.Maliki: Baathist sympathizers not Iraq friends
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki says those who have attempted to realize the political resurgence of the outlawed Baath Party are not "friends of Iraq."
In an exclusive interview with Press TV, al-Maliki said, "Those who love Iraq, would believe that with these elections, we will complete the construction a stabilized political system based on national and public will and not ruled by any foreign standards or any foreign troops or any other vested interests."
"And whoever does not like Iraq, which we hope there are none, would definitely try to prevent the success of these elections and would leave a negative effect…by giving the chance to the people who left the political process to return," he added, referring to the former Baath Party members.
Iraq's Accountability and Justice Commission has barred more than 500 political candidates from the March 7 parliamentary vote, charging them with associations with the party that was led by the deposed Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.
The Baath is accused of having helped Hussein enforce his ruthless rule over the country, which included mass killings and the use of chemical weapons against the Kurdish population.
The decision coincided with raucous protests by the Iraqi nationals and political figures, most notably President Jalal Talabani, against a Baathist return. Talabani has warned that the Baathists planned to stage a "military coup" and that their reappearance on the Iraqi political stage carried a great hazard.
The move, however, has apparently not gone down well with the White House, which recently sent Vice President Joe Biden on a reported mission of reversing the "de-Baathification" process.
Washington has also claimed that it might "delay" pulling its troops out of Iraq, should "disputed" poll results — apparently resulting from the purge — incite more violence across the strife-torn country.
PressTV
My first guess is that he's talking about us, the US.
In an exclusive interview with Press TV, al-Maliki said, "Those who love Iraq, would believe that with these elections, we will complete the construction a stabilized political system based on national and public will and not ruled by any foreign standards or any foreign troops or any other vested interests."
"And whoever does not like Iraq, which we hope there are none, would definitely try to prevent the success of these elections and would leave a negative effect…by giving the chance to the people who left the political process to return," he added, referring to the former Baath Party members.
Iraq's Accountability and Justice Commission has barred more than 500 political candidates from the March 7 parliamentary vote, charging them with associations with the party that was led by the deposed Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.
The Baath is accused of having helped Hussein enforce his ruthless rule over the country, which included mass killings and the use of chemical weapons against the Kurdish population.
The decision coincided with raucous protests by the Iraqi nationals and political figures, most notably President Jalal Talabani, against a Baathist return. Talabani has warned that the Baathists planned to stage a "military coup" and that their reappearance on the Iraqi political stage carried a great hazard.
The move, however, has apparently not gone down well with the White House, which recently sent Vice President Joe Biden on a reported mission of reversing the "de-Baathification" process.
Washington has also claimed that it might "delay" pulling its troops out of Iraq, should "disputed" poll results — apparently resulting from the purge — incite more violence across the strife-torn country.
PressTV
My first guess is that he's talking about us, the US.
posted by madtom at 10:09 PM
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