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BASRA, Iraq (Reuters) Christmas day 2006 – British and Iraqi forces seized one of the main police stations in Iraq’s southern city of Basra because they said the Major Crimes Unit had become a “criminal enterprise.” The police station was in the news last year for capturing two British men, who later found to be SAS Special Forces and were freed by British troops in a military action costing many civilian lives.
British military spokesman Captain Tane Dunlop said the troops carried out medical assessments of detainees at the building before transferring them to another police station.
“About an hour and a half later, we (then) used explosives to put the building beyond use so it can no longer be used by the criminal enterprise,” he said.
BAGHDAD (AFP) – US forces have detained two Iranians who were invited to Iraq by President Jalal Talabani as part of an agreement to build better security links between the countries, according to an Iraqi spokesman. “The invitation was within the framework of an agreement between Iran and Iraq to improve the security situation,” he added.
Talabani’s confirmation of the arrests came after the New York Times, citing senior US officials, reported that a total of four Iranians were arrested by US forces in Iraq last week on suspicion of planning attacks on Iraqi troops.
Iraq’s national security adviser Mowaffaq al-Rubaie refused to comment on the arrests, which the Times reported had put strain on the relationship between the Iraqi government and its American allies.
None of this argues against direct dialogue and a willingness to explore trade-offs with Iranian decision-makers. However, Iran is no more likely to cooperate than the Bush administration did in 2002-2003 when Iran reached out to it. Ideological American leaders tragically and arrogantly overestimated their power then; Iran’s deluded bellicose leaders appear likely to do the same now.
AMMAN, Jordan (CS Monitor) Dec. 22 – Over the past week, power brokers in Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq have engaged in talks to resolve conflicts.
A good example is Israel. Watching the unfolding tragedy in Iraq and with its own war this summer against the Shiite militants of Hizbullah in mind, it’s reaching out to the Jordanians, the Saudis, and the Lebanese to find solutions to its own security problems.
“In the late 1990s, Israel’s worldview was that ‘we are the military superpower in the region and we are very closely allied with the world’s only superpower. So we have very little to worry about,’ ” says Gidi Grinstein, a former peace negotiator for the Israeli government and now president of the Reut Institute, a Tel Aviv think tank.
Now, he says, “you have America in a situation of very serious overstretch, unable to get a decisive victory across the region … we have to look for new partners, alliances, and means of cooperation.”
Merry Christmas Oui!
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A Joyous Christmas day to you Connecticut Man1, all BooTribbers and you lurkers out there! For some it’s time to join and jump in the pond.
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence.".
TEL AVIV (IHT) Dec. 24 – Deputy Defense Minister Ephraim Sneh said inspections would be eased at 16 checkpoints, and 27 unmanned roadblocks would be removed. Also, crossings for people and cargo between Gaza and Israel would be upgraded “in order to accelerate the economy in Gaza to lessen the poverty and despair.”
Olmert singled out Abbas as a Palestinian leader who is interested in peace with Israel — a clear contrast to Hamas, which rejects the existence of a Jewish state in an Islamic Middle East and has rebuffed international demands to renounce violence. Hamas controls the Palestinian government.
Peretz also came out in favor of releasing some Palestinian prisoners.
Speaking to reporters at parliament, Peretz said, “Every year there has been a humanitarian release of prisoners” around the Christmas and (Muslim) Eid al-Adha holidays, and the government should carry out a similar goodwill gesture this year,” he said.
JORDANIAN KING ABDULLAH TO INTERMEDIATE IN PALESTINIAN CONFLICT
In another development, Jordan invited Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas for talks in Amman, the Jordanian capital, a Palestinian official said Monday.
Palestinian government spokesman Ghazi Hamad said Haniyeh was expected to go to Jordan this week, and Abbas would also attend.
PM Olmert agrees to transfer $100 million in frozen PA taxes to Abbas
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."Wonder how the people will regard this group who are increasingly looking like traitors to their country, people, national aspirations, national resources and co-religionists.
And so much help from our warriors. 1000 Brits blow up a police station in a town they cannoteven patrol because they are so hated. Guess the locals now rely on the Mehdi army for security. And then seizing Iranian diplomats. Mmmm wonder what would have happened if the Iranians seized one of ours.
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BASRA, Iraq (BBC News) Dec. 25 – Iraqi politicians in Basra have withdrawn their co-operation from British forces after they blew up a police station. Mohammed al Abadi, head of the city’s council, said the raid was provocative and illegal.
Basra police commander Brigadier General Ali Ibrahim also expressed similar views. “This storming operation is illegal and violates human rights,” he said. “We think that what the operation sought to achieve is very simple and could have been settled by Iraqi troops.”
British military sources are continuing to insist the attack was justified, as the police station was a focus for criminal activities. Major Charlie Burbridge said local politics was “complicated” and the actions had been justified.
As they approached the station, the armored British force of Challenger tanks and Warrior armored fighting vehicles came under rocket-propelled grenade and machinegun fire from alleyways. The force returned fire with heavy machineguns, killing seven gunmen, said Major Charlie Burbridge.
An explosion destroys the Al Jameat Police Station in Basra. British forces stormed and destroyed the headquarters of the serious crimes unit.(Cpl Russ Nolan RLC/Reuters)
British forces seized senior members of the unit last week. It has long been accused of involvement in murders, attacks on coalition forces and kidnappings in the southern oil city, where rival Shi’ite factions are fighting for control.
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."