Investigative report: Iraqi PM tied to Iranian Revolutionary Guards, Mahdi Army
posted at 2:38 pm on May 4, 2007 by Bryan
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The invaluable MEMRI has translated a report in the Egyptian press that contends that Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has direct operational ties to the Mahdi Army and, through them, to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards. If it’s true, he would be tied to the forces who are directly responsible for killing approximately 170 US troops via EFP IEDs.
The first document, labeled “secret, personal, and urgent,” is a January 2007 letter from Al-Maliki’s office to the Iranian Embassy in Baghdad, with copies to the presidency of the [Shi'ite party] Supreme Council of the Islamic Revolution in Iraq and to the Al-Shahid Al-Sadr organization.” [2] In it, Al-Maliki requests that the commanders of the Mahdi Army, who have ties with the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, be pulled off the Iraqi frontlines, in order to protect them from being arrested or killed. The following is a translation of the document:
“Secret, Personal and Urgent
“Based on a phone conversation with Sayyid Muqtada Al-Sadr and [after] consulting with [Iraq's National Security Advisor] Dr. Muwafaq Al-Rubai’i, in order to preserve our great achievements and in light of what the present circumstances demand, we ask to temporarily conceal the commanders of the Mahdi Army, who are connected to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, [and to remove them] from the front line [of battle] in order to protect them from being arrested or killed by the American forces. [The names of the commanders] are listed below. It would be best to send them to Iran for the time being, until the crisis passes.
“In addition, [we ask] to send the commanders from the second line [of battle] to the southern regions, since we know that intensive efforts are underway to persuade the Americans to leave the situation [there] as it is. All administrative and security arrangements for the transportation of these commanders have [already] been made.
“We ask you to implement [these orders] and report to us.
“[Signed,] Nouri Al-Maliki, Prime Minster [of Iraq]
There’s more at the link.
Connections between Maliki and Sadr have been rumored to exist for a while now. Maliki’s exile time during the Saddam years lends weight to the possibility that he would be connected to the Iranians, since he was connected to them then. But to be connected to them now, when they’re driving much of the violence in Baghdad and elsewhere? When Iran’s short-term goals are to ramp up the pressure on the US via terrorist attacks, so the Democrats will force a retreat from Iraq, and its long-term goals are to become the regional power?
Yeah, it’s still plausible. All too plausible.
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Its definitely plausible, bordering on likely. Of course its just as plausible bordering on likely that the Arab/Sunni majority states would want to weaken a Shia leader out of fear of a Shiite bloc forming between Iraq and Iran and the links are tenuous at best. Its always hard to tell, given how the mideast works.
Frankly it wouldn’t surprise me anymore if both or neither were true.
Bad Candy on May 4, 2007 at 2:52 PM
I feel gut kicked.
RushBaby on May 4, 2007 at 2:53 PM
One thing, though. If this is true, then both Maliki and the Iranians would know that the Mahdi army is connected to the IRG, right? Why would he go out of his way to stress the fact that they’re connected, if both sides already know?
He wouldn’t have to mention that, if they both already knew that.
amerpundit on May 4, 2007 at 2:58 PM
Gut kicked doesn’t even start to describe my feelings.
DoctorDentons on May 4, 2007 at 2:59 PM
IF this is true, he must resign, or we leave. If we leave, we will have to seal our borders the way they are SUPPOSED to be sealed, and I feel sorry for the Iraqi bloodbath that will ensue, I’ve been a proponent of staying strong, but not if the PM is in bed with someone killing our soldiers. If that’s true, and he doesn’t step down, they deserve what they get when we walk away.
JustTruth101 on May 4, 2007 at 3:03 PM
wow.
just. wow.
stevezilla on May 4, 2007 at 3:03 PM
Wow. If true, that’s astonishing, and Al Maliki should be tried for this and given the appropriate punishment. Needless to say, this will give Democrats all the more fuel for their fire. However, doesn’t this sink us deeper into the conflict? We can’t walk away and let the power vacuum fill with sectarian strife any more than it already has, can we? In some ways, it reaffirms that if we walk away now, the bloodshed (especially between Sunnis and Shias) in the race for power could be Biblical in proportions.
Unfreakinbelievable. I hope this is not true.
