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If he really intends to use maximum force against terrorism, does he intend to move against the dissemination of the jihad ideology, which legitimizes violent acts? Will he encourage a national discussion about the "role of Islam" in the Iraqi government as it relates to jihad violence? "Iraqi PM vows "maximum force" as bombs kill 19," from Reuters, with thanks to JE:
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq's Prime Minister Nuri al- Maliki vowed to use "maximum force against terrorism" on Sunday, as bombs killed at least 19 people in Baghdad during the first meeting of his national unity cabinet.In a reminder of the task Maliki faces in stemming bloodshed and drawing angry, fearful Iraqis back from the brink of civil war, a suicide bomber killed at least 13 people and wounded 18 in a crowded restaurant popular with police.
A day after parliament approved the cabinet of Shi'ites, minority Sunnis and Kurds and its programme to combat violence and consolidate the U.S.-sponsored transition to democracy, U.S. President George W. Bush said the new government marked a "new day for the millions of Iraqis who want to live in freedom."
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said it was too early to commit to sending home some of the 130,000 U.S. troops and said top U.S. military commanders will meet the Iraqi government over the coming weeks to discuss the roles of Iraqi and U.S. forces.
"It is premature before we've even had this discussion with the Iraqi government to start giving firm commitments on what the drawdown will look like," Rice told Fox television.
Maliki said in the programme he read to parliament he will work to complete rebuilding Iraq's U.S.-trained armed forces so that foreign troops could leave within an "objective timetable."
Bush, who is eager to show signs of progress in a war he launched three years ago to remove Saddam Hussein and is costing almost daily casualties to American troops, also said the new government marked a "new chapter" in Iraqi-U.S. relations. He called Maliki and other Iraqi leaders to congratulate them.
"MAXIMUM FORCE"
Briefing reporters after the cabinet met in Baghdad, Maliki, a tough-talking Shi'ite Islamist, said his government would hold out the offer of dialogue to Sunni rebels who lay down weapons and finish off militias -- a tall order given the attachment his Shi'ite and Kurdish allies maintain to their own armed groups.
"We will use maximum force against terrorism, but we also need a national initiative" for reconciliation, he said. "Militias, death squads, terrorism, killings and assassinations are not normal and we should put an end to the militias."...
Despite Maliki's efforts to forge consensus among Iraq's rival communities, partisan wrangling over jobs and differences over the role of Islam, the sharing of Iraq's natural resources and the structure of the Iraqi state highlight the problems he will face in holding his colleagues to a common policy.
Posted by Robert at May 22, 2006 7:49 AM
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its all just pissin in the wind - its a sectarian government that is at best irrelevent to what is going on in the street - we should pull out soon and let the chips fall.
Posted by: johnmac![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.jihadwatch.org/nav-commenters.gif)
at May 22, 2006 8:21 AM
Abbas told us, ‘We also can’t let Iran have nuclear weapons,’” Peres said Monday during a trade meeting in Tel Aviv. “The Iranian threat is not just an Israeli problem – every citizen of the world should be concerned,” Peres said.
“There is no escape. The whole world must organize on the Iranian issue, although I would figure the Iranians will take no heed anyway,” Peres said. “The problem of fanatical Islam is that they see themselves above all other people. The most dangerous regimes saw themselves as superior to others – that’s how it was with communism and with Nazismhttp://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3253729,00.html
at May 22, 2006 8:32 AM
U.S. exercise with Turkey is aimed at Iran
Mon. 22 May 2006
The New York Times
By STEVEN R. WEISMAN
WASHINGTON, May 21 — The United States will hold a joint military exercise using naval, army and air forces with Turkey next week aimed at demonstrating a determination to stop missile and nuclear technology from reaching Iran and other countries, Bush administration officials said Sunday.
The officials said the exercise was part of a three-year effort known as the Proliferation Security Initiative, under which the United States and cooperating countries carry out military and naval exercises to interdict nuclear materials and contraband.
The initiative also involves efforts to restrict financing and suspect commercial transactions for Iran, North Korea, Syria, Cuba and other countries.
About 20 such exercises have taken place in the last three years, beginning with naval exercises off Japan that have angered the government of North Korea, which has accused the United States of using intimidation tactics.
The United States is trying to persuade friendly countries near the Persian Gulf, Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean to join in the exercises, but has met with limited success, administration officials say.
http://www.iranfocus.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=7288
at May 22, 2006 8:38 AM
'Millions of iraqis who want to live in freedom'. Mr. Prez has not changed his speech writers. Or his advisors, either.
Posted by: arjun.sevak at May 22, 2006 8:44 AM
A group of Israeli lawmakers and former diplomats plan to sue Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, accusing him of conspiring to commit genocide, one of those involved said Monday.
Ahmadinejad recently said Israel should be wiped off the map and dismissed the Nazi Holocaust as a "myth."
Dore Gold, a former Israeli ambassador to the United Nations, said Ahmadinejad's comments violate the 1948 UN Genocide Convention, to which Iran is a signatory.
The Foreign Ministry on Monday refused to comment on the lawsuit, calling it a "private initiative."
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1145961391914&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
Posted by: storagemanager at May 22, 2006 8:45 AM
They got their "democratic" government.
Hurrah.
Time to phase-out the coalition troops, and let's allow the Muslims to return to killing one another, on their own, over the 1300 year old Sunni-Shi'ite schism within Islam. (Spruced-up as "sectarian violence".)
We can supply them with 'morale boosters' like free body bags and gratis rear-view mirror de-odorizing 'pine tree' doodads for their ambulances.
Otherwise, time to call off this well-meaning, but sadly-failed attempt to bring a smidgeon of civilization to those who prefer Islam's core cult of kill-thy-neighbor over clean running water, dependable electricity, massive oil profits flowing undisturbed by terrorist bombings, rebuilt hospitals, sanitation, educaqtion, etc., etc..
It's a "victory"!
Huzzah!
Now, let's go home.
Educated in blood about the true nature of Islam.
Posted by: profitsbeard at May 22, 2006 9:56 AM
On the premise that a broken clock is correct twice a day.
Juan Cole: Four Wars Are Now Being Fought In Iraq Middle East analyst Juan Cole said four distinct wars are now being fought in Iraq simultaneously. There is a Sunni Arab guerrilla war to expel US troops from the Sunni heartland; a militant Shiite guerrilla war to expel the British from the south; a civil war between the Sunni and Shiites; and a Kurdish war against Arabs and Turkmen in Kirkuk province.Posted by: Nariz
at May 22, 2006 12:45 PM
While removing Saddam was the right thing to do, the goalpost for the removal of US troops keeps shifting:
at May 22, 2006 1:49 PM
When "The Life Time Slaves of Murder Inc. aka Islam", rage, rape, murder, do their traditional killing of each other via the Koran, the loosing tribe is allowed to be imported into our backyard to re-colonize without US allegiance restrictions for social humanitarian reasons, fear of death by other life sponsors and members of "Murder aka Islam." These Slaves do "park camels" philosophy, pitch-a-tents to breed and are feed in Our free welfare system, and for convenience import a Muslim Terrorism Temple to their living idol Mohammed just one of the many "Sand Crocodiles of Murder Inc". I believe social-Marxist Academics with prayer rugs, do keep "Them" feed with our spineless politically correct politicians-leaders and not-so-educated natives so it doesn't take Academics for lunch.
at May 22, 2006 2:44 PM
To stop terrorism in iraq, the shiite will have to eradicate the sunnis.
Posted by: Texican at May 22, 2006 5:07 PM
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