At Telegraph UK , ” Sectarian attacks in Iraq leave over 70 dead .” And at New York Times , ” Political Role for Militants Worsens Fault Lines in Iraq “: BAGHDAD — It was one of the deadliest insurgent groups in Iraq in recent years, an Iranian-backed militia that bombed American military convoys and bases, assassinated dozens of Iraqi officials and tried to kidnap Americans even as the last soldiers withdrew. But now the Shiite-led government of Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki is welcoming the militant group into Iraq’s political system, a move that could tilt the nation’s center of gravity closer to Iran. The government’s support for the militia, which only just swore off violence, has opened new sectarian fault lines in Iraq’s political crisis while potentially empowering Iran at a moment of rising military and economic tensions between Tehran and Washington. The militant group, Asaib Ahl al-Haq, broke away from the fierce Shiite militia commanded by the anti-American cleric Moktada al-Sadr, who has strong ties to Tehran. The American military has long maintained that the group, led by a former spokesman for Mr. Sadr, Qais al-Khazali, was trained and financed by Iran’s elite Quds Force — something that Iran denies. Since the American military withdrawal last month, Iraq has been convulsed with waves of attacks that have raised concerns about its political stability. On Thursday, bombings killed at least 68 people, including 44 Shiite pilgrims in a single attack in the southern deserts near Nasiriya. With that backdrop of violence , the Iraqi government can plausibly claim that its overtures to the group are an earnest attempt to make peace with a powerful armed foe while nudging the country closer to a much-needed national reconciliation. Thousands of other militants, both Sunni and Shiite, have cut deals with the government to stop fighting, and few officials see a meaningful peace in Iraq that does not include reconciling with armed groups. On Thursday, Asaib Ahl al-Haq made another conciliatory gesture, saying it would release the body of a British bodyguard, Alan McMenemy, who was kidnapped in 2007 with four others, only one of whom was released alive. Yet, critics worry that Mr. Maliki, facing fierce new challenges to his leadership from Sunnis and even his fellow Shiites, may now be making a cynical and shortsighted play for Asaib’s support. They say Mr. Maliki may use the group’s credentials as Shiite resistance fighters to divide challengers in his own Shiite coalition and weaken Mr. Sadr’s powerful bloc, which draws its political lifeblood from the Shiite underclass. Way to go Democrats! This is what cut and run gets you! Congratulations!
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Obama’s Precipitous Withdrawal: Dozens Killed in Bomb Attacks Amid Iraq’s Political Crisis
It’s unclear who was behind the double suicide car bombings that rocked Damascus on Friday but Hezbollah has a pretty good idea who it thinks was responsible. Though supporters of President Bashar Assad blamed Al Qaeda and Syrian insurgents accused the Assad regime of orchestrating the bombings to drive attention away from the government’s bloody crackdown, Hezbollah says it was a plot carried out by the U.S., “the mother of terrorism.” The Lebanese Shi’ite militant group released a statement calling such acts: “the specialty of the United States and its agents in our region.” Lebanon’s Daily Star reports: The blasts came a day after an advance team of Arab League observers arrived in Damascus to monitor Syria’s promise to end its violent crackdown on protesters. “These bombings which resulted in the death and injury of dozens of people, mostly women and children, are the specialty of the United States, the mother of terrorism,” Hezbollah said in a statement. It accused the U.S. of “specializing in targeting, killing and terrorizing the innocent in order to push them into bowing to the U.S. policy that is seeking to achieve the Zionist interest which the Americans put above any other consideration.” Hezbollah, which is a major ally of Assad, said the timing of the bombings clearly signaled they were an act of revenge for the U.S. “defeat” in Iraq following the withdrawal of its troops from the warn-torn country. “This horrific terrorist crime committed by the enemies of humanity in the city of Damascus came one day after the coordinated bombings that targeted Baghdad and other Iraqi cities,” the statement said. “This signals that the parties that stand to lose from the big defeat inflicted on the United States, which led to the humiliating withdrawal of its troops from Iraq, have begun a cowardly, bloody act of revenge by targeting all forces and states that helped the heroic Iraqi resistance in its Jihad [holy war] to evict the U.S. occupation.” Thousands attended the funerals of the 44 killed in the unprecedented attacks outside the buildings of the powerful intelligence services in the center of the capital. It’s notable that Hezbollah, a terrorist group with such a rich history of targeting men, women and children, including U.S citizens, racking up almost 30 years of kidnappings, suicide bombings and rocket attacks would so easily accuse the U.S. of specializing in this sordid business. The U.S. and Israel accuse Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime of providing funds and arms to Hezbollah and for allowing the transfer of Iranian weapons and money via Syria to Hezbollah military operatives in next-door Lebanon.
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Guess Which Country Hezbollah Is Blaming for the Syrian Suicide Bombings?
