I'm counting on this guy to set up my client state for me
"Documents Exposed by Egyptian Government Weekly Allege Ties Between Iraqi PM and Iranian Revolutionary Guards," from MEMRI, with thanks to Maya:
An investigative article by journalist Mahdi Mustafa, published March 31, 2007 in the Egyptian government weekly Al-Ahram Al-Arabi, featured photographs of documents indicating that Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki has ties with Muqtada Al-Sadr and with the Iranian Revolutionary Guards. [1]The following are the main points of the article:
Al-Maliki Calls to Withdraw Iranian Revolutionary Guards Commanders from the Iraqi Front in Order to Protect Them
The first document, labeled "secret, personal, and urgent," is a January 2007 letter from Al-Maliki's office to the Iranian Embassy in Baghdad, with copies to the presidency of the [Shi'ite party] Supreme Council of the Islamic Revolution in Iraq and to the Al-Shahid Al-Sadr organization." [2] In it, Al-Maliki requests that the commanders of the Mahdi Army, who have ties with the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, be pulled off the Iraqi frontlines, in order to protect them from being arrested or killed. The following is a translation of the document:
"Secret, Personal and Urgent
"Based on a phone conversation with Sayyid Muqtada Al-Sadr and [after] consulting with [Iraq's National Security Advisor] Dr. Muwafaq Al-Rubai'i, in order to preserve our great achievements and in light of what the present circumstances demand, we ask to temporarily conceal the commanders of the Mahdi Army, who are connected to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, [and to remove them] from the front line [of battle] in order to protect them from being arrested or killed by the American forces. [The names of the commanders] are listed below. It would be best to send them to Iran for the time being, until the crisis passes.
"In addition, [we ask] to send the commanders from the second line [of battle] to the southern regions, since we know that intensive efforts are underway to persuade the Americans to leave the situation [there] as it is. All administrative and security arrangements for the transportation of these commanders have [already] been made.
"We ask you to implement [these orders] and report to us.
"[Signed,] Nouri Al-Maliki, Prime Minster [of Iraq]
Read it all.
One thing is common to all these twisted pretzel, convoluted, back-flipping, incomprehensible, internally-contradicted diplomatic enounters intramural to Dar al-Islam:
They are conducted strictly for show to Westerners, who pay their bills and supply their technology. Children doing a show and tell for their parents.
Having raised three children, I've seen many such performances. Didn't buy a damned one of 'em. Most resulted in scoldings, a few in spankings.
But here we have Dubya (Yale, Harvard) and Condi(Stanford) and Tony (Oxford) swallowing the whole Kabuki play hook-line-and-sinker.
Sad. Intellectual collapse is so sad. Especially with so many non-elites trotting into battle, and the rest of us looking to weather the invasion.
Re: I'm counting on this guy to set up my client state for me
The psychotic looks a bit like Fredo in this photo.
http://thegodfathertrilogy.com/gf2/wav/imsmart.wav
Not suprised. Lies within lies within lies. Forever and ever and ever. I call -Bullshit- on Islam.
I have a caption for this picture -
"I bet six dinars that they heard that fart in Ankara."
Pleeeeze, Marisol, do not remove.
Pelayo. LOL
But I was thinking more like this:
Mahmoud: Drinks and dancing girls for everyone. On this guy.
Nouri: What? Oh, well. Put it on my American Express.
Why am I not surprised, Maliki's, behavior has spoken volumes over the last year,especially when he scolded the American military for not notifying him that they where going after a Mutaqh Al Sadr stronghold in Ramadi.
If these documents are found to be factually true; maliki should be tried for treason against the Iraqi people.
Just shows that we need to establish a secular dictatorship in Iraq, get our troops out of the cities, and sieze the oilfields. A bit cynical? Just wait, we're still in the nice-guy phase of the War on Terror. The disillusionment hasn't fully set in yet.
Why is this a feature post when other stories are ignored. (rhetorical as this site can do as it pleases as it is privately owned.)
