BULLY BOY PRESS & CEDRIC'S BIG MIX -- THE KOOL AID TABLE
TODAY, THEY WONDER THAT.
AFTER THE POLLING DIPS, AFTER THE SCANDALS, AFTER 2008'S CAMPAIGN AND MARK PENN AND . . .
TODAY THE WASHINGTON POST WONDERS IF MAYBE CRANKY CLINTON ISN'T A GOOD CANDIDATE.
HOW THEY EVER BROKE WATERGATE REMAINS A PUZZLER.
Starting in Iraq where forever thug and former prime minister Nouri al-Maliki remains absent despite the focus on him. Emma Gatten (Independent) reports:
Al Mada reminds that a little over a year ago, while still prime minister, Nouri was insisting the fall of Mosul was due to foreign countries and their leaders but Parliament's investigation discovered that the chief issue was a lack of troops present in Mosul followed by the conflicts between political officials. Euronews adds, "According to the report, Maliki had an inaccurate picture of the
threat to the northern city because he chose commanders who engaged in corruption and failed to hold them accountable."
It was June 2014, when the Islamic State took over the city. Don Melvin (CNN) offers, "Mosul, a city of more than 1 million people about 250 miles (400 kilometers) north of Baghdad, is one of the most important cities in northern Iraq. Its fall to the terrorist group ISIS was followed by disastrous consequences for residents in the area."
Mosul remains under the control of the Islamic State to this day.
Kitabat reports that some members of Nouri's State of Law coalition are threatening to walk out on the Parliament if Nouri is charged with anything and that Speaker of Parliament Saleem al-Jubouri held a press conference today to note that no names could be stricken from the report and no one was above the law.
Nouri left over the weekend for what was supposed to be a brief visit to Iran -- a visit that's already expanded to days and has many wondering what exactly he is up to?
Now that he's in Iran, Nouri's become quite the chatty Cathy on the topic of reforms or 'reforms' proposed by Haider al-Abadi. While he praised these reforms while he was in Iraq, he's since changed his opinion. Nour Malas, Ali A. Nabhan and Ghassan Adnan (Wall St. Journal) report:
Mr. Maliki, who initially gave a statement of support for the government overhaul, has since appeared to question some of the measures. In local television interviews, he called the moves to eliminate the vice presidency posts and a call to allow the prime minister to replace local governors "unconstitutional."
What will happen to Nouri?
Maybe nothing at all.
Aziz Alwan (Bloomberg) reports:
The case isn’t likely to be raised to “the level of high treason,” and it’s too early to say what will happen next, according to Hameed al-Fayath, a Baghdad-based political analyst.
Though Maliki’s popularity is suffering, “he still has many supporters all over Iraq, especially among the Shiite militias that are fighting Islamic State right now, the security forces, and in politics,” he said.
Nouri has much to answer for. Last night, we noted that the press was overlooking the obvious with regards to the findings by the Iraqi Parliament on the 2014 fall of Mosul: That then-prime minister and forever thug Nouri al-Maliki had refused to nominate anyone to be in charge of the security ministries throughout his second term (2010 - 2014).
Back in July, 2012, Mohammed Tawfeeq (CNN) observed, "Shiite Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has struggled to forge a lasting power-sharing agreement and has yet to fill key Cabinet positions, including the ministers of defense, interior and national security, while his backers have also shown signs of wobbling support."
He never filled them.
In January 2011, when they were still vacant, Ayad Allawi (the winner of the 2010 elections) stated they wouldn't be filled. The world press, always full of something other than wisdom, was insisting that, in a few weeks, Nouri would nominate someone to hold the posts.
Allawi said Nouri wouldn't and that this was a power grab.
Allawi was correct.
For four years, Iraq was without heads for the security ministries.
Which is part of the reason the military rise of the Islamic State isn't a surprise.
Mosul remains under the control of the Islamic State to this day.
Kitabat reports that some members of Nouri's State of Law coalition are threatening to walk out on the Parliament if Nouri is charged with anything and that Speaker of Parliament Saleem al-Jubouri held a press conference today to note that no names could be stricken from the report and no one was above the law.
Nouri left over the weekend for what was supposed to be a brief visit to Iran -- a visit that's already expanded to days and has many wondering what exactly he is up to?
Now that he's in Iran, Nouri's become quite the chatty Cathy on the topic of reforms or 'reforms' proposed by Haider al-Abadi. While he praised these reforms while he was in Iraq, he's since changed his opinion. Nour Malas, Ali A. Nabhan and Ghassan Adnan (Wall St. Journal) report:
Mr. Maliki, who initially gave a statement of support for the government overhaul, has since appeared to question some of the measures. In local television interviews, he called the moves to eliminate the vice presidency posts and a call to allow the prime minister to replace local governors "unconstitutional."
What will happen to Nouri?
Maybe nothing at all.
Aziz Alwan (Bloomberg) reports:
The case isn’t likely to be raised to “the level of high treason,” and it’s too early to say what will happen next, according to Hameed al-Fayath, a Baghdad-based political analyst.
Though Maliki’s popularity is suffering, “he still has many supporters all over Iraq, especially among the Shiite militias that are fighting Islamic State right now, the security forces, and in politics,” he said.
Nouri has much to answer for. Last night, we noted that the press was overlooking the obvious with regards to the findings by the Iraqi Parliament on the 2014 fall of Mosul: That then-prime minister and forever thug Nouri al-Maliki had refused to nominate anyone to be in charge of the security ministries throughout his second term (2010 - 2014).
Back in July, 2012, Mohammed Tawfeeq (CNN) observed, "Shiite Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has struggled to forge a lasting power-sharing agreement and has yet to fill key Cabinet positions, including the ministers of defense, interior and national security, while his backers have also shown signs of wobbling support."
He never filled them.
In January 2011, when they were still vacant, Ayad Allawi (the winner of the 2010 elections) stated they wouldn't be filled. The world press, always full of something other than wisdom, was insisting that, in a few weeks, Nouri would nominate someone to hold the posts.
Allawi said Nouri wouldn't and that this was a power grab.
Allawi was correct.
For four years, Iraq was without heads for the security ministries.
Which is part of the reason the military rise of the Islamic State isn't a surprise.
RECOMMENDED: "Iraq snapshot"
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"Finally"