At Telegraph UK , ” Iraq gripped by sectarian crisis as 63 killed in wave of bombings .” At least a dozen separate blasts hit mostly Shia neighbourhoods of the Iraqi city, though some Sunni areas were also affected. The attacks ranged from “sticky bombs” to fully-loaded car bombs, some doubled up to ensure emergency crews were caught by the second blast, a common tactic of Sunni insurgents. At first sight, the blasts are likely to be attributed to Sunni groups, in response to the hard line taken by the Shia Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in the days since American forces observed President Obama’s promise to withdraw by the end of the year. He has issued a warrant for the arrest of the Sunni vice-president, Tareq al-Hashemi, accusing him of running a hit squad, and called for a vote of no confidence against his own Sunni deputy, vice-premier Saleh al-Mutlaq. The worst single incident this morning was a suicide attack near a government office in which a stolen ambulance packed with explosives was detonated by its driver, sending debris into the air and into the grounds of a nearby kindergarten. Police said at least 18 people were killed in that bombing alone. The series of attacks was on course to be the most lethal since at least August. Police suggested they were designed to instil fear rather than to hit specific targets. “They didn’t target any vital institutions or security positions,” the Baghdad security spokesman, Major General Qassim Atta, said. “They targeted children’s schools, day workers, the anti-corruption agency.” Also at Washington Post , ” Baghdad explosions kill at least 63 in 1st major violence since U.S. pullout .”
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Dozens Killed in Bomb Attacks in Iraq
November 4th marks a significant day for many Iranian nationalists. For them, it signifies the day when, in 1979, 52 Americans were captured by Muslim students at the former U.S. embassy in Tehran, kicking off a 444 day hostage crisis. For reference, the Iran hostage crisis occurred during Jimmy Carter‘s presidency and ended with the hostages’ release just moments after newly elected President Ronald Reagan delivered his inaugural address in 1981. The Blaze previously reported that, since 1979, Iranians celebrate what they call the “National Day against the ‘Global Arrogance’” each year by holding rallies — and that this year, some 2.5 million Iranian students would reportedly do so by marching in solidarity with the “oppressed and deprived” members of Occupy Wall Street. Now, in a communication released at the end of the November 4 rally, the protesters assert that the Arab spring, as well as the anti-capitalism protests around the world, are merely a continuation of Iran’s “Islamic Revolution.” “We warn the leaders of the hegemonic system, specially the US administration to pay attention to the message of the anti-capitalist ‘Occupy Wall Street Movement’ and meet the demands of their own and other right-seeking nations and pave the ground for true public partnership and participation in the administration of their community’s affairs by giving up their arrogant policies and support for the corrupt 1 percent minority who are ruling the world majority,” the Iranian activists said. The demonstrators also expressed support for the “oppressed” Palestinians and described “holding a free election as the only way to resolve the Palestinian issue.” Iran’s Fars News Agency adds: They further voiced support for the resistance of the oppressed Palestinian nation against the usurper Zionist regime, and stressed the necessity for continued resistance until occupiers are fired from Palestine and all Palestinians return to their country. Also in the same communiqué, the ralliers felicitated the Iraqi nation on their resistance against occupiers and the start of the pullout of the occupying troops from their country, and said they believe that the US withdrawal served as a prelude to the start of the reign of “religious populism” over Iraq. They also cautioned the Muslim Iraqi people to keep vigilant against the aggressive plots hatched by the Americans to continue their illegitimate presence in that country, and further voiced support for the Iraqi people’s demand for the exit of all occupying forces from the Muslim state. It should be noted that, aside from those who march in solidarity with OWS, there are Iranian student-members of the dissident movement who are pro-West and would like to see Iran emulate the freedom embraced by the U.S. and other world democracies — or at least see their country return to the more open society it was during the days of the Shah’s rule. Those voices and views, however, are severely stifled by the Iranian regime and rarely make their way into the media spotlight. In many cases, such activists are beaten, imprisoned, or worse. And it will be stories of Iranian youths supporting an anti-West, anti-capitalist movement, who serve as the regime’s most useful propaganda tool. Below is an Iranian-English news report discussing the hostage crisis, the alleged motivation behind the event, and subsequent marches: (h/t: WeaselZippers)
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Iranian Students Celebrate 1979 Hostage Crisis, Call Occupy Wall St. a Continuation of Iran‘s ’Islamic Revolution’
POLITICO reports that the White House is denying a Fox News story that ran this afternoon reporting that the president was preparing to announce a major troops withdrawal from Iraq. “Asked whether the report was accurate, White House press secretary Jay Carney responded at his press briefing Tuesday afternoon with a flat ‘no.’ ‘We want a normal, productive, healthy relationship with Iraq,’ he said. ‘If the Iraqi government makes a request of us, we will certainly consider it. But for the time being, Carney added, the two countries are continuing to operate “under existing agreements.” Earlier today the Blaze relayed the Fox News report that the number of U.S. troops in Iraq would decline to only 3,000 by the end of the year. Under a 2008 security agreement between Washington and Baghdad, all U.S. troops are slated to leave by Dec. 31, 2011. However, Continued instability and fear of growing Iranian influence in Iraq has prompted some Iraqi and U.S. officials to reconsider the deadline. The U.S. has stressed repeatedly that Iraq must formally request the American military to stay longer and describe specifically what type of role they would like the American military to play if the deadline is to be extended.
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White House Denies Report of Major Troop Withdrawal from Iraq
The U.S. is delivering a tough message to the Iraqi government, insisting that its security forces do more to stem increasingly deadly attacks by Iranian-backed militia on American troops.
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Panetta Pushes Iraq on Attacks