There is no news in Malaki having allegeance to the Sadr faction as they are the ones who are his power and security base. He would naturally contact Iran for coordination as Sadr and the Shia are Iranian based.
Of course, Malaki is going to try and protect them no different than Nance Pelosi or Harry Reid is going to protect units from their districts. You will remember Nance was scarf wearing around the Middle East talking to the same butchers.
The real story is the purpose of the Egyptian government in trying to destablize an Iraqi government which according to all who review it there on ground as forming a center government.
Apparently everyone missed the fact that a destablized Iraq means Egypt is the lone big boy on the block compared to a stablized Iraq which has formed which can become the next Japan of the Middle East engulfing the Saudis, Egyptians and Iranians combined.
That is the story and not Malaki doing what any politician does.......just like Jimmy Carter was helping the Soviet's maneuver so Ronald Reagan would not become President.
Some people say that we've been there to long, well i seem to remember that we spent some time in several nations after ww2. This war has just started and already 2 countries have been over whelmed by our pissed off attitude as a result of 9/11 , if this crap does come out as truth then no more nice guy to this country either, remove all of their government and declare marshall law with extreme prejudice!!!!!
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki has ties with Muqtada Al-Sadr
l dont think this is news to the Bush GOP, l heard about the US military being royally pissed they could not go after Sayyid Muqtada Al-Sadr from the orders of Maliki. furthermore Egypt wants to stop iranian from gaining more power, and therefore allowing this leak, maybe the media will hammer away at Bush for this set up by Maliki.
OLD SARGE, yes we spent many, many years in Germany, Japan, Korea, France, and others.
Difference: Hundreds and hundreds of soldiers were not being killed and maimed, and millions of dollars weren't lost in destroyed equipment.
Caption:
"Wait -- he's better looking than me -- this guy?"
I don't really doubt these documents..but it is necessary to have them verified by an independent source. Then, we should start pumping out as much oil as we can...to pay all the military expenses we have incurred over the past four years and enough for a large amount of money for each soldier or his family who was killed or injured in that place..and, oh yes, no refugees from Sunni or Shiite groups whining to come to the US because they were such great allies.
maryrose,
You're right. Al-Ahram could easily have pulled a Dan Rather. It is a Sunni paper in a Sunni country right? So it could try to discredit the Iraqi govt under Maliki. But this is not surprising, if the story is true.
I'm starting to agree with Hugh. Maybe we should get out.
I like what we're fighting against in Iraq, but pictures like this make me hate what we're fighting for.
Sun Tzu said "Know your enemy". We don't.
Aint it great to see who your friends are ?
No surprise here,
Saying it for years.
One has to be insane to trust anyone who believes in the koran.
Were in Iraq for our safety and advantage, not Maliki's.
al-ahram isn't known for its credibility, based on the previous items they've put out in the past.
Srutinize with exceptionally grave caution.
The post-war situation after WWII was very different. Fascism had been decisively defeated and discredited. In Iraq, Islam is still alive and well, so reform is problematic.
From above: Sun Tzu said "Know your enemy". We don't.
Oh yes we do...at least some of us...
This is a surprising turn of events? No it's not, it was predictable. The enemy is pointing to the enemy in the photo. Behind both of them is the driving force of Allah and Islam, the real enemy's.
Both of these characters look stoned. Must have just come from prayer, where they got a fresh dose of the mind bending Allah...
You allow the conquered nation to set up their own anti-secular Constitution, and this is the result.
The groundwork was on sand, so no structure will stand.
Islam is a foundation for nothing but war.
Against each other and everyone else.
We needed a Black Jack Pershing.
We got a Headless Horseman.
With succeeding pumpkins.
Bush... Rumsfeld... Rice.
Too afraid to dare learn.
What the Koran says.
duh_swami - Unfortunately, you and a lot of the JW posters may know the enemy, but we don't run the government.
"...in order to preserve our great achievements ... we ask to temporarily conceal the commanders of the Mahdi Army, who are connected to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, [and to remove them] from the front line [of battle] in order to protect them from being arrested or killed by the American forces."
