Iraqi dept removing anti-militia security officers

"A department of the Iraqi prime minister's office is playing a leading role in the arrest and removal of senior Iraqi army and national police officers, some of whom had apparently worked too aggressively to combat violent Shiite militias, according to U.S. military officials in Baghdad.
. . . Although some of the officers appear to have been fired for legitimate reasons, such as poor performance or corruption, several were considered to be among the better Iraqi officers in the field. The dismissals have angered U.S. and Iraqi leaders who say the Shiite-led government is sabotaging the military to achieve sectarian goals.
. . . At the national level, some U.S. officials are increasingly concerned about the Office of the Commander in Chief, a behind-the-scenes department that works on military issues for the prime minister.
One adviser in the office, Bassima Luay Hasun al-Jaidri, has enough influence to remove and intimidate senior commanders, and her work has 'stifled' many officers who are afraid of angering her, a senior U.S. military official said. U.S. commanders are considering installing a U.S. liaison officer in the department to better understand its influence."

source
Partlow, Joshua. (The Washington Post). Maliki's Office Is Seen Behind Purge in Forces. April 30, 2007.

posted: sunday, may 6, 2007, 11:09 PM ET

tags: iraq bassima luay hasun al jaidri

Maliki says security takeover by year end; Maysan handover; bombs

"Bombs ravaged Baghdad in five horrific explosions aimed mainly at Shiite crowds on Wednesday, killing at least 171 people in the deadliest day in the capital since the American-led security plan for the city took effect two months ago.
. . . The wave of attacks, five of them involving car bombs, took place as Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki declared that the Iraqi government planned to take full control of security from the American-led forces before the end of the year.
. . . Mr. Maliki said the gradual transfer to Iraqi authority would continue, with three provinces in the relatively tranquil region of Kurdistan the next to come under Iraqi security authority, followed by Karbala and Wasit Provinces in the south.
'In this way, province by province, we will reach the end of the line before the end of the year,' the prime minister said in a speech delivered by Mowaffak al-Rubaie, his national security adviser. The speech observed the transfer of the southern province of Maysan from British to Iraqi control. Maysan is the fourth of Iraq’s 18 provinces to be handed to Iraqi security forces." [1]

"In Maysan, Iraqi police and soldiers will assume control of all law enforcement and security operations. Coalition units will continue to partner with Iraqi security forces, and small military and police training teams will continue to help Iraqi forces as they gain more hands-on experience, . . . [a Multinational Force Iraq] official said.
Iraqi officials can call on coalition forces in Basra province if they face a situation they cannot handle, the official said.
Coalition forces will also help Iraqi border police. The province has a long border with Iran and coalition forces will continue to help the police patrol the border, the official said.
Investment in the province will continue. In all, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has completed more than 200 projects totalingalmost $100 million in Maysan Province. There are currently 41 projects under construction and another 15 projects planned. Health care, electricity and water are the most important projects in the province, the official said." [2]

source
[1] Semple, Kirk. (The New York Times). Wave of Bombings Continues in Iraq. April 19, 2007.
[2] Garamone, Jim. (American Forces Press Service). Fourth Iraqi Province Transfers to Local Control. April 18, 2007.

resource
Wikipedia. Maysan Governate. Accessed April 22, 2007.

posted: sunday, april 22, 2007, 3:37 AM ET
update: sunday, april 22, 2007, 3:45 AM ET

tags: iraq security maysan

Iraq takes control of Najaf security from U.S.

"U.S. forces ceded control of southern Najaf province to Iraqi police and soldiers, who marked the occasion Wednesday with a parade and martial arts demonstrations.
. . . Home to 930,000 people, Najaf saw heavy fighting two years ago, but has been relatively peaceful lately. It was the third of Iraq's 18 provinces to come under local control. British troops handed over southern Muthana province in July, and the Italian military transferred neighboring Dhi Qar in September.
. . . Critics charge that handing over control here was easy because Najaf is overwhelming Shiite and has not faced the same level of sectarian violence as religiously mixed areas like Baghdad.
. . . Najaf is home to the iconic Imam Ali shrine, where Shiites believe the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad is buried. Millions make pilgrimages to the city annually, and Shiites from across Iraq come to bury their dead in the huge cemetery.
The city of Najaf endured heavy fighting in 2004 between the U.S. Army and militiamen loyal to radical anti-U.S. cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, and parts of Najaf lie in ruins." [1]

"With the transfer, the Iraqi government gained control over its Eighth Army Division, which has about 10,000 soldiers. Shiite leaders, who control both this province and the national government, have been anxious to get more operational control over the army, which the United States has been laboring to train.
But security in the sacred city of Najaf was already largely under Iraqi control, as American forces mostly withdrew from the area after putting down an uprising in 2004 by the Sadr militia, known as the Mahdi Army.
. . . Outside the stadium, foreign military officials said the $137 million spent on reconstruction in the province was beginning to have an impact. They expect that as tourism continues to thrive, driven by the one million pilgrims who visit every year, the economic situation will improve." [2]

The new Iraqi security forces were said to have eaten live rabbits and bitten the heads off of frogs at the handover ceremony. I found two pictures of them eating rabbits from Reuters and the Associated Press, both via Yahoo! News. I haven't found any pictures of them biting the heads off of frogs yet. I'll keep looking though.

sources
[1] The Associated Press. U.S. Troops Turn Over Najaf to Iraqis. December 20, 2006.
[2] The New York Times. With a Ceremony From the Past, Iraqis Take Charge in Najaf. December 21, 2006.

resource
Provinces of Iraq. Wikipedia.

song
A history of Iraq

share
del.icio.us
digg

posted: thursday, december 21, 2006, 1:36 PM ET
update: sunday, december 24, 2006, 12:30 AM ET

iraq najaf security rabbit