Iraqi-Syrian crisis deepens; Baghdad looks to UN for help Oct 15, 2009
The request for an investigation into foreign interference in Iraq would also include Iran and other neighbors but the Iraqi government has focused on the suicide truck bombs which Iraq has blamed on Baath Party extremists living in Syria ... The extent to which Al Qaeda operatives have formed an alliance with Baath Party extremists loyal to Mr. Hussein has been a subject of debate, but American and Iraqi officials describe it as a marriage of convenience although the two have differing... (Christian Science Monitor -- World)
Female writer revisits torture in Iraq Oct 10, 2009
You are fine as long as you dont say No to anything established or decision taken by the Baath Party If you have the courage to oppose the regime, there is torture, there are executions, she said about that time. Because it was easier for women than men to travel freely, Zangana was given responsibility for maintaining communication between various offices of the Central Leadership, a faction within the influential Iraqi Communist Party in 1970s. (MSNBC -- International)
Baghdad push leaves pockets of no-man's land Oct 7, 2009
In Safran, 20 miles west of here, local Baath party leaders were said to be planning an attack on a nearby British military post yesterday -- prompting reinforcements to arrive ... Some also said that officials from Hussein's Baath party were in the crowd, and others whispered that Iraqi intelligence agents were nearby. (FOX61, CT)
Iraq operation targets militants Oct 4, 2009
Some detainees are part of al-Qaeda in Iraq, others loyal to Saddam Hussein's outlawed Baath party, officials say. The defence ministry says that 100 of the detainees have already been transferred to the capital for questioning, and that about 100 are still wanted. (BBC News -- Africa)
Iraqi PM approaches Sunnis for nationwide elections Oct 1, 2009
Within this trend, the leader of Sahwa groups in the town of Duluiyah, some 90 km north of Baghdad, Mulla Nadhim Al-Jubury told Xinhua that he "will support Maliki if he continues to follow his national line and act away from foreign agendas, safeguards Iraq's independence, away from trends to divide the country, as well as taking practical steps towards Iraq's former Baath Party members, as well as activating the accountability and justice law, which allow them to go back to civil live.". "We... (Xinhuanet, China)
British confirm death of 'Chemical Ali' Sep 30, 2009
" Hazem al-Youssefi, Cairo representative of the opposition Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, described al-Majid as a standout in a regime of criminals. Al-Majid was a warrant officer and motorcycle messenger in the army before Saddam's Baath party led a coup in 1968. He was promoted to general and served as defense minister from 1991-95, as well as a regional party leader. In 1988, as the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war was winding down, he commanded a scorched-earth campaign to wipe out a Kurdish rebellion... (FOX61, CT)
Iraq seeks 2 in Syria linked to bombings Sep 6, 2009
Extra police were sent to the border this week on the prime minister's orders in response to the government's assertion that former members of Saddam Hussein's Baath Party based in Syria planned and financed last month's attacks against the foreign and finance ministries, said Maj ... Iraq has blamed an alliance between al Qaeda in Iraq and the outlawed Baath Party ... Iraq's post-Hussein government has for years sought the handover of former Baath Party officials who fled to Syria after the... (San Francisco Chronicle)
Iraqi Arabs denounce US proposal to allow Kurd troops in patrols Sep 6, 2009
Also yesterday, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki kept up pressure on Syria to hand over two former members of Saddam Hussein s Baath Party accused of planning and financing bombings last month at government ministries in Baghdad. Copyright 2009 Globe Newspaper Company. (Boston Globe)
* Iraq deploys police to Syrian border to block insurgents Sep 6, 2009
Extra police were sent to the border this week on the prime ministers orders in response to the governments assertion that former members of late dictator Saddam Husseins Baath Party based in Syria planned and financed last months attacks against the foreign and finance ministries, said Major General Tariq Youssef, the police commander in western Iraq ... Iraq has blamed an alliance between al-Qaeda in Iraq and the outlawed Baath Party ... Iraqs post-Saddam government has for years... (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World Business)
Iraq bolsters Syria border force Sep 5, 2009