From the article above.
What this does is put the situation in front of the president and demands that Maliki define "our great achievements". Were they Iraqi or IRG or a combination of the two - the Shi'a revival?
Assuming the truth of the memo, al-Maliki and President Bush have lost plausible deniability in this matter. Neither man can claim that Moqtada al-Sadr "fled to Iran". Al-Maliki can't claim to be safeguarding Iraqi interests. President Bush can't claim to be making headway against the Mahdi Army if the Iraqi leadership was complicit in their fleeing the battlefield.
Can we please leave now?
l heard that in Germany they want to give human righst status to some chimp. guess looking at this
photo op of nutjob from iran, l can see where they think German chimps have more humane traits than this these shites islamists.
R.S. provides a link (we in the West were aware early on of the link between Iran and al-Maliki) dated September 13, 2006. Nothing is published in the Egyptian presses without Mubarak's approval. It's taken Mubarak a little over 6 months to cast doubt on the al-Maliki regime. Al-Maliki is in power because he promised the Americans to bring together a "unity" goverment (that is, he'd not demonstrate favoritism to the Shiites; and he wouldn't discriminate against the Sunnis.) Mubarak (Sunni) is undermining the al-Maliki goverment...perhaps his patience with al-Maliki has worn thin. (fears the hand-over of Iraq to Shiites in Iran and the creation of an enboldened shiite population.)
Ahmadinejad looking more and more bizarre lately.
What a mug.!
I wonder what Mohammand looked like. I know he had lice.
Works for me. Here's your window of opportunity: The U.S. now has the chance to withdraw gracefully. Not that this wasn't known to the American intelligence community, but that an Arabic press has broken this story gives them a clean break.
Begin to sever ties to the regime and withdraw support, but negotiate a peaceful coexistence with them, taking a defensive posture. Forget about the Billion-Dollar embassy you're building in Baghdad -- you won't be needing one soon, but seeing as it's being built like a Fortress, keep it as a military outpost, armed and outfitted with the most modern equipment for security and defence, and clear a perimeter of any immediate dangers.
Then follow Pipes' plan: leave the internal policing of sectarian battles to the regime and wish them the best of luck, intervening only when it strategically fits the American interest or when humanitarian necessity is overwhelming. Withdraw most forces into the desert, setting up several secure forward bases far from hostile elements, which can be resupplied, serviced and protected by air, and set up surveillance and strike capacity along all borders. Seal the country from military traffic from all sides, and let the internal forces find their natural balance.
Stop all attempts at nation building until it is clear that there is a government willing to cooperate with the process and, in the meantime, let them try to fix their own problems. If they want intervention let them come and negotiate for it so that it is amply clear to all that the Americans are not trying to set up puppets, but are there to serve people of good will and to keep tyrants from having free rein.
I'm betting this move will actually save money (maybe even meet the Democrat's desired figures). It will certainly save American lives, and it will position the U.S. to simply walk away any it is clear that there is no point in continuing.
This isn't the only option, but clearly almost any really good, decisive move at this point will make an enormous difference in world attitude toward the U.S. and save you folks from this %$#%hole you've gotten yourselves into.
Does anybody else think these two people look just extremely strange? There is none of the elegance of any human form in either one of them.
And can somebody tell me why it is that these two guys think it's OK to have their picture taken when the Qur'an explictly states against showing the human form in relief? According to the Wahhabists you can't PAINT a human form in three dimensions or sculpt it (despite the fact the Ottomans did it all the time), but it's OK for these two creeps to have their pictures taken constantly.
Disgusting. Just disgusting.
The Persian regime represents orthodox Islam. They are not able to reform the platform. New possibilities are a threat to the apparatus. Outside influences, or ways of doing things, are condemned.
