(Additional reporting by Aseel Kami and Raheem Salman; Editing by Alastair Macdonald)
Credit: Reuters/Wissm al-Okili
Posted on 09/10/2012 4:00:57 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
A fugitive vice president condemned to death and rallying opposition to Iraq's "sectarian" prime minister, fresh bloodshed in the streets and the entire Middle East divided by religion over the war across the border in Syria - Nuri al-Maliki has no easy task in holding his government, and his nation, together.
The Iraqi premier was denounced on Monday by Sunni Muslim Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi as a conspirator and oppressor, in league with fellow Shi'ites in Iran and driven by religious hatred to engineer the death sentence handed down on Hashemi on Sunday for murders committed by sectarian death squads.
The verdict against a mainstream leader of Iraq's once dominant Sunni minority was accompanied by bombings and attacks on Shi'ite targets that killed about 115, making it one of the bloodiest days since U.S. troops pulled out in December. Maliki's government was quick to blame Sunni insurgents.
Hashemi, speaking from exile in Turkey, called for "calm" but firm opposition to a premier whose efforts to stitch together an administration uniting Shi'ites, Sunnis and Kurds have looked distinctly ragged since an arrest warrant for the vice president was issued the very day after the Americans left.
"Yesterday Prime Minister Maliki and his ... judiciary concluded the final phase of the theatrical campaign against me using a kangaroo court," Hashemi told a news conference in Ankara. "My people, don't give Maliki and those who stand behind him the chance ... They want to make this a sectarian conflict.
"Oppose his conspiracies and provocation calmly."
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
Credit: Reuters/Wissm al-Okili
Apple t-shirt alert. ;’)
Turkey stands by Iraqi vice president
Published: Sept. 10, 2012 at 12:24 PM
http://www.upi.com/Top_News/Special/2012/09/10/Turkey-stands-by-Iraqi-vice-president/UPI-77151347294277/
The numbers of executions in Iraq are very high. Not everyone can run away like this ex-VP. If he has any sense, he will not ever go back.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.