Humiliated Maliki Allocates $120M To Al Anbar
Having to demonstrate to Iraq’s Sunnis that his embrace of them is more than a grudging posture, Nouri Al Maliki has pledged a $120 million dollar aid package to the sheiks of Al Anbar Province. Maliki particulary felt the pressure to rise to the occasion and act like the impartial and responsible leader of Iraq, after the Bush administration humiliated him by approving a direct aid package for Al Anbar reconstruction last week - nearly unprecedented in that the money would flow directly to the sheiks and bypass Maliki’s sketchy government altogether.
Iraq media version:
Anbar, Sept 6, (VOI)- A total of 50 million USD has been allocated to compensate those harmed in the western Iraqi province of Anbar, in addition to another 70 million USD for reconstructing the city, Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Burham Saleh said on Thursday morning.
Speaking at the first session of the second forum on the reconstruction of the province, the deputy premier said that 50 million USD had been allocated for owners of houses and stores that were partially or totally destroyed in the violent acts in the province, while another USD 70 million had been allocated to reconstruct the province.
Saleh delivered Prime Minister Nouri al-Malikis’ address at the event.
Excerpts of The Christian Science Monitor version ( The Associated Press is not reporting the story ):
Ramadi, Iraq - Key members of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s Shiite-dominated government made a rare trip to the Sunni bastion of Anbar Province Thursday to pledge more than $120 million in reconstruction money. Iraqi and US officials call it a significant step toward political reconciliation. Critics say it’s too little, too late.
Mr. Maliki did not make the trip, but dispatched top deputies who met with Sunni sheikhs, Anbar officials, US Ambassador Ryan Crocker, and Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Joseph Biden of Delaware, who was there as part of a tour through Iraq.
The overture to war-torn Anbar, long an insurgent stronghold where Sunni tribes have joined the US fight against Al Qaeda in Iraq, comes as Maliki is facing criticism from both US lawmakers and Iraq’s Sunni politicians for failing to mend widening political and sectarian fault lines within the government.
While the money for Anbar – $70 million in reconstruction funds and $50 million to repair homes destroyed in the war – appears to be an Iraqi initiative, the US has been pushing Maliki to show more of an effort to reconcile with minority political parties.
Indeed, this one-day gathering in Ramadi comes just days before Mr. Crocker and Gen. David Petraeus are set to give their assessments of progress in Iraq in Washington. Congress is likely to focus on the Iraqi government’s failure to meet most of the 18 benchmarks established by the White House to measure success in Iraq.
While the country still faces almost daily car bombings and violence at the hands of militias, Anbar has shown a degree of success.
Be respectful of others and their opinions. Inflammatory remarks and inane leftist drivel will be deleted. It ain’t about free speech, remember you’re in a private domain. My website, my prerogative.
If you can't handle using your real email address, don't bother posting a comment.
Well, good…the shieks deserve the money. al-Maliki better get used to kicking down to all Iraqis..forget this I’m a Shia…they get priority shit…
September 6th, 2007 at 8:05 pmThis becomes a difficult situation. How do we support a government that won’t fully embrace the freedom we’re fighting so hard to instill over there? Amazing to think so many would rather remain beneath tyranny than truly grasp it for themselves. It’s glorious to think of the American forefathers and the truly fantastic step they took in creating an entire nation from simple ideals of freedom and the integrity of the individual.
Petraeus is doing something absolutely brilliant - he’s taking the power and giving it directly to the party who should have it the most - the people. That was what our forefathers wanted - the wealth of power should reside at the lowest level possible, so that no single entity could wield it tyranically - thus United States versus the Republic of America; united being the key word here.
Petraeus is working to infuse the lowest-level population with the better understanding of freedom and letting them dictate to their government how that freedom should be spent. Too bad our MTV youth in the states don’t understand this term at all. They think the government is corrupt, while handing themselves over to it. Right now we’re handing the USG the power of the people on a silver platter because they despite “responsibility.”
So, we’re providing direct funds to the people on the streets so they can rebuild themselves. The crux of this will be if they turn on us despite our charity or if they understand what we’re fighting for. Throwing money will solve nothing if the heart behind the gift isn’t fully understood.
THAT is our most difficult battle to win.
September 6th, 2007 at 9:04 pmThis is a new Iraq, Saddams people might have been the Sunnis but the Shiites better get used to equality..Saddam may have shit on them but they shouldnt expect any favoritism now, this is a clean slate, equal rights
September 6th, 2007 at 9:27 pmNote the differences between the two reports - and the complete absence of any ap coverage.
The Iraqi press goes for the “less is more” (less likely to get more bullets shot at ‘em), while the csm version gets into editorializing - and noticably not in a “pro-surge” manner.
The media in the West is the West’s worst enemy.
September 6th, 2007 at 9:38 pmIsn’t there a General MacArthur that could run the place “with their approval”.
September 6th, 2007 at 11:51 pm[…] Humiliated Maliki Allocates $120M To Al Anbar […]
September 7th, 2007 at 4:18 amThe Voice Of Iraq says, “a degree of success”! That’s “triumphant breakthrough”, when translated while considering the source.
September 9th, 2007 at 6:33 pm