110 Shiites Dead in 2 Days
Talabani Blasts Jaafari for Illegalities
AP reports that guerrilla violence in Iraq has taken the lives of 110 Shiites in two days. Sounds like a sectarian civil war to me.
Al-Zaman/ AFP/ DPA: Iraq’s president, Jalal Talabani, launched charges on Friday against Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari of having contravened the pact he had earlier concluded with the Kurdistan Alliance. The accusations came via a joint letter cosigned by Massoud Barzani, president of the Kurdistan regional confederation. Despite his blistering attack, Talabani said he did not expect the Jaafari government to fall over it. Talabani said that the difficulties lay with Jaafari’s personsal style and that of his party, the Dawa Islamic Party, and that there was no institutional rift between the Kurdistan Alliance and the Iraqi government. But Talabani used such harsh language that it is difficult to imagine the two men ever working together again. He called Jaafari a law-breaker.
Al-Hayat: Young Shiite nationalist Muqtada al-Sadr called Friday for Sunni Arab political and dissident groups to disavow Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, leader of the Sunni fundamentalist Monotheism and Holy War. Zarqawi is thought to have called for brutal attacks on the Iraqi Shiites in hopes it might provoke a civil war, make Iraq ungovernable, and hasten a US exit.
The Center for American Progress, which is close to the Democratic Party, has issued a withdrawal plan for US troops in Iraq that would bring them out throughout 2006- 2007. The report says, “Strategic Redeployment has four main components: military realignment that restores a realistic deployment policy for our active and reserve forces and moves troops to other hot spots in the struggle against global terrorist networks or brings them home to rebuild; a global communications campaign to counter misinformation and hateful ideologies; new regional diplomatic initiatives; and smarter support for Iraq’s renewal and reconstruction.”
Snippets from the BBC World Monitoring of the Iraqi Press for Sept. 29:
“Al-Manarah on 28 September carries on the front page and on page 7 a 750-word article by Muwaffaq al-Rifa’i criticizing prominent Iraqi political forces for trying to isolate Iraq from the Arab environment. The writer criticizes the draft constitution because it enhances sectarianism and ethnicity in the country . . .
Al-Zawra carries on the front page a 300-word commentary by the newspaper’s political editor saying that the draft constitution weakens the central government and allows the appearance of dictatorships in federal blocs . . .
Dar al-Salam runs on the front page a 250-word report that the Iraqi Islamic Party has rejected the constitution and that it will participate in the elections . . .
Al-Da’wah runs on the front page a 300-word report on a statement by Al-Da’wah Islamic Party calling on Iraqis to vote for the constitution draft.
Al-Da’wah carries on page 2 a 60-word report that demonstrations were staged in Al-Diwaniyah supporting the constitution . . .
Al-Basa’ir on 28 September carries on the front page a 100-word report citing Shaykh Jawad al-Khalisi, chairman of the Iraqi National Constituent Conference, as saying that drawing up a time table for the withdrawal of “occupation” forces will end violence in Iraq . . .
Al-Furat runs on page 1 a 250-word report citing Sallamah al-Khafaji, National Assembly’s Human Rights Committee chairman, accusing Iraqi Army and Police of violating human rights in prisons by abusing Iraqi detainees.
Al-Furat publishes on page 1 a 100-word report citing Basra Governorate Council Deputy Chariman Nasif al-Ibadi saying that British troops have agreed to reconstruct the police station that was damaged in the recent attack and compensate the victims, adding that the forces have refused to apologize.
Al-Zaman carries on page 4 a 600-word report citing Baha al-A’raji calling on National Assembly members to suspend Hazim Sha’lan from the assembly . . .
Dar al-Salam runs on the front page a 75-word report citing Abd-al-Hadi al-Darraji, Muqtada al-Sadr’s aide, criticizing political parties for cooperating with “occupation” forces.
Dar al-Salam runs on the front page a 150-word report on a memorandum by the Kurdistan coalition accusing Al-Ja’fari of issuing “dictatorial” decisions . . .
Al-Da’wah carries on page 2 a 100-word report that Al-Diwaniyah governor visited the Al-Da’wah Islamic Party headquarters in Al-Diwaniyah . . .
Al-Mashriq publishes on page 4 an 80-word report that Sabir Al-Isawi has been appointed as Baghdad’s new mayor. . .
Al-Ahali carries on page 5 a 1,000-word article by Arabi al-Khamisi commenting on the new multi-constituency electoral law.
Al-Mada publishes on the front page a 600-word report that the power of weapons is the new democratic practice in Iraq. ‘
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