But change is unstoppable. Iraqis know they must think, take risk, and build skills. They link to information from the developed world. They are motivated and flexible, and find compatibility. They need to challenge, revel flaws, and learn from experience. They embrace and teach others about western ideas and values.
bi·zarre [ bi zr ]= Ahmadinejad
adjective
Definition:
grotesquely odd: amusingly or grotesquely strange or unusual
If these documents are found to be factually true; maliki should be tried for treason against the Iraqi people.
Posted by: Mackie
Which Iraqi people, the Sunni, Shiites or Kurds?
Nouri Al-Maliki proably fancies himself a Shiite patriot, if there is such a thing as a Muslim patriot. He is a Shi'a Muslim after all, or should I say before all else.
What on earth is wrong with Ahmadinejad's eyes?
He looks like something that just climbed out of the pit.
Lack of "vitamultin"...like his mentor,
adolf hitler.
lol
The eyes are the windows of the soul.
Hell isn't that what Rice and Pelosi are doing? Didn't they make the pretension of this is how you acquire peace?!
"here we have Dubya (Yale, Harvard) and Condi(Stanford) and Tony (Oxford) swallowing the whole Kabuki play hook-line-and-sinker"
Oh, well said APF
The really funny thing is there are people who are shocked, SHOCKED I SAY when confronted with this. You mean, the Iranian's know more about their backyard than a bunch of swaggering blowhard Neo Cons?
I'M SHOCKED I TELL YOU , SHOCKED
"Just shows that we need to establish a secular dictatorship in Iraq
More wisdom, this time from Jewdog. Of course, before the brilliant invasion that's exactly what we had.
F*&*&^g Neo Cons.
"You allow the conquered nation to set up their own anti-secular Constitution, and this is the result"
Yes, profitsbeard, which should have given even the lebotomised pinheads who supported the invasion, pause for thought. But, of course, how can they be EVER wrong? After all, have you seen their strut? Their swagger? Heard them woof lately? Friggin' blowhards.
Thsee mugs went against the Chief of Staff. How dumb was that?
These people would F*&K up making the proverbial cup of tea.
A trillion bucks down the proverbial toilete and more dead Infidel soldiers lives gone.
WOOOOOOOOAH ! GREAT PLAN
As I said, we got suckered into this crap by an Iranian stooge and the Iranian haven't stopped pissing their knickers ever since.
I am just pointing out that the Maliki administration is forging ties with Al-Sadr and Ahmadinejad NOW, in the middle of the U.S. "surge", when we haven't begun to put real pressure on them, we haven't set deadlines for a pullout, we haven't set a single "benchmark"
for them to meet. We are still in the middle of sending them billions in unconditional aid as this is happening.
Because when we pull out (and we will), and when the Iraqi Shi'a form an allegiance with Iran (and they will), we will hear from our Administration how it is Harry Reid's and Nancy Pelosi's fault. It's not. It has nothing to do with the infidels or our petty politics. It has to do with over a thousand years of Islamic history.
Bush didn't cause this, Rice didn't cause it, no American caused this. This is the Iraqi people (well, the Shi'ites anyways) choosing their destiny, as any honest and informed pundit (if there were such a thing) could have predicted. Our only mistake was in telling ourselves that the Iraqi people were our friends and allies. They are not.
They do not deserve our help. We should end it. Now.
I don't want to insult Tilt-A-Whirl operators, but Ahmadinijad looks like those leering guys who run carnival rides.
Lame Cherry
I agree that Egyptians may play games on this issue (Sunni Egypt vs. Shia Iran etc..) however it still does not change the turth. Shia Iraq is wanted by Iran. It does not change the fact that Iraq is doomed to failure. The place has been a mess long before America even existed.
There comes point in time when you must take the gloves off and re-define the war and it meaning. The war is a war of Islamic aggression. Simple as that. Their goal is world wide domination. The Shia and Sunni have differing views on what that utopia should look like. In fact there are differeing views on with each sect.
One thing is clear they are both the enemy. All this talk of moderate vs. extreame will not matter in the end. The dye has already been cast. The clash of civilizations is on and the two fellows in the picture are the enemy....
neither is our friend.
