Obama: Iraq's response to Syria not influenced by Iran

AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster

The Iraqi government has been far less forceful than the United States in its criticism of the Syrian government's violent crackdown against anti-government protesters. However, President Obama said today that the difference between the U.S. response and the Iraqi response is simply "tactical."

"We share the view that when the Syrian people are being killed or are unable to express themselves that's a problem," Mr. Obama said today at a White House press conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. "There's no disagreement there."

Mr. Obama and al-Maliki met at the White House today to discuss how the U.S. and Iraq can maintain a comprehensive relationship even as the U.S. winds down its military presence, with troops slated to be out by the end of the year. The two leaders today they remain committed partners, even though their responses to the violence in Syria has differed.

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The Obama administration has called for Syrian President Bashar Assad to step down amid the government crackdown that has killed more than 4,000 people, according to the United Nations. However, al-Maliki has warned that civil war may break out if Assad falls. He abstained from Arab League votes suspending Syria's membership and imposing sanctions, putting him more in line with Iran -- a Syrian ally -- than the United States.

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Mr. Obama today reiterated his "outrage" toward the Assad regime for choosing a "path of repression" and said that Assad has deeply eroded his legitimacy there. He acknowledged, however, that Iraq -- which borders Syria -- is "in a tough neighborhood."

In spite of their "tactical disagreements," Mr. Obama said, "I have absolutely no doubt these decisions are being made based on what Prime Minister Maliki believes is best for Iraq, not based on considerations of what Iran would like to see."

Mr. Obama said al-Maliki "has been explicit... [in] his interest in maintaining Iraqi sovereignty and preventing meddling by anybody, and I believe him."

He added that al-Maliki "has shown himself able to make very tough decisions in the interest of Iraqi nationalism even if they cause problems with his neighbor."

Al-Maliki confirmed that his position is based on his concerns for his own nation's security.

"Iraq is a country that is bordering on Syria, and I am concerns about the interest of Iraq and the security of the region," he said.

Given the success Iraq has made in building up a democracy, al-Maliki said his nation represents "the aspirations of the Syrian people." Still, he said he does not have the right to call on any president to step down.

When asked whether he was concerned Iran's custody of a U.S. drone could threaten Iraq's security, Mr. Obama said he would not comment on classified intelligence matters.

"We have asked for it back," he said. "We'll see how the Iranians respond."

On Sunday, a senior commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guard said Iran will not return the drone.

[markpeace]

Hadi al-Ameri, terrorist in charge of the Badr group of the Qods force accompany al-Maliki on US visit
Monday, 12 December 2011 12:59

NCRI - During his visit to the United States and his meeting with President Obama, Nouri al-Maliki has a number of terrorists and mercenaries of the religious dictatorship ruling Iran in his company. One of them is Hadi al-Ameri, in charge of the Badr group in the Pasdaran Army who is currently al-Maliki's Minister of Transport.
Hadi Farhan Abdollah al-Ameri (Abou Hassan al-Ameri) has been involved, during several decades, in hundreds of terrorist operations. He has married an Iranian who lives, along with his children, in Iran. He has a residence in the Mofateh compound in Tehran, a housing compound devoted to commanders of the Qods force and the Ramadhan garrison belonging to the Pasdaran Army.

During the Iran-Iraq war, al-Ameri was among the personnel of the Pasdaran Army's ground forces. He was assigned operations' commander of the Badr 9 force after the force was founded on orders of Khomeiny. Since the 1991 war in Kuwait, the mullahs' regime bestowed the responsibility of terrorist operations inside Iraq especially against the PMOI and its bases to Hadi al-Ameri.

He had a principal role in the planning and execution of some 150 terrorist operations aiming the PMOI during the period 1992-2003 causing a large number of dead and wounded.

In 2002 the mullahs' regime put him in charge of the terrorist Badr force. He has completed military command and staff courses in the Pasdaran Army's university named Emam Hossein.

After the downfall of the former Iraqi government, Hadi al-Ameri continued to work under the command of the Qods force, traveling continuously to Iran to report his work and get fresh instructions and orders. He maintains continuous contact with Ghassem Soleimani, commander of the Qods force, as well as with Iraj Masjedi and Ahmad Forouzandeh, both military commanders of the Pasdaran Army's garrison of Ramadhan. He has played a vital role in establishing Iran's Pasdaran Army and Qods force's control over Iraqi security, military and administrative apparatus.

According to documents obtained from inside the Pasdaran Army by the Iranian Resistance, Hadi al-Ameri receives a monthly pay of around 260.000 Toumans, the equivalent of that of a brigadier general in the Pasdaran Army, under the salary code 3829597 and maintains an account number 3014 to this end.

Hadi al-Ameri founded an organ named Central Apparatus in the Iraqi Ministery of Interior during the years 2005 and 2006 which engages in physical liquidation of those opposing Iranian regime's dominance over Iraq.

In 2006, on orders by the Qods force, and by engaging experienced commanders of the Badr force, he organized terror networks acting against American troops. The network uses IEDs, sniper rifles and different missiles against US forces.

Confidential documents from inside the Qods force cite "Abou Hassan al-Ameri's most serious mission" the "annihilation of PMOI". In April 2006 the Qods force and the Iranian regime's ambassador to Iraq Kazemi Qomi charged Hadi al-Ameri with working to expel the PMOI from Iraq through the Iraqi Parliament.

In March 2007, under al-Ameri's leadership, deputies in relation with the Iranian regime discussed a plan to establish Iraqi forces around camp Ashraf in order to control Iraqis willing to visit the camp. Hadi al-Ameri accompanied a seven people committee in a meeting with Javad al-Boulani, Iraqi Minister of Interior, asking for the repression of camp Ashraf by the Ministry of Interior. At the same time, he affirmed during a private meeting of Badr on the plan to "annihilate Ashraf residents": "As a first step we should take back control over Ashraf from the Americans and bar all visits to the camp, then bring up legal cases against a number of them and force the remaining to return to Iran or leave Ashraf."

Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran
December 12, 2011

[temple1962]

Thank God for al Maliki! Our Liar-inChief promised to end the Iraqi War the first in office if he were elected. This garnered enough votes to make him the president and yet three years later, it takes an Iraqi to tell the U.S. the visit has ended and it is time to go away. God bless al Maliki for doing what the 112th Congress and this dysfunctional, unaccomplished president has been able to do!