Matticus Finch on May 4, 2007 at 3:04 PM
I’m not sure this is new news. But I’m glad it’s finally coming to light.
Lawrence on May 4, 2007 at 3:04 PM
Send the Shiites to Iran, send the Sunnis to Saudi Arabia. Then split the difference of the Country to the Kurds and the Christians.
They’re the only two groups who we can trust to get along.
And why not? After all history is full of stories of one group being sent somewhere else and another taking over.
Tim Burton on May 4, 2007 at 3:06 PM
If it’s true, this story won’t really break in the mainstream press until October ‘08.
Griz on May 4, 2007 at 3:07 PM
See, this is why I’m wondering how much of this is true and how much is this the Egyptian press trying to stir things up. Its hard to tell.
Bad Candy on May 4, 2007 at 3:08 PM
I trust everything I see in print, especially from the middle east.
blogRot on May 4, 2007 at 3:12 PM
amerpundit,
you make a good point. the documents would have to be verified somewhere outside of the Egyptian press for sure.
that said, if it were true, which I wouldn’t find it all that difficult to believe, then al-Maliki would deserve to be shot, right alongside al-Sadr.
CP on May 4, 2007 at 3:13 PM
I have arab friends who tell me that it’s a matter of culture to be two-faced in business dealings. Clearly the politicians in Iraq see this whole mess as business. This does not shock me in the least.
Are we so naive as to think that a Shi’ite politician, or a Sunni for that matter, would not do his utmost to protect the people of his tribes? Please. Remember, in the middle east the priorities are clear:
1. Family
2. Tribe
3. Country
National pride and identity are meaningless compared to tribal matters. Patreus and his commanders get that, so I’m not worried in the least.
unamused on May 4, 2007 at 3:19 PM
I’m just thinking, because Egypt isn’t exactly the best-of-friends with Iran/Iraq, if I remember properly.
amerpundit on May 4, 2007 at 3:28 PM
amerpundit,
Exactly, therefore the only reason to mention it would be for the benefit of third parties reading a message. Since a document marked secret, personal, and urgent should never be being read by third parties, the only logical reason for this being there is that the document is a forgery.
Rock on…………….
doriangrey on May 4, 2007 at 3:28 PM
Why wouldn’t he be publicly pushing for America to leave right now if he were just an Iranian tool?
TheBigOldDog on May 4, 2007 at 3:30 PM
Planting of false documentation is one of the oldest tricks in the book. The Iranians themselves could have even planted it in order to generate mistrust in Maliki if they believe Maliki is placing Iranian operations inside Iraq at risk.
The Iranians know that cooperation with the RG is an emotional hot button with us. Iran is very good at using emotional hot buttons. It’s what they do. So if they see their operations in Iraq as coming under pressure and if Maliki is being effective in shutting out the Mahdi Army and minimizing its influence, it would serve Iran to create such a document as this and generate pressure against Maliki.
Now why would it come out in Egypt? Is there anything going on right now in Egypt? Oh, right … there is a big conference there. Who is attending? Iran! (among others)
Gee …
crosspatch on May 4, 2007 at 3:43 PM
Let’s go kick his ass!
omnipotent on May 4, 2007 at 3:44 PM
That same line read funny to me, too. It’s a little too tidy the way the smoking gun just happens to be there.
TexasDan on May 4, 2007 at 3:48 PM
Money. Good old American Greenbacks flooding his coffers.
Lawrence on May 4, 2007 at 3:49 PM
That might also be a translaters mistake.
What if instead of:
we ask to temporarily conceal the commanders of the Mahdi Army, who are connected to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, …
He really meant:
we ask to temporarily conceal the commanders of the Mahdi Army who are connected to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, …
removing one comma changes the meaning from implying that all commanders are connected to the IRG to meaning conceal only those commanders who are connected to the IRG.
crosspatch on May 4, 2007 at 3:50 PM
Grain of salt. A touch of truth. A touch of Area51. Shake.
I find it hard to believe that any Iraqi politician or general would believe that Iran would be a partner. What is believeable is that the Iraqis stay on the fence to hedge their bet. With the American congress playing Chamberlain and Hyde with them what the hell does anyone expect? I don’t like it, but I expect it. They are in full blown survival mode due to our political fecklessness. They figure it is survive today with ‘A’ and tomorrow with ‘B’. So do we stay or do we go? Stay and we loose American lives. Go and we loose American lives. Simple choice. Die fighting or die begging. Time for America to choose.