In fact I will go one step furthur. The current Iraq government is the enemy of the USA. That is right!
G.W. has accomplished nothing other then shuffle the cards around. The picture above is a great visual truth. The enemy above is getting billions of U.S. tax dollars to plan our destruction.
I was watching "Last of the Mohicans" tonight and it got me thinking...
Are we not the Native Americans selling Manhattan Island for beads and shells? Someone up there must have a sense of humor.
Dear Archimedes2
Hate to sound like a pedant.
But I gotta tell ya honey, there’s only ONE % in shit.
They both look like they need a new "Philishave" razor.
Posted by: Lame Cherry at May 4, 2007 07:40 PM
Thats kind of like saying abbas is a modarate?
Wonder if the Iraqi people will do what the Italians did to Mussillini?
So this guy is helping kill the Iraqi people selling them out to the Iranis?
Sad Sad!!
This creep redefines the word "traitor" for all Americans and Iraqis.
To think good, brave Americans in uniform are willing to risk their lives to protect this creep is a waste of time and energy.
What he deserves is a very warm and enthusiastic reception in the Sunni Triangle with the Sunnis he has been selling out since he took office.
The revenue stream from American taxpayers who are funding this traitor and his cronies should dwindle to a mere drip. This will mean more money for the weapons and operational capacity of our soldiers who are actually keeping civil peace.
I heard they had half-an-hour of electricity in Baghdad the other day. Its too bad that Al-Maliki isn't bathed in sweat and wondering when we're going to turn the lights on for him.
Unfortunately, this entire Iraqi democracy fiasco has only proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Iraqis would rather "fight than switch; fight for Islam than switch to a democracy."
The 7th Century Boys' Club cannot be reformed, nor redeemed. Unless, of course, the Rotarians are going to adopt a new name: "Motarians."
"Just shows that we need to establish a secular dictatorship in Iraq
More wisdom, this time from Jewdog. Of course, before the brilliant invasion that's exactly what we had.
From a posting above
And another southern religioso destroyed the secular dictatorship in Iran. Bush is only following the example set by self-righteous Democrats.
"Seal the country from military traffic from all sides, and let the internal forces find their natural balance."
Archimedes2,
Easier said than done. You'll just be taking fire from both sides. Leave the desert and that entire country. It's theirs. They deserve it.
Maybe it will one day become the Shangri-La of the Middle East, but not in any of our lifetimes. Islam and Arab supremacy trump all.
Unfortunately for those of us living in the West, there is one major ingredient missing from 99.9% of our politicians. It's a little thing called "street smarts." You couldn't convince them of that, of course, because they do, after all, know so much more than the rest of us.
Can't the really serious jihadists learn to tie a necktie?
Or at least buy a "clip on"?
This falafel vendor look is declasse.
He is catching on to the American way. Or are we catching on to terrorist way? Everyone has had to learn to kiss ass sooner or later. But for real Sadr? He murdered a shiek! We want to shake hands with Ahmadajad! Sshpoo.... Then what would you do if you knew we were leaving. I got to go think again!
MEMRI, like most of these "translation services," are extremely slow on the uptake, but seem to come through right when some political event happens (like the meetings in Egypt...coincidence? Or former Israeli generals doing what they do best?) Unfortunately for JihadWatch, this article was discussed avidly in the Egyptian and other Arab media for the entire month of April and continues today, which has resulted in the belief that these documents have virtually no merit, and it is extremely shaky whether these documents came from Maliki's office (as was claimed in the report) or were simple forgeries. However, simply because the article existed means that it was right at one point...right?
Just doing some thinking...
(I am not arguing here that Iran doesn't have some significant influence in Iraq...they have every reason to because if you had a serious civil war fed by the corruption and occupation of a massive army whose idea of winning hearts and minds is building walls around neighborhoods, launching house-to-house raids and has a reputation for killing civilians [they do have such a reputation, speak to any Iraqi that managed to get out, like in Syria or Jordan], you would probably work on some kind of plan to cut that stuff out too.)
