Iraqi police tied to death squads

[mburbank]

Police Tied to Death Squads
By Solomon Moore
The Los Angeles Times

Tuesday 21 February 2006

US military officials say they suspect Iraq's highway patrol, staffed largely by Shiites, is deeply involved in torture and killings.

Baghdad - A 1,500-member Iraqi police force with close ties to Shiite militia groups has emerged as a focus of investigations into suspected death squads working within the country's Interior Ministry.

Iraq's national highway patrol was established largely to stave off insurgent attacks on roadways. But U.S. military officials, interviewed over the last several days, say they suspect the patrol of being deeply involved in illegal detentions, torture and extrajudicial killings.

The officials said that in recent months the U.S. has withdrawn financial and advisory support from the patrol in an effort to distance the American training effort from what they perceived to be a renegade force.

"We don't train them, we don't give them equipment, we don't conduct site visits over there. They are just bad, criminal people," said a high-ranking U.S. military officer who advises the Interior Ministry. The officer was one of three who each spoke on condition of anonymity, saying they wanted to maintain relationships with Iraqi police officials and avoid retaliation by U.S. military superiors.

[Abcdxxxx]

One of the best moments of Saddam's trial was when he called out the judges for being Baathist themselves, and questioned how they could possibly judge him.

[mburbank]

My God, what a fucking untangalable mess. Jesus H. Toothpicks.

[Kulturkampf]

Originally Posted by Abcdxxxx

One of the best moments of Saddam's trial was when he called out the judges for being Baathist themselves, and questioned how they could possibly judge him.

There is a difference between membership in a nationalist party and carrying out murders.

I do see the point, but I think you are bringing it to a more extreme level.

[Abcdxxxx]

Well, maybe.

I'm not sure how one gets to the superior court (or some like minded high court) as the member of the Baathist party, yet still claim some judicial impartiality to the crimes you're supposed to be hearing. In other words...of all the members to that particular National party, what are the chances that someone in the esteemed position of a JUDGE played an innocent roll? I think Saddam was just being candid....which is the only way I can describe writing the message on your hand, to get the message out even after the court you're accusing, muzzles you.

[Kulturkampf]

Originally Posted by Abcdxxxx

Well, maybe.

I'm not sure how one gets to the superior court (or some like minded high court) as the member of the Baathist party, yet still claim some judicial impartiality to the crimes you're supposed to be hearing. In other words...of all the members to that particular National party, what are the chances that someone in the esteemed position of a JUDGE played an innocent roll? I think Saddam was just being candid....which is the only way I can describe writing the message on your hand, to get the message out even after the court you're accusing, muzzles you.

But what was his role during the Hussein regime?

He could have easily have been a young lawyer for most of it, or a judge in backwoods Iraq administering over two ranchers arguing over goats; we do not know enough about his background. I doubt he is the former right arm of Hussein by any means.

[Abcdxxxx]

When did you become such a liberal?

[mburbank]

He's not liberal, he's disagreeable.

The US insisted Hussein be tried in Iraq instead fo before the Hauge. Therefore, whatever way he's tried is the right way because otherwise we'd have been wrong and we aren't.

That's not liberal or conservative, it's just bone stupid which is the party KinderKult belongs to.

[Abcdxxxx]

I just thought the way he created some whole backwoods scenario* was pretty far reaching, like he's been posting up on Indymedia or something behind your back. I guess the idea of KK being a liberal creeped you out more then it did him?



*which is totally plausibe, by the way. Who knows what goes on in Iraq's Black Forest? Not dictator Saddam!