." The PUK also notes,
"The Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, phoned Dr. Barham
Ahmed Salih the Second Deputy Secretary General of the Patriotic Union
of Kurdistan to ask about the health of President Mam Jalal, where he
expressed his happiness about the improvement in His Excellency's
health."
All Iraq News notes
that Moqtada al-Sadr issued a statement today calling on Nouri to
listen to the protesters demands and also noting the need to resolve the
issue of the presidency. Jatlal Talabani is seen as someone who is
able to smooth things over and with him out of the country there's no
one to fill that role. In addition, there is the role proper of
president and concerns about how long Iraq can go without an acting
president. Alsumaria adds
that al-Sadr fears a dictatorship if the issue of the presidency isn't
resolved soon. (President Jalal Talabani is in Germany recovering from a
stroke.) Hurriyet quotes
Moqtada stating, "If the problem of the presidency is not resolved, the
dictatorship will spread to the presidency from the prime ministry, and
this would make the situation worse and more problematic. Iraq is
like a son without a father because it does not have its president who
deals with problems and mediates." There's criticism from Parliament as
well. Reuters notes,
"Osama Al Nujaifi, parliament speaker and the most senior elected Sunni
figure, said Al Maliki should pass a draft amnesty law to free
detainees jailed on terrorism charges and modify laws that many Sunnis
say are used to target them unfairly. Protesters also want to end a
campaign against members of Saddam Hussain's outlawed Ba'ath party that
Sunnis fear is used to harass their leaders and sideline them from
politics." Sharif Nashashibi (Al Arabiya) takes issue with some in the media protraying the protests as sectarian:
However,
events have developed in a way that has crossed the sectarian divide,
although this has not been picked up by the media, which continues to
irresponsibly and inaccurately portray the situation in purely sectarian
terms.
Powerful Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr has come out in
support of the mainly Sunni demonstrations. While he has predicted an
"Iraqi Spring," there have been references in the media to a "Sunni
Spring" - similar to its much-loved but overused term "Shiite Crescent" -
as if Iraqis, and Arabs in general, define themselves by sect above
nationality.
Three days later, just before midday Friday prayers,
Sadr visited one of Baghdad's most prominent Sunni mosques, and
reiterated his backing for the protesters: "We support the demands of
the people, but I urge them to safeguard Iraq's unity." Maliki's former
ally was reportedly greeted by chants of "the unifier of Sunnis and
Shiites" and "the patriot," while women ululated and showered him with
candy.
Ayad Allawi, the Shiite former prime minister whose secular
al-Iraqiyya coalition of Sunnis and Shiites defeated Maliki in the last
parliamentary elections, has called for the prime minister's
resignation. The Majlis al-A'yan (council of tribal sheikhs) in the
predominantly Shiite province of Basra has also expressed solidarity
with the protests.
Demonstrators, too, have chanted "no to
sectarianism," and carried banners warning the government "not to draw
the country into sectarian conflict." Leaders of the protest movement
have made clear that they are not on the streets because Maliki is
Shiite, or just because of policies they deem sectarian. Alsumaria reports
that Nouri has sent Iraqi forces into Samarra with the intent of
stopping or 'stopping' the protest there -- 34 military vehicles arrived
in Baghdad late Sunday night. Political blocs are meeting to discuss the government's problems. Aswat al-Iraq reports,
"Chairmen of National Alliance and Iraqiya Parliamentary Bloc stressed
necessity to have a new political initiative to preserve Iraqi unity,
calling to implement Iraqi protestors' demands and to expel all tensions
between the parliament and the government. Ibraheem Jaffari of the
National Alliance and Salman al-Jumaaily of Iraqiya bloc discussed Iraqi
political scene and the demonstrations witnessed by Iraqi provinces."