--Also, the Maliki government is corrupt beyond belief (probably because the people picked it because it is what the US wanted and I don't think any population is going to vote against 100,000 soldiers and the world's largest army staring at you. Also, the complete chaos provides little incentive for the Iraqi government to do things right--just get what you can, save yourself and get the hell out.)
"Watcher",
You wrote: "this article was discussed avidly in the Egyptian and other Arab media for the entire month of April and continues today..."
Please provide some citations or links.
Profitsbeard--
I came across an article a while back (unfortunately, it didn't cite its sources) that said the necktie was frowned upon in post-revolutionary Iran as too Western an accessory.
So there might be more to Ahmadinejad's fashion statement than the "ordinary average guy" (with apologies to Joe Walsh) angle. I'm hoping I can find more about that at some point.
Ahmad would have a picture taken kissing Madonna, ON THE LIPS, just to stir things up. The man is addicted to creating chaos w/controversial "allies".
Hey -- it could happen, since Madonna claims to be a "virgin", and we all know the appeal they have on Muslims.
Just mail this photo to all Sunni Iraqies and Al'Queda. Then we should get out and allow the civil war to begin in earnest.
Watcher:
Is that what you call thinking???
(I am not arguing here that Iran doesn't have some significant influence in Iraq...
No, really? Iraq has some 60-65% of the population Shia. Iraq also is home to the sacred Shia shrines like Samarra which are a draw to Iranians.
... and occupation of a massive army whose idea of winning hearts and minds is building walls around neighborhoods, launching house-to-house raids and has a reputation for killing civilians
Yes unfortunate. But do remember that there is opposition that consists of ex-Baathist secular members, Sunni Muslims and Al Qaeda. None wish to see Shia becoming more prominent. That is not America's fault. That fault line in Islam goes back 1300 years.
Also, the Maliki government is corrupt beyond belief...
What evidence do you have for that?
Seeing as they are barely in control of their own country, how do they manage to exercise this so called corruption?
(probably because the people picked it because it is what the US wanted and I don't think any population is going to vote against 100,000 soldiers and the world's largest army staring at you.
Absolute fabrication. The people freely voted.
Iraq is 2.5 times the size of France with at least about 26 million people, how can 100,000 soldiers force a vote? And how could America persuade its soldiers to do that when that action is in violation of its own Constitution?
Complete brain-dead thinking by Watcher.
But then Muslims are prone to believing in fantastic conspiracy theories.
Your thinking is just opinion. Not backed up by any evidence.
What makes them think running to Iran is such a great idea?
Al'Quida is forced to carry on the fight in Iraq to the growing displeasure of their Sunni Brethren, while the Shia run away.
Is it ever going to be "safe" for AL Sadar to come back to Iraq? I would surmise it would be very difficult for him to do so with US still there.
Can't the really serious jihadists learn to tie a necktie?
Or at least buy a "clip on"?
This falafel vendor look is declasse.
Posted by: profitsbeard
Some moslems believe the tie is a symbol of the cross. ??
http://www.askimam.org/fatwa/fatwa.php?askid=69005d0fc5f4e8373f106f1ce60a57de
It's not just Iranians who don't wear a tie -- it's all islamists (or the religiously inclined Muslim). The tie is claimed to look like a cross (because the knot has a diamond, or four corners -- cruciform). Men aren't supposed to wear silk or jewelry (gold), etc., either. this is well known and old news...
Caption for Picture: Prez of Iran states: "Eh? What's that? No, No, No, you mistake! I'm the organ grinder! -- He's the monkey!"
Wonder if the Iraqi people will do what the Italians did to Mussillini?
So this guy is helping kill the Iraqi people selling them out to the Iranis?
I hate to break the news to you, but a majority of the Iraqi people (i.e., the Shiites) have no problem with what Maliki is doing.
This is the entirely predictable result of getting rid of Saddam (who at least was helping contain Iran, while running the "secular dictatorship" that jewdog says we should [re-]establish) and instituting democracy.