Baghdad says members of the Baath Party of former leader Saddam Hussein, hiding in Syria, organised two attacks in Iraq on 19 August which killed about 100 ... During Saddam Hussein's 1979-2003 rule, Iraq and Syria were governed by rival branches of the Arab nationalist Baath Party and ties between them were characterised by mutual hostility. (BBC News)
Iraq accuses Syria of aiding cross-border attackers Sep 4, 2009
Iraq, which has blamed an alliance between al-Qaida in Iraq and Saddam Hussein's outlawed Baath Party, wants Syria to hand over several suspects it says are based there ... Syria is home to a number of Iraqis who were mid-ranking and senior members of Saddam's Baath Party, and Iraqi officials say Damascus allows them to live and engage in political activity in Syria ... Even prior to the August attacks, Iraq had asked Syria to cooperate in stopping the activities of Baath Party figures, but... (MSNBC -- International)
Ammar al-Hakim, Iraq's Newest Shi'ite Leader Sep 4, 2009
"We will not allow or respond to the calls for the return of the Saddamist Baath Party. However, we have no problem co-existing with ordinary Baathists who have merged into society or those who have not yet merged, but want to." in a televised broadcast on Martyr Day in Iraq (Al-Iraqiyah TV, July 21, 2007). "Unfortunately, the liberation of Iraq left a vacuum. In this vacuum have come men who call themselves the guardian of man. But they have killed millions. They have done this in the name of... (Time.com)
Iraq-Syria war of words escalates Sep 1, 2009
The camp was well known to Syrian intelligence," he said. Last week, Iraqi police broadcast the confession of an Iraqi man, in which he said a former Iraqi Baathist based in Syria had ordered him to carry out the ministry bombings. It is impossible to verify any of the claims. Ties between Iraq and Syria, ruled by rival branches of the Arab nationalist Baath Party, were characterised by strong mutual hostility for most of Saddam Hussein's rule from 1979. Tensions resurfaced after the US-led... (BBC News)
Turkish envoy works to ease Iraq-Syria tensions Sep 1, 2009
Days after the August 19 attack, the Iraqi government released what it said was a confession from a man who said he received orders for the bombing of the Finance Ministry building from a member of former Iraqi President Baath Party who now lives in Syria ... Ibrahim said he received orders from Sattam Farhan, who he said was a Baath Party leader in Syria ... The spokesman for al-Ahmed's wing of the Baath party in Syria contended that the videotaped statement was fabricated and alleged that the... (CNN -- World)
Al-Hakim's death unsettles Iraqi politics Aug 28, 2009
From 1968, when the secular Arab nationalist (and strongly Sunni-tinged) Baath Party made a coup and took over Iraq, it began persecuting Shiite activists ... The younger brother, Abdul Aziz Al-Hakim, was put in charge of the Badr Corps, a guerrilla group based in Tehran that used to attack Iraqi government officials and facilities when the Baath Party was in power. (Salon)
Shiite Leader Dies Aug 27, 2009
After the 1970 death of his father, al-Hakim and his brothers became active in political opposition to Saddam's Baath Party. He was jailed several times until he and most of the family fled to neighboring Iran in 1980 following a crackdown by Saddam on the Shiite opposition. (Fox News)
Ex-Baathist confesses to Ministry attack in Iraq Aug 26, 2009
Ibrahim said he received orders for the bombing of the Finance Ministry building from a member of Hussein's Baath Party now living in Syria ... In his statement, which was played for reporters and aired on Iraqi television, the well-dressed 57-year-old said he received orders from Sattam Farhan, who he said was a Baath Party leader in ... Some midlevel and senior members of the Baath Party sought refuge in Syria following the U.S. invasion that ousted in 2003. (CNN -- World)
Iraq to Syria: Hand over bombing suspects Aug 26, 2009
Iraqi PM says "we know" bombings were done by al Qaeda and Baath Party ... "We know it was the Baath Party, known for its heinous crimes throughout history, along with al Qaeda, who did this," he said, according to his office ... The Iraqi government released on Sunday what it said was a confession from a man who said he received orders for the bombing of the Finance Ministry building from a member of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's Baath Party who now lives in Syria. (CNN -- World)
Iraq and Syria recall ambassadors Aug 26, 2009
Syria is ruled by a rival branch of the Baath party, which was overthrown in Iraq by the US-led invasion and subsequently banned. Hundreds of former Baathists are thought to have taken refuge in Syria since the 2003 collapse of Saddam Hussein's government. (BBC News)
Al Qaeda Claims Baghdad Bombings Aug 26, 2009
