Iraqi News Iraq PM denies Sunni purge ahead of election 02-02-2010

[joe-dinar]

Iraq PM denies Sunni purge ahead of election

Maliki: Sunnis to be much more important partners this time than at last Iraq election.

BAGHDAD - Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on Tuesday denied the war-torn nation's Sunni minority was being targeted by a blacklist that has barred more than 500 candidates from its March 7 general election.

"I deny that the Sunnis are being targeted. The Sunnis will be much more important partners this time than at the last election," Maliki, a Shiite, said in an interview on the state run Al-Iraqiya television channel.

"Yes, there are a lot of Sunnis (on the election blacklist) but there are maybe more Shiites," he said, pointing out that 70 percent of the outlawed Baath party's membership was Shiite.

The premier, however, defended a controversial process that has seen 511 candidates said to have links to the Baath party or military and intelligence apparatus of ousted leader Saddam Hussein banned from the upcoming poll.

Only the "criminals" and "murderers" of the Baath regime will be adversely affected, Maliki said, by a process which has seen the names given to the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC), Iraq's election organiser.

"The (Iraqi) constitution prevents the existence of this organisation just as European countries prohibit Nazis from taking part in the political process," he added.

"All Iraqis are in agreement that (the Baath) is a racist, sectarian, violent organisation. We have no intention of reconciling with those who regard Osama bin Laden as a Muslim chief, or Saddam as a martyr."

The names of blacklisted candidates have been given to their respective parties who have three days to appeal the decision.

http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/iraq/?id=36740

[THJ]

You go Maliki!! Ya got to stand for what is right.

[LC460]

Good post.

[terr]

Another step in the right direction.

[Enorrste]

Once again this shows the naivete' of President Obama in sending Joe Biden to Iraq to try to "convince" them to change course on the anti-Batthist purge. We see now that Maliki was just following the consitution of his country (I had mentioned this in chat several days ago). So how come Mr. O doesn't know what the constitution of Iraq says, huh?

[earlygaudy]

O doesn't know or care what our constitition says let alone anyone else's!