Friday, December 23, 2011

The Mass Murders In Baghdad



Statement of the Political Bureau of the Iraqi Communist Party:

More innocent victims and bloodshed are the price
of policies of ruling political blocs and their infighting


Our people have once again paid the price for the crimes of terrorists who exploit the unprincipled power grab of political leaders and their infighting. Baghdad and its inhabitants have been terrorized by a series of cowardly bombings that have targeted several areas of the capital today, killing and wounding hundreds of innocent people, in addition to considerable material damage inflicted on the houses of citizens, their shops and other property. These criminal acts, carried out by the remnants of the former regime and their allies, remnants of Al Qaeda and other religious extremists - the enemies of the people, freedom and democracy - have been timed to coincide with the precarious conditions experienced by our country as a result of the grave crisis which the political and security situation has descended to during the past few days, and the intensifying conflict between the leaders of the Iraqiya bloc and the Rule of Law bloc, which has taken a dangerous new turn.

Iraqi patriotic forces, along with millions of our people and also the Iraqi Communist Party, have for years been warning the leaders of the ruling political blocs to stop playing with fire, disregarding the fate of the homeland and the blood of its citizens, and sacrificing them on the altar of their narrow differences and selfishness and their endless fight over the spoils of power.

The Iraqi Communist Party, while condemning the crime that has taken place today 22nd December, and calling for firm punishment of the criminal perpetrators, holds the leaders of the competing political blocs responsible for the deterioration and bloody breaches of security that have occurred this morning in the streets and areas of Baghdad. It also appeals to everyone to heed the voice of reason and rise to the challenge of the grave events that no longer only threaten the fate of the political process, but also threaten the fate of the Iraqi people and homeland and their future. We call upon the masses of our people and the conscious forces to close their ranks and support the armed and security forces in tracking down the terrorist criminals.

These serious developments stress the importance of responding to the sincere calls, and the urgent need, for an all-inclusive National Conference that encompasses all the forces and parties involved in the political process. The convening of this conference should be expedited in order to put an end to the continuous deterioration experienced by the country, and to ensure that it is led to safety through the national program of action that is binding on all.

The danger threatening the country is escalating and there is no time to waste.

We express our sympathy to the families of the victims and our sincere wishes for the recovery of the wounded and injured.

HAT TIP - Iraqi Letter

13 comments:

Coventrian said...

I see no Hat Tip to your own phoney Labour 'Friends' of Iraq organisation. Are they too busy whoring themselves to the highest bidder to bother making more than one comment on their website in six months? Did nothing worth mentioning happen in those six months?

Did Gary Kent ever tell you how much he made for doing PR for Maliki and the corrupt Kurdish regime? As much as LFIQ founder Alan Johnson makes for being a lobbyist for Israel at BICOM?

It must make you very proud to have been their useful idiot, adding some spurious 'antiwar' credibility to their Zionist Imperialist pro war, pro occupation agenda.

Have as happy a Christmas as the Christians in Iraq.

Harry Barnes said...

Coventrian : You are a very sad case, pursuing your variations on the same old theme, time and time again. And now adding your brand of anti-semitism. On your back-handed Christmas Greetings, it was in Iraq when undertaking my National Service in 1955-56 (as part of an occupying force, no doubt) that I changed from being a Christian to my own particular form of non-extremist atheism. So I look for the protection and advancement of all exploited people whether they be Chistians, Jews, Moslems or non-believers.

There is a "Hat Tip" to the person from whom I took the entire statement for this thread. It comes from the Iraqi Communist Party whom I have had a admiration for ever since they led a mass demonstration in Baghdad on May Day 1959.

It is, of course, better to be a "useful idiot" rather than a useless one. As my blog has been running for over 5 years and my identity is not hidden, you are in a position to follow some of my views and actions. I have no knowledge of who you are or what you views are - apart from your limited variations on the same old theme. But may your God go with you.

Coventrian said...

I see you believe that to label Zionists as Zionists is anti-semitic. But hey, its easier to smear than it is to answer a straight question like how much Gary Kent gets paid as a propagandist.

As for idiocy, it is much worse to be a "useful idiot" rather than a useless one when the use you are put to is to add an "antiwar" gloss to a pro-war project like LFIQ.

I'd like to know why you are so happy that LFIQ has been used as a PR outfit for the dictatorial Maliki and the corrupt Kurdish regime.