Limerick on May 4, 2007 at 3:54 PM
I am going to take the skeptical approach on this one. Therrre is little doubt that Maliki is or was propped up by the Sadr zombies but to what extent that relationship still exists is subject to debate. Keep in mind the Middle East mindset which is Maliki would have used Al Sadr and vice versa to achieve power but once the position of authority is achieved the normal Islamic custom is to kill your competition.
Now with that being said it is important to determine what level of “cooperation” exists between Maliki and whomever inside of Iran. Bear in mind there are also many different parties in Iran and I am sure Maliki is associated with at least one if not more of them in his attempt to strenghten his position even if it doesn’t necessarily help Iraq overall.
Finally this portion seems to be a throw away line
LakeRuins on May 4, 2007 at 3:58 PM
That’s how it read to me, like it wanted to be found.
crosspatch, the whole letter still sounds pre-set, if you know what I mean. It’s almost like it’s trying to explain things to people who don’t know, and shouldn’t be reading it.
Good point.
amerpundit on May 4, 2007 at 4:00 PM
The Kurds have blood on their hands from the Armenian genocide so I wouldn’t say that they can get along with Christians.
So when does someone in power get the top Chia’s in Iraq, and work our way to Tehran? It doesn’t bring back the heroes that have given their young lives, but it might finally serve to end the conflict. We keep treating the symptoms and ignoring the Islamic disease.
The Chias, The Dems and Tehran all in one big bed together to expel the USA from the Middle East.
Hening on May 4, 2007 at 4:00 PM
I see today that there are battles between the Mahdi Army and the Badr Brigades. SCIRI is now getting into the act. Maliki would be more beholden to SCIRI than to Sadr.
AP reports:
crosspatch on May 4, 2007 at 4:02 PM
I’m still not rushing to judgment based on what the freakin Egyptians are saying
Defector01 on May 4, 2007 at 4:06 PM
Smart move, I would say.
crosspatch on May 4, 2007 at 4:12 PM
Really? I thought it was the Turks who did that.
Tim Burton on May 4, 2007 at 4:13 PM
“I thought it was the Turks who did that.”
To be accurate it was the Ottoman Empire that did that. That empire included what is now Turkey, Iraq, Syria, Jordan, etc.
crosspatch on May 4, 2007 at 4:19 PM
.
I’m not sure how much you can trust the Kurds?
abinitioadinfinitum on May 4, 2007 at 4:21 PM
So basically the deal was that the Ottoman Empire entered WWI on the side of the Germany and attacked Russia. The Ottoman general lost damned near all his army and what he didn’t lose nearly starved getting back to Turkey. The Armenians were Christians and more inclied to favor the Russians than the Turks so they didn’t offer much assistance to the Ottoman army moving through their area to attack the Russians. In fact, the Ottomans blamed the Armeians for the failure of the campaign and saw them as a security risk. The idea at first was to merely round them up and move them away from the border region with Russia. It wound up being a lot worse than that and was pretty much the model the Germans used in WWII.
crosspatch on May 4, 2007 at 4:28 PM
OK, three problems here:
1) It came from the Egyptian press, who also write things like “Jews make soup from Palestinian baby blood.” You know, these guys generally aren’t happy about democracy in Egypt or Iraq.
2) Jaysh Al-Mahdi takes orders from Maliki? Why? How? Makes little sense.
2) It’s incredibly conveniently worded: “we ask to temporarily conceal the commanders of the Mahdi Army, who are connected to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards” Oooookay. This is like the prosecution presenting an alleged letter between two accused bank robbers reading “remember that bank we robbed, at 2:35 PM on March 2nd, 2007, in which we shot and killed several people, including Kristin Davies, John Tamara, and Shelbey Greene?”
TallDave on May 4, 2007 at 4:42 PM
I know that, but I thought the Turks oppressed the Kurds pretty hard too.
Tim Burton on May 4, 2007 at 4:47 PM
Someone has just informed me that this is the “third time in six months” that this has been reported and has in the past been debunked as a forgery.
