Blood thirsty Nouri al-Maliki refused to appoint anyone to head the security ministries so that he could control them. And we've seen how that end of 2010 decision has worked out: Increased violence.
In fact, you can add the total dead from violence in 2010 and 2011 together and you're just 1,000 short of the 2013 total so far.
Nouri is a failure.
And this year, he has publicly set his forces on Iraqis who exercise their Constitutional right to protest. Along with the many wounded, there have been protesters who have been killed. January 7th, Nouri's forces assaulted four protesters in Mosul, January 24th, Nouri's forces sent two protesters (and one reporter) to the hospital, and March 8th, Nouri's force fired on protesters in Mosul killing three.
All of that and more appeared to be a trial run for what was coming, the April 23rd massacre of a peaceful sit-in in Hawija which resulted from Nouri's federal forces storming in. Alsumaria noted Kirkuk's Department of Health (Hawija is in Kirkuk) announced 50 activists have died and 110 were injured in the assault. AFP reported the death toll rose to 53 dead. UNICEF noted that the dead included 8 children (twelve more were injured).
And now he wants drones. As he gets ready to meet with US President Barack Obama November 1st at the White House, Nouri wants drones. Al Quds' Said Arikat asked about it in a State Dept press briefing last week -- one spokesperson Jen Psaki ran:.
Anyway, could you confirm or deny that Iraq has agreed to renegotiate strategic arrangements that they had with you in view of the uptick of the violence that is taking place right now, such as perhaps supplying them with drones, or in fact the U.S. using drones to go after terrorist camps?
She pleaded ignorance.
He wants drones.
And he's already encouraging a civil war in Iraq. Last month, Tim Arango (New York Times) broke the news that Nouri was funding, arming and outfitting Shi'ite militias. Arango observed:
In supporting Asaib al-Haq, Mr. Maliki has apparently made the risky
calculation that by backing some Shiite militias, even in secret, he can
maintain control over the country’s restive Shiite population and,
ultimately, retain power after the next national elections, which are
scheduled for next year. Militiamen and residents of Shiite areas say
members of Asaib al-Haq are given government badges and weapons and
allowed freedom of movement by the security forces.
What do you think Nouri would use drones for? Your best guess is to torment the Iraqi people.
Illustration is Isaiah's The World Today Just Nuts "I See Ba'athists."