Your admiration for the Iraqi Communist Party doesn't seem to extend to doing anything for the Iraqi working class.

Harry Barnes said...

Coventrian : I am sorry that you had nothing better to do on Christmas Eve at 3.48pm than to click into my blog and spend 19 minutes typing in your latest comment.

1. There are different ways in which the term "Zionist" can be employed. But if it is used in the phrase "Zionist Imperialist pro war,pro occupation" sense, then it is clearly being used in an anti-semitic way.

2. I am happy to see that you accept the description of "useless idiot". For my own part, I accept the description "useful", but reject that of "idiot". I actively opposed both the Gulf War and Iraq Invasions. But once Iraq had been invaded I wished to work with people who would associate themselves with progressive and non-militarist forces, especially the Iraqi trade union movement.

3. LFIQ has not been used in the way you describe. What evidence can you find on its web-site to support your claim ?

4. I have always attempted to give support to working class forces in Iraq who have attempted to protect and advance their collective well-being, whilst rejecting terrorist tactics. What have you been up to and where will I find the evidence to support any claims you make?

Coventrian said...

'1. There are different ways in which the term "Zionist" can be employed. But if it is used in the phrase "Zionist Imperialist pro war,pro occupation" sense, then it is clearly being used in an anti-semitic way.'

Complete bollocks, and desperate bollocks at that. Is this the best you can come up with?


'3. LFIQ has not been used in the way you describe. What evidence can you find on its web-site to support your claim ?'

I have to assume you are ignorant otherwise this is a bare-faced lie. From the Islamic Dawa Party website

http://www.islamicdawaparty.com/?module=home&fname=mediadetails.php&id=252

'IDP attends Labour Party Annual Conference

As part of ongoing efforts to engage with the international community and advance relations with other democratic parties, the Islamic Dawa Party attended this year’s Labour Party Annual Conference in Brighton, UK.

In conjunction with Labour Friends of Iraq, chaired by Dave Anderson MP, the IDP displayed an exhibition stall focussing on Iraq’s ancient Mesopotamian history, which provided a platform to promote a message of hope and optimism for Iraq’s future.'

I guess there wasn't enough room on the stall for Amnesty International's report from the same year which stated,

'Government forces committed gross human rights violations, including torture and extrajudicial executions. Prison guards and security forces were reported to have tortured and otherwise ill-treated detainees, including juveniles. Methods alleged included beating with cables and hosepipes, prolonged suspension by the limbs, electric shock torture, breaking of limbs, removal of toenails with pliers, and piercing the body with drills. Detainees held by Interior Ministry officials were particularly at risk of torture.'

The Interiror Ministry is of course in the hands of Maliki and his IDP thugs.

Is that what you call giving support to working class forces in Iraq?

Harry Barnes said...

Coventrian : Your analysis drawing on the terms "bollocks", "ignorance" and "bare faced lie" reveal the intellectual character of your understandings.

At the time of the 2009 Labour Party Conference, LFIQ had some limited links with the Dawa Party in an effort to engage it in dialogue. It has had, however, more fruitful and continuing links (and support for) the Iraqi Trade Union Movement. Its active support for Trade Union rights in Iraq meant that its efforts to influence the Dawa Party on such issues were then justified. People involved in real politics need to try out passing avenues to present their case. Purity is not enough.

What LFIQ has been up to can be seen on its own web-site, not on that of the Dawa Party. You are also free to see what I have been up to in over 170 items on Iraq which appear on this blog. How can I find out what your efforts amount to over Iraq? All I can find out about you is that you seem to admire Justin Skittlethorpe.

Coventrian said...

'What LFIQ has been up to can be seen on its own web-site, not on that of the Dawa Party.'

Oops!

http://www.labourfriendsofiraq.org.uk/archives/001226.html

September 19, 2008

Iraqi achievements celebrated at Labour Party conference

'For the first time ever, the Iraqi flag will be displayed and Iraqi achievements will be celebrated at the Labour Party conference with a prominent exhibition stand run by the Labour Friends of Iraq and the Islamic Dawa Party whose General Secretary and Iraqi Prime Minister, Nouri Al Malaki has written a special message to conference delegates.'

http://www.labourfriendsofiraq.org.uk/archives/001312.html

October 02, 2009

Antagonism to Apathy to Engagement

'In past years quite a few people at the party conference were antagonistic when Iraq was mentioned but this seems to have turned into apathy, although the rather attractive LFIQ/Islamic Dawa Party stand at the recent conference in Brighton was well-received.'

