Former Iraqi Defence Minister Sultan Hashim
Posted on 08/23/2014 7:50:56 AM PDT by GonzoII
Former Iraqi Defence Minister Sultan Hashim
Nuwar Faqie
BasNews, Baghdad
In order to end the complaints and satisfy the demands in Sunni populated areas of Iraq, the US is seeking help from the former Defence Minister Sultan Hashim and Hussein Rashid, the General Commander of Iraqi Forces under Saddam Hussein.
On Saturday former Deputy PM of Iraq, Salih Mutlag, claimed that Baghdad has promised to free Hashim.
A source told a BasNews correspondent that recently a US military delegation held a meeting with Hashim and Hussein Rashid in jail.
The sources say this meeting is an attempt to resolve complaints in Sunni areas. Both Sunni officers were active during Saddam’s time in power and are well known in Mosul and Tikrit.
“The US wants to give these two officers a chance to help the current Iraqi Army to dismiss Islamic State (IS) insurgents from Iraq. Also, because they have influence with Sunni people and tribal groups, the US wants to make a political statement by releasing these two officers in the hope that it will foster greater stability in Iraq,” said the source.
Sultan Hashim Ahmed al-Thai was born in 1944 in Mosul and graduated from Military College. He participated in the Iran – Iraq War from 1980-1988 as well as during the Kuwait annexation in 1991. In 1994, he became the governor of Mosul and his last post was during the US led to liberation of Iraq in 2003 when he served as Defence Minister.
Hussein Rashid Mohammed Tikriti was born in 1940 in Tikrit. In 1962, he joined the army, achieving a high rank. He established Iraq’s Republic Guard, infamous for its brutality during the dictatorship of Saddam Hussein. During US attacks on Iraq he was the General Commander of Iraqi Forces.
Hashim and Rashid were both accused of helping the US Army during their attack on Iraq in 2003. They were arrested and the court sentenced them to death. The court’s decision was not implemented due to pressure from politicians and Sunni tribal leaders.
Recently, in an interview with the Sharq al-Awsat newspaper based in London, Mutlag revealed that the federal government of Iraq has promised to free Hashim and a number of Saddam’s military and political leaders without mentioning the reasons.
We need to sit down and have a few beers with Assad also.
More pandering from......
The gambit is to introduce some sanity into the new Sunni nation that is rising. The placement of rational players on the board dilutes the wackos.
“The gambit is to introduce some sanity into the new Sunni nation that is rising. The placement of rational players on the board dilutes the wackos.”
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Good logic...but it has been a struggle to see sane logic applied in the ME with any positive consequence. We can only hope.
By just reading the headline, I assumed Obama was bringing in the old Iraqi Information Minister Baghdad Bob as the new White House press secretary.
Baghdad Bob as press secretary: President Obama spends no time on the golf course! None at all! Anyone who says otherwise is a lackey of Palin. That is the truth!
He may have been an evil guy, but Saddam knew how to handle islamic radicals and keep them under control.....
Something like this should have been done long ago.
I've mentioned this before - the two greatest threats to radical islam were the Shah of Iran and Saddam Hussein. Carter got rid of the first one, and Bush II got rid of the second one.
Brilliant work there. The islamists could not have asked for more.
Baghdad Bob to become Obama’s ambassador!
I guess we already have!
US Gives Intelligence To Assad For Targetting Isis Commanders
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