U.S. Forces Arrest Baghdad's Self-Proclaimed Mayor

Fox News ^ | Sunday, April 27, 2003 | AP

[JimRic54]

BAGHDAD, Iraq

[JimRic54]

I found this story funny. Good thing he was arrested. Sends a strong message to any would be Iraqi "leader" who they have to play ball with.

[Bogey78O]

But the liberals say he is our chosen guy and we're evil for it.

[JimRic54]

Don't worry. Now the liberals Will change their tune and say we are oppressing Iraqis and imprisoning their "legitimate" leaders.

When you're a liberal, you can change your story anytime as to show how evil America is.

[EGPWS]

The men set up shop at the Sheraton Hotel and opened offices in a country club next door, the Aluwiyah Club.

He got his 15 minutes of fame and enjoyed the higher life, now send him to Guatanamo for 15yrs.

[Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)]

FOX reported about 1/2 hour ago that he is in the slammer ("behind bars" I believe were the words used).

[Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)]

Who was financing his short career?

[meenie]

What! Another regime change?

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

According to FoxNews, he's in the gray-bar hotel right now.

[Squantos]

Iraqi Carpetbaggers.............:o)

[Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)]

If you live in a banana republic as I do, regime changes are like changing clothes.

[Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)]

Oh...behind THAT bar.

[Cameron1]

Sounds like a little "political looting" is taking place.
How could he be mayor without an election? I was wondering how they were going to take care of this situation.

[Amerigomag]

This should have been done three weeks ago when this good hearted volunteer emerged from the morass.

During the past two weeks this fellow had established himself as a defacto leader recognized by many in the Baghdad civil heirarchy.

Absent the introduction of our interum puppet government of exiles, that have yet to arrive from the US, we are going to suffer some setbacks in confidence in the vaccuum.

Both Gardner and our handpicked successors should have arrived with Franks when the zone was still "hot".

[Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)]

The question I have always asked myself from the beginning is who is financing Mohammed Mohsen al-Zubaidi?...Iran? Syria? Saudi Arabia? Other Arab countries? Various other nut counties in North Africa? France? Russia? Others? All? (How much did the Clintons figure in this? Somehow, they are always in the equation.)

[freebilly]

Al-Zubaidi, unknown in Baghdad before Saddam Hussein's regime fell earlier this month, suddenly proclaimed himself mayor, saying Iraqi Gen. Jawdat al-Obeidi -- who had spent recent years as a limousine driver in Portland, Ore. -- was his deputy.

This is preposterous! Everyone knows his deputy worked in a convenience store in Fresno....

[BlackVeil]

LOL! Yes, the convenience store is missing him, he just failed to turn up one morning.

More seriously, I think that they are giving that Iraqi exile too much stick for having been a driver when living in the US. At least he had a job and it is honest work. He had to support himself, after all. I am more nervous of people who were on high salaries as "consultants" and "liason officers" for banks and political thinktanks.

[ApesForEvolution]

LOL! I'M the new law in town...oh, never mind.

[BlackVeil]

Yes but who IS going to run Baghdad. Chalabi and the co-alition forces have this strange attitude that appointing a government administration is something that they will do ... eventually. When it suits. When the time is right.

It is mighty inconvenient for the people of Baghdad to be living in a city where there is no governing authority, no running water, and every public servant has lost his job. This self-appointed Mayor started as a joke, but gained public credibility when he got the electricity started again.

[Pistias]

It may have been a mistake. What they need now is somebody that the Iraqis will follow, yet will remain under their thumb. Whether he's suitable I don't know, but another Karzai won't do.

[George W. Bush]

It had to be done. He was becoming a real problem. We should have stomped it out sooner but our role there is delicate. He had plenty of warnings.