Even Nouri's sometime friend Ammar al-Hakim, leader of the Islamic
Supreme Council of Iraq, is getting in on it. All Iraq News notes
that al-Hakim called a meeting with the National Coalition and they
agreed that the crises in Iraq needed to be resolved, that they should
entertain proposals from Ahmed Chalabi's National Congress Party and
they praised Moqtada al-Sadr while demanding Nouri's government start
implementing the laws Parliament is passing. On the topic of laws and bills, Aswat al-Iraq reports,
Press Freedom Defence Association announced completing the first
amendment to Journalists' Rights Law." Nouri's State of Law continues
to throw up roadblocks. Alsumaria notes that they demanded the vote on the Federal Court Act be postponed today. All Iraq News notes
that Speaker of Parliament Osama al-Nujaifi has decided that Minister
of Youth and Sports Jassim Mohammed Jaafar will be questioned in
absentia if he cannot appear before the Parliament in one week after he
refused last week to attend a hearing. There are rumors of vast
corruption in the Ministry. Jaafar was an MP State of Law named
following the March 2010 elections. Today, the bill on the presidencies
(limiting all to two terms -- not just the President of Iraq but also
the Prime Minister and Speaker of Parliament) was to be read again. In other news of Parliament, Kitabat reported
yesterday on new rumors that Nouri was planning to dissolve the
Parliament. Supposedly, State of Law has addressed this plan with
several Shi'ite blocs in the National Alliance but not Moqtada al-Sadr's
bloc.
Al Mada today reports
on the Sadr bloc's response to these rumors: Nouri would not dare
dissolve Parliament. Supposedly, the rumors go, Nouri's decided he can
seize the presidency if he dissolves the Parliament. It's not clear --
depending on which rumor is being covered -- how but there are two
arguments being put forward. In one, Nouri dissolves the Parliament and
oversees everything claiming he is the only legitimate figure. In the
other, Nouri dissolves the Parliament with the intent of new elections;
however, when elections do take place, Nouri now holds the position of
Prime Minister and President, he consolidates the two. There's
nothing in the Constitution that gives him the right to grab the
position. But that's never stopped him before. Dar Addustour
notes a third scenario. Some background first. During Nouri's first
term, Jalal was President. Iraq had two Vice Presidents then, Tareq
al-Hashemi and Adil Abdul al-Mahdi. In November 2010, the two would
start their second terms. In the spring of 2011, Adil Abdul al-Mahdi
would resign in disgust over the corruption. Tareq was targeted by
Nouri and now lives in Turkey -- he does remain Vice President. Nouri
has been uanble to get the votes needed to kick Tareq out of office. A
few weeks before al-Mahdi stepped down, Khodair al-Khozaei was named a
third vice president. He is Dawa. He is tight with Nouri. Dar Addustour reports
that Nouri wants to use Talabani being out of the country to elevate
al-Khozaei to the presidency -- for longer than the 30 days the
Constitution would allow -- and to then dissolve the Parliament.
President Khozaei would then name Nouri prime minister-designate.
Should
Nouri go forward with the questionable scenarios, one thing to keep in
mind is: What happens if the Parliament dissolved? What happens is what
Nouri's always wanted to happen -- his political rivals who are
currently MPs lose their immunity and can be tossed in prisons.
The Sadr bloc may be sure Nouri wouldn't do such a thing, but, based on his past record, who's to say? Fakhri Karim (Al Mada) notes
there appears to be no detterent to prevent Nouri from his latest
attempt to monopolize power and ignoring the Constitution and the
Parliament. Al Mada reports
that the Kurdistan Alliance and Iraqiya are stating they no longer
trust Nouri and are asking that the United Nations sit in on any
political dialogue.
Saturday, Nouri and his followers staged fake protests in Baghdad. AP explains that "about 2,000" Iraqis paraded through the city streets. More realistic, Prashant Rao (AFP) reported for AFP that "hundreds" were in Baghdad. He also noted banners including "I am Iraqi, I love Maliki." Xinhua also notes "hundreds." The Iraq Times notes that they carried signs calling for Parliament to be dissolved. CNN's Mohammed Tawfeeq Tweeted about the protest.
