Maliki authorizes 'extreme force' against militias

[ECH1969]

Prime Minister Nouri Maliki scolded lawmakers today at a closed Parliament session for placing sectarian concerns over the national interest, promising sweeping Cabinet changes following complaints that his unity government has been ineffective at containing ongoing violence that killed more than 50 people today.

Maliki later told journalists he has authorized the use of "extreme force" against private militias blamed for surging bloodshed between Iraq's dominant Muslim sects that has lately claimed more lives than the anti-U.S. insurgency.

It was an unusually tough stance from a leader widely criticized for failing to stand up to key members of his governing Shiite coalition, who are backed by militias believed responsible for nightly killing sprees against the Sunni Arab minority driving the insurgency.

There cannot be a government and militias together. One of the two should rule," Maliki said in a session today with Iraqi newspaper editors broadcast on national television. "I personally will not be in a government based on militias." He said militia activity increased in response to terror attacks but said that needed to stop. "I issued an order to use extreme force against anyone using arms without government's permission," Maliki told journalists.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-111206iraq,0,1945517.story?coll=la-home-world

[lapfog_1]

1. Let Saddam out. Put him back in charge and the militia

problem goes away... and we can get the hell out of Iraq.

Ok, I know, he won't do that.

But he might become just like Saddam! Freedom is messy ya know.

[acmavm]

2. I was under the impression that the problem was that everybody

is already using extreme force over there. No one's negotiating. Well, unless you can consider guns, bombs, bullets, drills, and swords instruments of negotiation.

I saw a frigging video here Friday where Iraqi police opened fire on a group of demonstrators. If that isn't extreme force I don't know what would be.

[HaggardsMethDealer]

3. It's part of Bush's new plan...

kill every man, woman, and child in Iraq...hence they will all be free.

[The2ndWheel]

4. Negotiations only work

after someone has been beaten. How many negotiations have there been in history between at least two different ways of viewing the world? The losing side always negotiates.

I'm not saying I agree with it, but that's how I see it.

[LynnTheDem]

5. That worked for Saddam. Except 2845 Americans didn't die.

Rightwingnuts; biggest fuck-ups ever.

[bemildred]

6. Between rock and a hard place, he is.

It going to take more than government edicts for fix this mess.