Blair calls for Muslim troops as riots begin

[T_i_B]

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,6903,1212747,00.html

Tony Blair is to push for Muslim troops from Pakistan to be deployed in Iraq in a desperate attempt to shore up the reputation of the coalition forces following the widely-condemned images of abuse of Iraqi detainees.

The Prime Minister and Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon have called for 'channels to be opened' with Pakistan and India, which have said they will consider sending forces only if a United Nations resolution on the future of Iraq can be passed.

The move comes as the coalition operation faced fresh criticism last night and British soldiers were involved in the first major combat operations across southern Iraq since the end of the war to remove Saddam Hussein.

In an interview with The Observer Hoshyar Zebari, the Iraqi Foreign Minister, launched a scathing attack on the American and British governments, accusing them of an ideological approach that had led to a series of grave errors. Speaking in his office in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Baghdad, Zebari, who was appointed to his post in September last year, said that an application of ideology and western standards to the complicated and violent reality in Iraq had been a big mistake.

[Flagg]

1. shut the fuck up poodle

[bahrbearian]

7. The poor abandoned Poodle having to go beg in the streets

[LittleApple81]

2. Pakistan? Musharraf is having trouble holding to power. Why

would agree to send troops?

[BlueMole]

3. Cash

Musharraf knows who is signing his paychecks.

America's nightmare: General general has to flee and the fundies get the nukes. very scary

[JoFerret]

5. They won't

Put money on it.

[bahrbearian]

6. He can't. That would leave him too vulnerable.

[daa]

4. Right

OSL is in Pakistan and India is in the middle of elections.

[Spazito]

8. Blair has the same level of "moral authority" as bush...

none, nada, zilch, zero. He is toast, the only question is: burnt toast or charcoal?

[daleo]

9. Iraq has a foreign minister?

Who would have guessed.

on edit - technically I guess the whole Iraqi Governing Council are "foreign" ministers.

[dArKeR]

10. Blair will push for Pakistani troops to shore up Iraq effort

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2004/05/10/2003154889

Just needs a little 'shoring' just like Vietnam.