Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Maliki Vs the Guardian

The Iraqi Intelligence Service was instructed by the Iraqi Prime Minister to launch court actions against the Guardian news paper for a sum of $1 million for damages caused by the report published in April by award winning correspondent Ghaith Abdul-Ahad, after he had interviewed the Iraqi Prime Minister. It is not clear why Nouri al-Maliki has launched court action when there is clear evidence that elements of his government do indeed resemble a dictatorship. It seems that the Iraqi Prime Minister is trying to make a nuisance of himself on the global media stage rather than dealing with more serious issues concerning Iraq’s post-war reconstruction and stability.

3 comments:

Nabaz Shwany said...

In Middle East there is one hug problem that everybody criticizes but nobody accepted. If we make observation we can easily figure out that Nuri Al-Maliki doesn’t believe the concept of democracy and he has some disciplines of dictatorship that I think he has no difference with Saddam Hussein. He is already used his power for his benefits and the interests of his party. To make the long story short Iraq under Nuri Al Maliki is not democratic state while military has power over citizens, one group dominated the government apparatuses, strengthen tribes power, corruption, ethnic discrimination, gender issues, rule of low is absolutely undermined for those who have high position within the government and executing it over poor people and etc.

Anonymous said...

I don't know if this move by IIS is a defensive move or it is just a stupid strategy to get the westren media pay a costly court process. Any ways, I don't see this act to be coming by Maliki him self. I don't see the article as damaging to him. In Iraq today , people are looking for a strong man, at the end democracy shouldsn't mean weakness. The article is breaching for a strong leader. The real issue with article is that it is to damaging the IIS. It exposes the fact that such criticle security agency is not working for the prime minister. This by itself gives Maliki another tool to legitamize the demolishing of this US build agency.

Safaa, Iraqi

William said...

I guess you are right, but if strength means compromising democracy, I'm not so sure it's worth it.