That's two years running. Missing from the 'rather attractive' stand was anything like this:

http://www.hrw.org/news/2012/01/22/iraq-intensifying-crackdown-free-speech-protests

Iraq: Intensifying Crackdown on Free Speech, Protests
Torture, Secret Prisons, Attacks on Demonstrators and Journalists Remain Iraqi Reality
January 22, 2012

(Baghdad) – Iraq cracked down harshly during 2011 on freedom of expression and assembly by intimidating, beating, and detaining activists, demonstrators, and journalists, Human Rights Watch said today in its World Report 2012.

In February, Human Rights Watch uncovered a secret detention facility controlled by elite security forces who report to the military office of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki. The same elite divisions controlled Camp Honor, a separate facility in Baghdad where detainees were tortured with impunity.

“Iraq is quickly slipping back into authoritarianism as its security forces abuse protesters, harass journalists, and torture detainees,” said Sarah Leah Whitson Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. “Despite U.S. government assurances that it helped create a stable democracy, the reality is that it left behind a budding police state.”

Why not change your name to Labour Friends of Torturers?

Harry Barnes said...

Coventrian : If you wish to get at Gary Kent and Alan Johnson, then why don't you contact them directly? I don't understand how your message dated 23 December has just appeared in this comment box. Thanks to the internet, I have picked up a variety of your comments on other blogs and web-sites. Your style is envariably crude or desparate. Get lost.

Harry Barnes said...

Coventrian : There are different comments appearing in my comment box according to how I access it. But none of your obsessions are worth reading or replying to.

Coventrian said...

I can understand your unwillingness to explain why your organisation has acted a a PR operation for a bunch of torturers. Did you sit on the stall alongside the thugs from Maliki's Dawa Party?

http://www.islamicdawaparty.com/?module=home&fname=mediadetails.php&id=252

'IDP delegates spoke with senior Labour Party members about the UK-Iraqi strategic partnership and Iraq’s remaining challenges, including Foreign Secretary David Miliband, Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth and Mike Gapes MP, Chairman of the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee.'

Did you help the Islamic Dawa Party torturers schmooze Miliband and Gapes?

Harry Barnes said...

Coventrian : Over the past 57 years I have met a variety of people in and from Iraq. I have never knowingly met anyone from the Dawa Party. Nor have I been to a Labour Party Conference since 2004. If you wish to have arguments with Gary Kent and Alan Johnson, then you should do this directly. I doubt whether they ever dive into my comment boxes and I refuse to contact them in order to pass on your obsessions. You hide behind your anonymous blog facility, although you may be the person who sometimes has a go at Richard Dawkins - as the crude style is yours. My own criticisms of Dawkins have much more polish and deepth to them and come from my own atheist perspective. I just hope that the other comments I have found from "Conventrian" are not yours.

Coventrian said...

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/01/24/us-un-iraq-rights-idUSTRE80N17820120124

'The top United Nations human rights official criticized Iraq on Tuesday for carrying out a large number of executions, including 34 on a single day last week, and voiced concern about due process and the fairness of trials.

"Even if the most scrupulous fair trial standards were observed, this would be a terrifying number of executions to take place in a single day," U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said, in a statement referring to executions carried out on January 19.

"Given the lack of transparency in court proceedings, major concerns about due process and fairness of trials, and the very wide range of offences for which the death penalty can be imposed in Iraq, it is a truly shocking figure," she added.'

And the response of Labour 'Friends' of Iraq? Nothing.

You deny meeting Dawa officials but you cannot deny that LFIQ that you headed acted as a PR company for the IDP. The IDP who kidnap, torture and execute Iraqi workers. Shame on you.

Harry Barnes said...

Coventrian : It is impossible to have a one-sided conversation. You know who I am, although you don't begin to understand me. But who are you? Why do you have a blog facility but no blog? Why is all that can be found by clicking into your use of the word "Coventrian" is imformation that the blog you follow is "JS-Kit" which is a commercial operation founded by a dodgy character. From the timing of some of the comments you place on my blog, you may be from Bradford. I can find some very strange comments on other web-sites and blogs from people using the handle "Conventrian" (there is even a photo of one "Conventrian"), but I can't be sure these are you. For there are a wide number of people who identify with Coventry. I could keep deleting your comments. But its not worth doing this as hardly anyone reads them. My blog isn't exactly top-of-the-pops. Get yourself a life.