Note that the MEMRI article says the Egyption article was published on 31 March, nearly a month ago. Don’t know why it is just how hitting the news.
crosspatch on May 4, 2007 at 4:52 PM
This is Rove’s doing. He set this up so the dems would take the bait and announce we have lost the war, and then he’ll come out with proof it is faked.
Rove, you magnificent bastard!
csdeven on May 4, 2007 at 4:56 PM
Have him swing like Saddam
Captain America on May 4, 2007 at 5:16 PM
He’s got a country filled with oil. And besides, Islamists ain’t in it for the money. They are in it for control.
TheBigOldDog on May 4, 2007 at 5:19 PM
They are all doomed anyway, when they rise up against Israel
Ezekiel
38:18
And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord GOD, [that] my fury shall come up in my face.
38:19
For in my jealousy [and] in the fire of my wrath have I spoken Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel;
38:20
So that the fishes of the sea and the fowls of the heaven and the beasts of the field and all creeping things that creep upon the earth and all the men that [are] upon the face of the earth shall shake at my presence and the mountains shall be thrown down and the steep places shall fall and every wall shall fall to the ground
38:21
And I will call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains saith the Lord GOD. every man’s sword shall be against his brother.
38:22
And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands and upon the many people that [are] with him, an overflowing rain and great hailstones fire and brimstone.
38:23
Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations and they shall know that I [am] the LORD
abinitioadinfinitum on May 4, 2007 at 5:23 PM
Oh, man … don’t go reading Ezekiel … there’s some nasty stuff in there. The religious right better not find out about it or they will ban that book from bibles in public schools … oh … wait … nevermind.
crosspatch on May 4, 2007 at 6:53 PM
Thanks, Crosspatch, for your posts…I hope you are right…the story did hit an emotional hot button with me, having family in the armed forces on the ground there.
JustTruth101 on May 4, 2007 at 7:40 PM
jveritas over at FR thinks it’s a fake document.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1828673/posts
Connie on May 5, 2007 at 1:33 AM
Look at the reaction this caused right here among the faithful (and semi faithful), whose cause does it serve.
Either Harry Reid wrote it to put the war in the dumpster (or the Iranians, al Qaeda same difference / same reasons) or it’s a fake to put Maliki on the spot and force him to push back at the Shi’a militias / Iranians hard to prove it’s false (Karl Roveish) but I doubt it’s accurate at its face value.
Buzzy on May 5, 2007 at 2:57 AM
This shouldn’t be that hard to verify. The two other documents MEMRI mentions discuss the release of over 400 Iranian prisoners. If the release happened, I’d consider that proof this is real.
I don’t know how we could figure it out, but I’m guessing CENTCOM could do it in no time flat.
John on May 5, 2007 at 3:09 AM
I am not quite prepared to accept this information as true, given the source.
If it were true, there is precious little we could do about it as he was elected to Parliament and voted in as Prime Minister. Hence, he is the legitimate government of Iraq, under their publicly approved constitution.
We could overthrow him and have him arrested, this is true. But this would undermine everything we have done since their first election. And make us look like hypocrites too.
We could withdraw from Iraq in protest, but then we’d be doing what the enemy wants. And the lives of 3300 Americans lost in Iraq would have been for nothing.
Or perhaps we could pressure him to “change his ways” and force him to end his relationship to Sadr/Iran.
I don’t see any other choices for America in this circumstance beyond taking the battle directly to Iran.
georgej on May 5, 2007 at 3:11 AM
I don’t want to have knee-jerk reaction to this Bryan, but for all the reading I’ve done over the years, of the different ‘power brokers’ that Iraq has had, their culture, their tribes and what is really at major stake: the oil, it just isn’t at all surprising to me in light of this current revelation. I like many wanted to know HTF the Mookie ever got away that sinister night in 03′ in a freeking UN convoy and why that hadn’t killed the M-fer then or even over the last year.
Those A-rabs are a sleezball bunch and the more this stuff comes out the more I see the major war is in who gets to remain “one-up” on who and willing to take the casualties.
We as a nation, because of the Libs that prevented all the drilling we could have done, have become to dependant on the mid-east and it has cost tragedy the lives of many of this country’s finest.
auspatriotman on May 5, 2007 at 1:23 PM
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