However, a branch of Saddam's former Baath party, now based in Syria, issued a statement denouncing the attacks. Al Qaeda signature attacks until now have mostly seemed designed to fuel sectarian tensions and push the country back to the Sunni-Shiite violence of 2006 and 2007 that nearly led to civil war. (CBS News -- World)
* Shiite groups keep Iraqi PM out of new alliance Aug 25, 2009
the chief military spokesman for Baghdad, Major General Qassim al-Moussawi, said the man was a senior member of former president Saddam Husseins ousted Baath Party who had confessed to supervising the attack against the Finance Ministry before his lawyer and the chief prosecutor. The 57-year-old suspect, wearing a gray and white striped shirt, identified himself as Wisam Ali Khazim Ibrahim and said he was a Baath Party member and former police officer from Muqdadiyah, Diyala Province ...... (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- Sports)
Baghdad bombing leaves hole in diplomatic corps Aug 25, 2009
Iraqi officials, who almost instantly announced arrests after the attacks, have given conflicting reports about how it was carried out, but all have blamed Baath Party loyalists for planning the bombing and Al Qaeda operatives for carrying it out ... The man, who appeared strangely composed, said he was a former police officer in Diyala Province and a member of the banned Baath party. (Christian Science Monitor -- World)
I directed deadly truck bombing: Saddam loyalist Aug 25, 2009
Salam Faraj in Baghdad. IRAQ has broadcast a video of a Saddam Hussein loyalist saying he had orchestrated one of two huge truck bombings that killed 95 people in Baghdad last week. (Sydney Morning Herald -- World)
Iraqi 'bomber confession' aired Aug 25, 2009
The man said he had orchestrated the attacks with a Syrian-based leader of the outlawed Baath party ... The 57-year-old suspect said he was a member of the banned Baath Party, the party through which Saddam Hussein governed Iraq. (BBC News -- Africa)
Iraqi military spokesman Sunday announced the arrest of the mastermind of Wednesday's deadly truck bombings in central Baghdad, the state-run television of Iraqia reported. • String of bomb attacks kill 97 in Baghdad Aug 24, 2009
Qassim Atta, spokesman of Baghdad operation command, told the state-run Iraqia television that his command blamed the violence on Saddam Hussein's Baath party members and the al-Qaida militants. "We accuse the Baath party members of these terrorist attacks," Atta said, adding that the goal of such attacks is "to blow the successes achieved by the government.". (Xinhuanet, China)
Iraqi suspect: $10,000 to pass checkpoints Aug 24, 2009
Gen. Qassim al-Moussawi, the chief military spokesman for Baghdad, said the man was a senior member of Saddam Hussein's ousted Baath Party who had confessed to supervising the attack against the Finance Ministry before his lawyer and the chief prosecutor ... Destabilize the regimeThe 57-year-old suspect, wearing a gray and white striped shirt, identified himself as Wisam Ali Khazim Ibrahim and said he was a Baath Party member and former police officer from the Diyala province city of... (MSNBC -- International)
Baghdad governor: Sunni MPs may be arrested for bombing Aug 24, 2009
The suspect said he was a former police officer from Diyala province and leader of a wing of the revived Baath Party, which was loyal to executed former president Saddam Hussein. Al Qaeda and baathists. (Christian Science Monitor -- World)
Video confession surfaces in Iraq Aug 24, 2009
Ibrahim described himself as a former police officer in Diyala province and a member of Saddam Hussein s Baath Party, which is banned in Iraq and which officials in Prime Minister Nouri Kamal al-Maliki s government routinely blame for much of the violence in the country. The videotaped confession, broadcast on state television channels, appeared to be part of an effort by security officials to ease public outrage and fear. (Boston Globe)
Security officials questioned in Iraq bombings Aug 24, 2009
Al-Maliki blamed the attack on an alliance between members of the ousted Baath party and al-Qaeda, saying the bombings were intended to create chaos and a conflict between political powers ahead of the country's January elections. On Thursday, Iraqi officials announced that 11 senior security officials in charge of the foreign and finance ministry areas were detained for questioning. (CNN -- World)
Iraq's Maliki pledges victory amid criticism Aug 23, 2009
He reiterated government accusations that al Qaeda and supporters of ousted dictator Saddam Hussein's banned Baath party were responsible and said the culprits had been captured. He also repeated allegations that unnamed countries in the region were fomenting violence in Iraq. (AlertNet)
11 Iraqi commanders detained after bombings Aug 22, 2009
Al-Maliki blamed Sunni extremists who had belonged to Saddam Hussein's Baath Party for the attacks. The bombings took place a day after the prime minister asked his Syrian counterpart during a meeting in Damascus to hand over Baath Party members whom Baghdad suspects of orchestrating violence in Iraq. (San Francisco Chronicle)
* Baathists use Sufis to harass north Aug 22, 2009
The members of its military wing are mainly made up of Sunni Arab former members of the Baath party and Saddam Husseins disbanded armed forces, even though the Sufi orders traditionally claim to draw support from across the regions ethnic divide. The JRTN has capitalized on the unpopularity of al-Qaeda and its foreign fighters, whose brutal tactics and enforcement of a strict version of Islam out of kilter with local traditions has alienated the regions population. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
Iraq admits mistakes after wave of bombings Aug 21, 2009
The Shiite Muslim-led government blamed die-hard followers of Saddam Hussein's Baath party or al-Qaida, as well as unnamed "foreign powers" an allusion to neighboring states. But Iraqis in the street seemed inclined to blame intra-Shiite rivalries, or tensions between Shiite, Sunni and Kurdish political parties and factions ahead of the polls. (MSNBC -- International)
Related: Mistrust over Sunni militias threatens Iraq stability Aug 20, 2009
Mistrust over Sunni militias threatens Iraq stability - Yahoo. Search Type Choose a search type from the items below. (Yahoo News)
Iraqi Leader Wants Syria To Hand Over Suspects Aug 19, 2009
Syria is home to a number of Iraqis who were mid-ranking and senior members of Saddam Hussein's outlawed Baath Party. Iraqi officials say Damascus allows them to live and engage in political activity in Syria. (CBS News -- World)
Former US ambassador to Iraq reflects on life outside green zone Aug 15, 2009
Hedoes not join the chorus of blame against Paul Bremer, head of theCoalition Provisional Authority, for disbanding the Army and expellingall members of Hussein's Baath Party from government. The move waswidely criticized as freezing out the only Iraqis who knew how to runand defend the country. (Christian Science Monitor -- USA)
Iraq book ban raises fears of free speech clampdown... Aug 13, 2009
Saddam's Baath Party kept a tight lid on all forms of cultural expression, with artists and writers routinely press-ganged into producing works that glorified the tyrant and fed his massive personality cult. "If there are any publications aimed at destroying Iraqi society using notions of sectarianism or other destructive ideas, the government's cultural agencies should address them by releasing their own publications and books calling for co-existence and citizenship," Ismail said. (The Drudge Report)
SEE THEM SWEAT IN NEW JERSEY... Aug 12, 2009
" we catch-up with the Godfather of boxing, Lou Duva, who candidly recalls his humble beginnings in the fight halls of Paterson, rising through the boxing ranks, and some of his fondest memories in a storied career in the "sweet-science (The Drudge Report)
43 killed in attacks against Iraqi Shi’ites Aug 8, 2009
Mosul is among the most violent places in Iraq, home to insurgents linked to Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia, a mostly home-grown militant group with some foreign leadership, and to the banned Baath Party, once led by Saddam Hussein. Under the security agreement between Iraq and the United States, most US forces have withdrawn from posts in the city and are now garrisoned at a base. (Boston Globe)
Country profile: Syria Jul 26, 2009
But the pace of change alarmed the establishment - the army, the Baath party and the Alawite minority ... The government and Baath party own and control much of the Syrian media ... - paper of ruling Baath party. (BBC News -- Africa)
Iraq investigates alleged US-insurgent talks Jul 25, 2009
Iraq's Shiite-led government, whose supporters suffered under the Sunni-dominated rule of Saddam Hussein, is deeply skeptical of the possibility of an accord with Sunni insurgents, some of whom might have links to Saddam's old Baath party. "Nobody can make decisions on behalf of Iraq, which has a legitimate government," said Abbas al-Bayati, a member of the security and defense committee in the Iraqi parliament. (Sioux City Journal)
Kurdistan: Why it could spark new front in Iraq war Jul 25, 2009
The insurgency in Iraq was fueled by Sunni Arabs disenfranchised when the US dissolved Iraq's former security institutions and prevented many former Baath Party members from getting jobs. "Through tremendous political effort we were able to enter the political arena and convince the people that political work can translate into real results. If we're not successful at doing this there will be some very forceful reactions," the governor says. (Christian Science Monitor)
Newsweek: Maliki walks fine line during trip to U.S. Jul 23, 2009
They want more Sunnis suspected of insurgency to be released from prison, and for the removal of the Baath Party ban. Kurds are perhaps the most anxious. (MSNBC -- International)
Today in History Jul 17, 2009
In 1968, a coup in Iraq returned the Baath Party to power, five years after it was ousted. In 1975, an Apollo spaceship docked with a Soyuz spacecraft in orbit in the first superpower link-up of its kind. (Yahoo News)
Muted opposition Jul 12, 2009
But the authorities show no sign of relinquishing the tight control which the Baath Party has exerted since it took power in a 1963 coup and banned all opposition. "The priority is not to have any opposition or independent voices and it is successful in oppressing this scene," says Yassin Haj Saleh, a writer and human rights activist. (BBC News -- Africa)
Iraqi PM renews call to strengthen central gov't power Jul 12, 2009
Meanwhile, Maliki rejected any reconciliation with Saddam Hussein's Baath party members, saying "it is not fair to reconcile with those who destroyed Iraq, made women widows and children orphans.". He also warned of plots by external powers aimed at provoking insurgency, sectarianism and ethnicity among Iraqis ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections to be held next January. (Xinhuanet, China)
Iraq bans group visits to Hussein's grave Jul 9, 2009
Move reflects concern of Iraq's government over presence of the Baath Party ... However, the move reflects the concern of Iraq's government over the presence of the Baath Party in Iraq, 's political movement. (CNN -- World)
Iraqs rebuff of U.S. has element of posturing Jul 8, 2009
The loyalists, members of the outlawed Baath party, are suspected of joining forces with al-Qaida to launch attacks. There will never be reconciliation in Iraq without reaching an understanding with the Baathists, said Kazim al-Muqdadi, a political analyst at Baghdad University. (Sierra Vista Herald, AZ)
* Iraq rejects US help during Biden trip Jul 6, 2009
Al-Malikis office also said the Iraqi government is committed to the national reconciliation process but excluded Saddams ousted Baath Party, saying it is responsible for the destruction inflicted on Iraq. . (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
Iraq: Reconciliation pure internal affair Jul 5, 2009
However, a statement by Maliki's office after his meeting with Biden confirmed that Maliki's government is committed to the national reconciliation process, but it also confirmed that the Saddam Hussein's Baath Party "is not meant by the process.". "Baath party is banned by the Iraqi constitution because it was the reason behind all devastation of Iraq," the statement said. (Xinhuanet, China)
Obituary: Saddam Hussein Jul 3, 2009
Joining up with the clandestine Baath party in 1956, he participated in a failed attempt to assassinate military ruler General Abdul Karim Qassem. In a country where politics was always a violent game, his talents took him swiftly to the top. (BBC News -- Africa)
Bomb kills Iraqi soldier and wounds 10 in Baghdad Jul 2, 2009
The leader of the Islamic Army in Iraq, thought to be the military wing of Saddam's outlawed Baath party, claimed the U.S. withdrawal was a victory not for the Iraqi government but for insurgents, according to the SITE Intelligence Group. "If anyone has a right to celebrate victory, it should be the resistance and its men and those who rallied around it and supported it among the children of our people and our Ummah (nation)," the "emir" of the group said in an online message monitored by SITE.. (The Star Online, Malaysia)
Iraq's First Oil Auction Sputters Jul 1, 2009
Your US dollars are what installed him and his Baath party as the government of Iraq. Just as we had financed Bin Ladin against Russia in Afghanistan. (CBS News -- World)
* BP, Chinese oil firm win first Iraq deals in decades Jul 1, 2009
For energy firms, the appeal is the opportunity to plant a foot in the country, their first chance to do so since the Baath party nationalized the Iraq Petroleum Company in 1972, seven years before Saddam took power. Thanks to sanctions and war, no company has wanted or been able to invest, said Ruba Husari, an energy expert and the founder of the Web site iraqoilforum. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- Business)
Iraqis cheer, fear U.S. pullout from cities Jul 1, 2009
" he said. Four U.S. soldiers serving in Baghdad died Monday of combat-related injuries, the latest of more than 4,300 Americans to die there since the U.S-led invasion in 2003. The U.S. military announced the deaths Tuesday without giving further details. A Web site associated with the Baath Party posted a statement attributed to ex-leader Saddam Hussein's former deputy, Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri, early Tuesday, calling the American pullout a "historic victory" for the insurgents. "The 30th of... (CNN -- World)
Iraq kicks off bidding for first licensing oil contracts Jun 30, 2009
The bidding process, which was attended by deputy of Iraqi parliament and the Iraqi Oil Minister Hussein al-Shahristani, attracted 32 companies and consortia to compete for the contracts, four decade after former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein's Baath Party nationalized the oil industry. "We need these contracts for the reconstruction of Iraq," Maliki said in his speech during the opening of the bidding session. (Xinhuanet, China)
Repeated bombings in Iraq as withdrawal nears Jun 27, 2009
Another possibility: members of Saddam Hussein's outlawed Baath party, perhaps with foreign backing, trying to discredit the Shiite government and win concessions. Iraqi officials have maintained for months that remnants of Hussein's party and al Qaeda were cooperating to plan and carry out attacks, despite broad philosophic differences. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Newsweek: Chalabi on Iraq corruption, U.S. withdrawal Jun 26, 2009
This was patent nonsense, as the bulk of members of the Baath Party were never fired. And among the high-ranking Baathists, almost 90 percent of the people who requested exemptions were given exemptions and returned to their jobs. (MSNBC -- International)
Bombings in Iraq kill scores ahead of US withdrawal Jun 26, 2009
Another possibility: members of Saddam Hussein s outlawed Baath party, perhaps with foreign backing, trying to discredit the Shi ite government and win concessions. Copyright 2009 Globe Newspaper Company. (Boston Globe)
US is hated in Mideast: Iran's Khamenei Jun 4, 2009
" He said in Iraq, the United States was "supporting the Baathist elements", in reference to members of executed dictator Saddam Hussein's Baath party, many of whom are returning to government jobs in the new Shi'ite-led regime of Iraq. "He (Obama) has to change these things," said Khamenei. Khamenei's speech to thousands of Iranians and several foreigners at the Khomeini mausoleum on the southern outskirts of Tehran, came just over a week before Iran goes to the polls on June 12 to choose a new... (Sydney Morning Herald -- World)
Iraq soldier deaths trial resumes May 26, 2009
While some members of the convoy escaped, the pair were taken to a local Baath party headquarters and then to an Iraqi intelligence base, where they were shot dead. Footage of the two soldiers lying wounded near their vehicle was broadcast by Qatari-owned al-Jazeera, prompting condemnation by the British government. (BBC News -- Africa)
3 US soldiers, dozens of Iraqis killed by bombings May 22, 2009
A spate of attacks since April seems aimed at stoking sectarian tension and undermining public confidence only weeks before U.S. combat troops are due to leave Baghdad and other cities, handing security responsibility to Iraq s security forces (Somerset Daily American, PA)
Violence Spike May 22, 2009
He blamed the violence on Al Qaeda and Saddam Hussein's Sunni-dominated Baath party, saying they "have regrouped recently and were able to revive some of their cells.". "The information we have is that the Baath party is taking the lead in conducting attacks now and Al Qaeda has retreated to second place," Rawndouzi said ... The Shiite-led government has also cited alleged Baath party links in defending the arrests of some leaders of the paramilitary Awakening Councils. (Fox News)
Bomb near Baghdad ice cream shop kills dozens May 22, 2009
Iraqi officials have blamed remnants of the Baath Party and Sunni insurgents for the recent attacks, although they have insisted that security forces have restored calm. "There are still security challenges," Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said recently, "although we have taken over the territory and the initiative from the terrorists who have gone now into hiding here and there.". (San Francisco Chronicle)
Iraqi general's story a microcosm for the people who endured Saddam Hussein May 20, 2009
Wendell Steavenson uses the story of Kamel Sachet, a Sunni general who served in Saddam Hussein's Baath Party, and his family to tell a larger story about life under 30 years of tyranny. In the process, Steavenson has produced a stirring meditation on morality and compromise, complicity and service. (Herald Online, SC -- Lifestyles)
