Reuters: Maliki orders commanders to launch crackdown

[Eugene]

Maliki orders commanders to launch crackdown

By Ibon Villelabeitia

15 minutes ago

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki ordered Iraq's military commanders
on Tuesday to speed up preparations for a U.S.-backed crackdown in Baghdad after a
string of attacks killed hundreds of people in recent days.

Addressing Iraqi generals over what he called a "delay" in a plan seen as a last-ditch
effort to prevent Iraq from pitching into all-out civil war, Maliki said: "I call on
you to quickly finish the preparations so that we don't disappoint people."

-snip-

Maliki, a Shi'ite, announced the crackdown nearly a month ago, but it has not yet begun.
President Bush has committed 17,500 more troops to the Baghdad push.

Suggesting the delay was fuelling violence that has killed more than 1,000 people in the
last 10 days, Maliki, who is also the commander in chief of the Iraqi military, said:

"These operations should unite us when we go to the field soon, even though I feel we
are already late. This delay has sent a negative message ... Any delay in implementing
the plan will be used by the enemies of the operation and those who want to defeat the
will of the ... security forces."

-snip-

Full article: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070206/wl_nm/iraq_dc_142

[bemildred]

1. He keeps giving orders, but nobody seems to obey. nt

[Dhalgren]

3. The Iranians are screwing things up. They haven't reacted to all

of the provocations the US has been putting out there. It is frustrating! How can Bush go forward with his GREAT PLAN if the Iranians won't bite on the provocation ops?

[redqueen]

6. Let us pray they continue not taking the bait. n/t

[babylonsister]

2. "I call on you to quickly finish the preparations so that we don't disappoint people."

Would that include the dead people his 'crackdown' failed to protect?

[SpiralHawk]

4. "Ve vill follow der lead of Kommander AWOL." - Maliki

"Since der Skull & Bone-miester George AWOL Bush and his Kommandant for Vice, Dickie 'Five Deferments" Cheney have proved to be such NOBLE HEROES to der republiKon Kabal of Korrupt Kornies, ve vill follow der lead and see if ve kant make some Massive War Profits for our Elite Kronies, too." - Puppet Boy Maliki


Kommander AWOL: "Smirk, smirk, sneer, sneer."

[pinniped]

5. Must meet benchmarks, must meet benchmarks, must meet benchmarks....

Idiotic fool.