SCIRI leader rules out major changes to Charter
Compiled by Daily Star staff
Thursday, January 12, 2006
In the southern Iraqi city of Najaf, a Shiite cleric close to SCIRI, warned against a return to power of former Baathist supporters of Saddam Hussein.
“One must guard against the new Baathists dressed up like Islamists who kindle terrorism in Baghdad and certain provinces, and defeat their plans to return to centers of power,” said Sadreddine al-Kubbanji, speaking at a prayer meeting, in a veiled reference to Sunni leaders.
He also called for the Interior and Defense ministries to be given a free hand in fighting terrorism, and urged U.S.-led multinational forces not to intervene in the matter.
“The multinational force’s flirting with terrorists has led to the recent worsening in the security situation,” he told thousands of faithful gathered at the Husseiniyya Fatimiyya Mosque.
For all of the Bush administration’s continued jesting about the need to remain in Iraq untill the new gov’ts security forces are built-up, obviously U.S. services are no longer welcome or required.
And if Iraqis want a preview of what to expect should they mire the country’s oil production in the mesh of IMF globalisation, twenty years of failed policies in Bolivia should be education enough.