BLAD AL_ARAB AUTANI: And things only get worse in Iraq

Saturday, 30 May 2015

And things only get worse in Iraq

The Common Ills

In December 2011, as the US military was implementing the Pentagon's drawdown from Iraq, then-prime minister and forever thug Nouri al-Maliki began using the military to target his political rivals. Various Sunni leaders in Baghdad were targeted as he had military tanks circling their homes. Most infamously, he had Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi and Deputy Prime Minister Saleh al-Mutlaq removed from a plane headed to northern Iraq. They were held for a few hours before being released and allowed to board the plane. The next day, Nouri issued an arrest warrant for Tareq al-Hashemi. The targeting of Sunni politicians never ended under Nouri.

Enter new prime minister Haider al-Abadi representing change or 'change.'

And nothing has changed.

Sunnis remain targeted, Sunnis continue to be arrested without warrants, they continue to be threatened and bullied and now it's time for Haider to go after Sunni politicians.

Atheel al-Nujaifi is the Governor of Nineveh Province. He is also someone Nouri repeatedly attempted to force out of office. He is also the brother of Vice President Osama al-Nujaifi (one of Iraq's three vice presidents).

And now he's supposedly out of office.

Al Manar reports that 169 MPs voted to remove Atheel as governor and State of Law MP Hatham al-Jubouri insists this took place following "a formal request from the prime minister" to remove al-Nujaifi.

There's no report on how many MPs were present so its not even known if there was a quorum. Atheel has twice been elected governor.

No surprise, he is not just saying, "Okay, whatever."

All Iraq News reports he stated that he is still the governor and that he has received no notification that this has changed. He is quoted stating, "The members of the State of Law Coalition voted for dismissing me because I rejected involving the Popular Mobilzation Forces (PMF) in liberating Nineveh. I have been dismissed for different reasons that include my last visit to the US [. . .]"

State of Law is the political coalition headed by Nouri al-Maliki. The so-called Popular Mobilization Forces are the Shi'ite militias -- many of which are the thugs accused of crimes against civilians.

MP Hadi al-Amiri is a thug. He heads the Badr militia. Alsumaria reports that he was crowing that Atheel is "a lesson" for those who betray. He is most infamous internationally for threatening to mutilate Americans a few weeks back when he was unhappy with a bill being considered in the US Congress.

The following community sites -- plus Susan's On the Edge and Jody Watley -- updated: