Explosions Rattle Baghdad, Kill 26

Prime Minister Al-Maliki Vows No Letup Against Terrorism

(CBS/AP)  Al-Maliki gave no details for the plan, which he named "Operation Imposing Law," nor did he say when it would begin. U.S. officials have indicated the security operation, to which Bush has pledged an additional 21,500 American soldiers, should start in earnest about Feb. 1. A brigade of the 82nd Airborne Division already has arrived for the mission.

"We are full of hope. We have no other choice but to use force and any place where we receive fire will not be safe even if it is a school, a mosque, a political party office or home," he said. "There will be no safe place in Iraq for terrorists."

But al-Janabi took the floor and said al-Maliki's government had gratuitously and summarily fired former members of Saddam Hussein's ousted Baath party from government jobs, sentenced people to death for political reasons and detained without reason Sunni pilgrims returning from the hajj in Saudi Arabia this month.

He also accused al-Maliki of running a sham program to reconcile Sunni-Shiite differences that have produced a near-civil war in Baghdad and prompted the new security drive — the third since al-Maliki took office May 25.

"The firing of officers and civil servants under the pretext of de-Baathification should stop. What kind of national reconciliation are you talking about when you are implementing rules that marginalize" Sunnis, he asked.

"Stop sentencing innocent people to death because such sentences are politically motivated," al-Janabi implored, adding that Sunnis do not trust the government.

Al-Maliki counterattacked by implying al-Janabi was responsible for the kidnapping of 150 people in Anbar province, the Sunni stronghold west of Baghdad.

"This brother will trust the Cabinet when I come forward with your file and show that you are responsible. There are 150 people detained in Buhayrat area and you don't speak about them," al-Maliki snapped. Buhayrat is an insurgent stronghold in Anbar.

Legislators believed to be Shiites applauded the remark.

Parliament speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani, a Sunni, then organized a short suspension of the debate, called a vote on the security plan — which was approved unanimously — and continued with normal business.

Al-Maliki refused to shake hands when al-Janabi approached him after the session.

Angry and insulting exchanges have become normal in Iraq's 275-member parliament, but the involvement of the nation's leader heightened the tension.

Parliamentary sessions previously were broadcast live, but the government has since ordered them to be aired with a 30-minute delay to allow editing.

During Thursday's session, state-run Iraqiya television stopped airing the session shortly after the exchange and later aired an edited version.

In his address al-Maliki also called on lawmakers to pass laws on distribution of the country's oil wealth and reverse measures that have excluded many Sunnis from jobs and government positions because of Baath party membership.

Al-Maliki also promised to stop the so-called practice of sectarian cleansing that has driven thousands from their homes.

"You should know that today or tomorrow we will detain every person who is living in the house of a displaced person in order to open the door for those displaced to return," al-Maliki said.

White House spokesman Tony Snow called the speech "a very assertive address. ... We certainly welcome that, because it demonstrates the kind of vigor we've been talking about and that the American people expect, and also responds specifically to concerns members of Congress have been expressing, in terms of the aims of and the determination of the government of Iraq."

Until Monday, parliament had not had a quorum since late November, when 30 legislators and five Cabinet members loyal to renegade Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr announced a boycott of the government and the National Assembly to protest al-Maliki's meeting with Bush in Jordan.

The boycott was a blow to al-Maliki, who owes his job to support from the Sadr bloc in parliament.

On Sunday the Sadr legislators ended their walkout under threat that they would be ousted from the political process and that their allied militia, the Mahdi Army, could face wholesale attack by American soldiers in the coming security sweep.

[skyk-2009]

My hats off to the American People! Although they have not been able to get Sir Lies-A-Lot to remove our kids from this Civil War, they have FORCED him to remove the terribly incompetent Secretary of Defense and have put the Republican Party in a Box. It's unfortunate that more of our Greatest Resource has to die but if not for the People of this nation we'd still be hearing the mindless followers of Sir Lies-A-Lot chanting "Stay the Course".

[skyk-2009]

Hillaryin08, do you have something informative to add to the discussion of Iraq and the mess therein? You seem to have the mind of a child and simply strike out at anyone who does not want to let you have your way. In case you missed it, the Baker/Hamiliton Commission TOLD us we are getting our butts kicked in Iraq and KERRY is NOT leading that mess. Either try to keep on subject or go play with your swastika someplace else. Combat Vet, RVN, 1968

[annd2302]

SearingTruth

What are you, some kind if evangelist? State something original, if I want "QUOTES" I%u2019ll go elsewhere.

[besscannon-2009]

All this dramatic and literary speak says nothing but that someone is trying to impress someone. Doesn't really voice much in real opinions or solutions. If Bush hadn't made so many horrible mistakes swaggering like Bush the Conqueror, we wouldn't be struggling for a solution to a face-saving way out now. A lot of young men, fathers, sons, brothers, have been sacrificed on the alter of Bush's ego. *It is so useless and sad. He won't talk to Iran, etc. because he doesn't know diplomatic manners to be used to keep friends close and enemies closer. All he can say are childish phrases such as, "We appreciate you coming", "we are glad you came",
"We respect what you are doing", etc. He is like a broken record stuck in one groove. I believe he is afraid he will be shown up as lacking.

[feelfree1]

If Bush would have accepted Saddam's pre-invasion challenge to a duel, just think how much better our current situation might be?

It was a win-win proposition!

[fascistusa]

George Orwell was NOT talking about the future in 1984 Orwell.

HE ALREADY LIVED THROUGH A FASCIST NATION.

LORD BUSH AND KING CHENEY DID 9/11.

THE RICH OWN THE "NEWS". THE PROPOGANDA. THEY KNEW THEY COULD PULL IT OFF.

Just go on believing. Trust your Government. Big Brother Loves You. Jesus Saves.

[searingtruth]

"We are all capable of believing things which we know to be untrue, and then, when we are finally proved wrong, impudently twisting the facts so as to show that we were right. Intellectually, it is possible to carry on this process for an indefinite time: the only check on it is that sooner or later a false belief bumps up against solid reality, usually on a battlefield."
George Orwell

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing."
Edmund Burke

"A tyrant's only ally is fear."
SearingTruth

"Which morality shall we claim?
That of well meaning oppressor and murderer in substitute of heartless oppression and murder?"
SearingTruth

"Judge not a word conflicted by deed."
SearingTruth

A Future of the Brave - www.searingtruth.com

[firststate]

I've seen stories about some of the public works projects we've had going on there. The problem is that they were no more effectively run than the war. Any rational person can see that the no-bid and yes-pay system has been an unmitigated disaster except for stockholders in the contractors.

Maliki says the right things about going after Sunni and Shia trouble makers. Except for a few Shia detainees, many of whom have been allowed to walk out of the facilities where they were in custody, most of the action has been against the Sunnis. Does anyone believe that he is honestly going after Sadr and his followers, when without Sadr, the Parliament can't even muster a quorum.

Sunni and Shia have been killing each other forever. The Sunnis were on top with Saddam even though they were a minority. Now the majority Shia are in power and aren't pleased. They're not likely to start holding hands and singing around the campfire.

[searingtruth]

"The blood. All of that blood. Dried and brittle and bound to her skin. To act as if I did not see, as if I did not care. To search, to salvage, to endure, to live. To return. Broken."
SearingTruth

A Future of the Brave - www.searingtruth.com

[feelfree1]

Re: ""We are full of hope. We have no other choice but to use force and any place where we receive fire will not be safe even if it is a school, a mosque, a political party office or home,"

Sounds like the al-Maliki puppet is preparing a bloodbath for the people of Iraq.

Re: "Angry and insulting exchanges have become normal in Iraq's 275-member parliament, but the involvement of the nation's leader heightened the tension."

The Iraqi puppet leaders are self-destructing. This is encouraging.

[billion2005]

Cheney is made of hogwash for thinking nothing wrong with this war.

[hillaryin08]

Poor John Kerry, swift boated by the Democrat Party just like Algore, Liberman, Edwards and Murtha. We're really suprised here......

[feelfree1]

badaxmofo,

Re: "I've seen those films"

Really? Which elements of these films do you find to be most/least convincing?

Re: "our voices don't matter"

Can't agree with you there.

[searingtruth]

"And so death begat death, and suffering begat suffering, until all had been consumed, and all cause lost."
SearingTruth

"It was my flesh to defend my flesh. Not the fever of ambition, conquest, and greed."
SearingTruth

A Future of the Brave - www.searingtruth.com

[agnim]

""no safe place in Iraq for terrorists," hours before a suicide car bombing killed at least 26 people in the Shiite neighborhood of Karradah and two rockets slammed into the heavy fortified Green Zone not far from the U.S. Embassy. "

Those bombs and rockets were aimed at making the "terrorist" at those sites unsafe, just as the Iraqi Prime Minister predicted? LOL

I wonder whose side that Prime Minister is on and who are the "terrorists"? LOL

[feelfree1]

badaxmofo,

Re: "Most think Bush is an idiot, how could an 'idiot' pull this off?"

Bush's mental capacity is irrelevant. Bush does what he is told.

"Thanks for the links - they're old news however"

OK, but if you should decide to watch these films, please be sure to return here with your critique.

[johnshaft4]

msnbc.com reports today that von Rumsfeld is still working at the Pentagon with seven (7) aides. The song remains the same...

[feelfree1]

badaxmofo,

Re: 'No way the media will report any good news on this topic'

That's not true I read that some school in Iraq got a fresh coat of paint, not that long ago. Plus, not as many U.S. solidiers dies for nothing today in Iraq, as we have seen in recent days.

[feelfree1]

badaxmofo,

Re: "Hence 9/11 was an inside job."

Seems like you are a little off-topic there, but since you brought it up, here are some URLS to some interesting films relating to the events of 9/11/1:

Improbable Collapse

www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUMKP4WaMgM

& 9/11 Press For Truth

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5589099104255077250&q=google+paul 9%2F11&hl=en

[feelfree1]

Re: "The deputy commanding general of the Multi-National Corps in Iraq says the United States will go solo on a troop surge there."

Translation: U.S. funded death-squads on the way!