Looking
at pictures of the protests, it does appear to be hundreds. And it
does appear to be just men present, confession their love for Nouri ("I
am Iraqi, I love Maliki"). I guess we get now why these same thugs
pictured are the ones who target gays and lesbians in Iraq. They love
Nouri, they sexually desire him. They deride gays and lesbians, mock
them. But here they are, "Nouri's Puppies." To get those
hundreds, Nouri had his lovers bussed in from Basra, Dhi Qar, Maysana,
Karbala, Wasit and Babil. Approximately 40% present were said to have
been paid and some of those included Baghdad's homeless. All Iraq News notes Nouri issued a statement praising his loyalists -- specifically praising their throats. Al Mada notes
that Nouri's supporters are attempting to insist that -- despite
payment and bussing the people in -- the protest was spontaneous -- just
an outburst of love. Alsumaria reports
MP Baha Araji, with Moqtada al-Sadr's bloc, held a press conference
today in Baghdad noting that the participants were paid and refuting
the claim that the protest was spontaneous. In related news, Kitabat reports today that Dawa Party officers and soldiers in the Iraqi military are being forced
Since
there was no crackdown on the protest, maybe no one should refute that
it was 'spontaneous'? After all, isn't Nouri claiming the genuine
protests are illegal? So here's a faux-test by the Wives of Nouri
al-Maliki, one Nouri's government insists was spontaneous, but there
were no arrests, no atttempted arrests, no objections and Nouri even
praised them. Nouri's against 'unpermitted' protests? Doesn't
sound like it. Sounds like he's just against people speaking out
against him. Alsumaria notes
Nineveh Province Governor Atheel al-Nujaifi has pointed out that there
was no permit for Nouri supporters. al-Nujaifi notes that he doesn't
oppose any group of peaceful protesters but that there are different
standards for those who oppose Nouri. He also notes he saw military
soldiers and officers among those protesting on behalf of Nouri. Prashant Rao (AFP) reports
that the real protests continued today "in Samarra, Tikrit, Baiji and
Mosul" and that the highway between Baghdad and Jordan and Syria was
again blocked. He also informs that Anbar Province tribal leaders are
calling for Nouri to tender his resignation and quotes Imam Abdulrahman
al-Samarraie stating, "Maliki should leave, we have him many chances but
he did not do anything. He made many promises . . . but he did not
fulfil these promises. He should leave." KUNA adds,
"Iraq said on Saturday it was set to close two border crossings with
Syria a few days after closing the Traibeel border crossing with
Jordan." Wael Grace (Al Mada) explains
Iraiqya (political slate that came in first in the 2010 parliamentary
elections) states the border closing are an attempt to punish the
provinces. Alsumaria reports
that today also saw cleric and movement leader Moqtada al-Sadr issue a
statement calling on people to take part in Friday's demonstrations in
Iraq to show solidarity with the "innocent in Quetta, Pakistan."
(January 10th, the Pakistan city was targeted with bombings.)
Aaron
Swartz, who committed suicide on Friday, was by all accounts a
remarkable person. But he was by no means a radical. In his brief role
as an organizer with the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, he was
among those who were convinced that with sufficient pressure from its
activist base, the Obama administration would eventually reveal its
deeply obscured roots in traditional New Deal/Great Society liberalism.
It
hardly needs to be said that those of us who argued against him at the
time, as I did, take no pleasure in having been proven right in the
years since. The most tragic indication came two years ago when the
Obama justice department charged Swartz himself with a 12 count
violation of the 1986 Computer Fraud and Abuse Act for his attempt to
acquire, via the MIT server, the JSTOR scholarly archive and make it
available to the general public.
[. . .]
Those
of us who only know of Swartz's work in passing shouldn't feel any
compunction about doing so, and there is plenty of blame to go around.
Most
conspicuously, there is the Obama administration, and its deep pocket
contributors in the high tech, publishing and entertainment industries
who have attempted to make what they call the "theft" and what Swartz
regarded as the liberation of intellectual property a crime meriting the
most severe punishment. A ridiculously disproportionate 35 year
sentence was being aggressively pursued by Massachusetts Federal
Attorney, Carmen Ortiz who likely viewed the prosecution as an
opportunity to raise her profile within the party. The strategy seemed
to be working: Massachusetts Governor and close friend of Obama Deval
Patrick mentioned her as a likely successor.
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Mohammed Tawfeeq 
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