|
|
Translate:
              Secret U.S. operation kills Iraqi, strains relations
Sunday, June 29th, 2008
By Hannah Allam | BAGHDAD, Iraq — Senior Iraqi government officials said Saturday that a U.S. Special Forces counterterrorism unit conducted the raid that reportedly killed a relative of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki , touching off a high-stakes diplomatic crisis between the United States and Iraq . U.S. military officials in Baghdad had no comment for the second day in a row, an unusual position for a command that typically releases information on combat operations within 24 hours. The raid occurred at dawn Friday in the town of Janaja near Maliki’s birthplace in the southern, mostly Shiite Muslim province of Karbala . Ali Abdulhussein Razak al Maliki , who was killed in the raid, was related to the prime minister and had close ties to his personal security detail, according to authorities in Karbala . The incident puts an added strain on U.S.-Iraqi negotiations to draft a Status of Forces Agreement, a long-term security pact that will govern the conduct of U.S. forces in Iraq . Members of the Iraqi government and security forces said the raid only deepened their reluctance to sign any agreement that did not leave Iraqis with the biggest say on when and how combat operations are conducted. The U.S. military handed Iraqi forces control of Karbala security in October 2007 . By the end of 2007 the U.S. military had transferred nine of the country’s 18 provinces to Iraqi control. “We are afraid now of signing the long-term pact between Iraq and America because of such unjustified violations by the troops. Handing over security in provinces doesn’t mean anything to the American troops,” said Mohamed Hussein al Musawi , a senior Najaf-based member of the prime minister’s Dawa Party . “We condemn these barbaric actions not only when they target a relative of Maliki’s, but when any Iraqi is targeted in the same way.” Outrage over the mysterious operation has spread to the highest levels of the Iraqi government, which is demanding an explanation for how such a raid occurred in a province ostensibly under full Iraqi command. “This is a Special Forces operation, an antiterrorism unit that operates almost independently so there’s been no coordination with the local forces on the ground,” said a high-ranking member of the Iraqi government who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the extreme sensitivity of the issue. “That’s why it’s so important to have a Status of Forces Agreement to regulate this relationship. As long as it’s vague and open, these incidents will continue to happen.” U.S. and Iraqi officials have been in difficult negotiations to draft a Status of Forces Agreement. Among the main sticking points are whether the U.S. military can stage combat operations without the consent of the Iraqi government and whether to grant immunity to American troops and security contractors. Kurdish legislator Mahmoud Othman called Friday’s operation “unacceptable” and had strained relations between the countries. “This is a big embarrassment for Prime Minister Maliki because he was in that area two days before the incident, telling his people that we are the masters in our country and the decisions were ours to make,” Othman said. “This is why we are afraid of agreements and immunity. … If there are wanted people in any area, why not send an Iraqi force to do the job?” Iraqi officials in Karbala said the operation began at dawn Friday with U.S. aircraft delivering dozens of American troops to the rural Shiite Muslim town of Janaja, which is populated mostly by members of the Maliki tribe. Authorities said the raid apparently was aimed at capturing what the military calls a “high-value target,” often a reference to the leader of a militant cell. Raed Shakir Jowdet, the Iraqi military commander of Karbala operations, told journalists Friday that the Americans had acted on faulty intelligence. He said four U.S. military helicopters and a jet fighter soared over the area that morning. About 60 U.S. ground forces then stormed the town, “terrifying the families,” Jowdet said. At least one man was detained, though some Iraqi authorities said more were taken into custody. Have Your Say: Secret U.S. operation kills Iraqi, strains relations Please read our posting guidelines before posting. Alternatively you can discuss this report here. One Response to “Secret U.S. operation kills Iraqi, strains relations”
Related News
|
A Cop's Eye View Of The Drug War Last post by Unregistered @ 10:24 AM Go to Forum
| Latest Topics
Bush's Parting 'F*CK YOU' to America Last post by Unregistered @ 10:21 AM O'Reilly: Dangerous 'Far-Left Loons' Nixed Torture Last post by Unregistered @ 10:12 AM The Feast of the Vampires Last post by Arthur Silber @ 10:08 AM The Last US Enemy Combatant Last post by Unregistered @ 10:06 AM Obama-Cola The Great National Temperance Beverage Last post by JMM @ 10:05 AM Commons raid police 'knew they needed authorities' consent' Last post by Unregistered @ 10:01 AM New Treaty Bans Weapons Victimising Civilians Last post by Thalif Deen @ 09:57 AM US mulls unusual tactic as Blackwater charges loom Last post by Unregistered @ 09:55 AM US Touts International Forces Leaving Iraq as "Progress" Last post by Ditz @ 09:54 AM  Email This Page To A Friend Latest Headlines
More World News  Archive
|
TOP NEWS DISCUSSIONS |
LATEST NEWS DISCUSSIONS |
|
|
Pentagon to deploy 20,000 troops on domestic "anti-terror" mission Anti-ID Card Protesters Arrested CCTV Judges Your Behaviour George W. Bush Belongs in Prison Kristol Calls On Bush To Pardon Torturers And Wiretappers, Reward Them With Medal Of Freedom 'Historic' UK climate laws ushered in Taking liberties with information Venezuelan Elections: The Media Response |
BIlly Joe Bob Jumpback commented on: Pentagon to deploy 20,000 troops on domestic “anti-terror” mission You are insane. Nuff said Continue Reading & Reply Mike commented on: Lindsey Williams Videos on the Oil/Energy ‘Crisis’ What Lindsey Williams is saying is true! Bottom Line is that the elete, the... Continue Reading & Reply shakeel commented on: ID cards will give ‘false’ data Dear Sir, or madam; I would like to ask about fingerprint. If someone asylum case in Eu... Continue Reading & Reply Dan commented on: Anti-ID Card Protesters Arrested WELL DONE Continue Reading & Reply |
|
The views expressed in the RINF news wire and newsletter are the sole responsibility of the author (s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the webmaster. RINF.COM: Breaking News & Alternative Media is Copyleft - Copy & Distribute Freely. News Forum |
Loading ...
[...] BAGHDAD, Iraq — Senior Iraqi government officials said Saturday that a U.S. Special Forces counterterrorism unit conducted the raid that reportedly killed a relative of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki , touching off a high-stakes diplomatic crisis between the United States and Iraq .U.S. military officials in Baghdad had no comment for the second day in a row, an unusual position for a command that typically releases information on combat operations within 24 hours.The raid occurred at dawn Friday in the town of Janaja near Maliki’s birthplace in the southern, mostly Shiite Muslim province of Karbala . Ali Abdulhussein Razak al Maliki , who was killed in the raid, was related to the prime minister and had close ties to his personal security detail, according to authorities in Karbala . [...]