FRI 26 - 4 - 2024
 
Date: Aug 17, 2015
Source: The Daily Star
Iraqi panel blames Maliki, others for fall of Mosul
Reuters
BAGHDAD/BEIRUT: An Iraqi parliamentary panel called Sunday for former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and dozens of other top officials to stand trial over the fall of the northern city of Mosul to ISIS last year. Separately, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi directed military commanders accused of abandoning their posts in Ramadi, the capital of western Anbar province which was overrun by ISIS in May, to face court martial.

The moves come a week after Abadi launched a sweeping campaign to reform the governing system, and are the most drastic steps yet taken by Baghdad to provide accountability for the loss of nearly a third of the country’s territory to the radical militants.

Abadi also slashed 11 ministerial positions Sunday, cutting the three deputy prime ministers and four other posts while combining four ministries with other similar ones.

A year in office, Abadi is seeking to transform a system he complained has encouraged ethno-sectarian party patronage, spawning graft and incompetence that deprived Iraqis of basic services while undermining government forces in the battle against ISIS.

The million-strong Iraqi army, trained by Washington at a cost of more than $20 billion, has been hobbled by low morale and corruption that impedes supply lines.

ISIS’ seizure of Mosul, Iraq’s second city, in June 2014, exposed once and for all the brokenness of the system left in place by the 2003-2011 U.S. occupation.

It has left the Baghdad government dependent on Shiite militias, many funded and assisted by neighboring Iran, to defend the capital and recapture lost ground.

The panel’s findings allege that Maliki, who remains a powerful figure despite having his vice president position canceled last week in Abadi’s reforms, had an inaccurate picture of the threat to Mosul because he chose commanders who engaged in corruption and failed to hold them accountable.

The report, seen by Reuters and confirmed as accurate by three of its members, also placed responsibility for the fall of Mosul with former Mosul Governor Atheel al-Nujaifi, former acting defense minister Sadoun al-Dulaimi, former army chief Gen. Babakir Zebari and Lt. Gen. Mahdi al-Gharrawi, former operational commander of Ninevah province, of which Mosul is the capital.

Others accused include Ninevah police commander Maj. Gen. Khalid Hamdani, former Deputy Interior Minister Adnan al-Assadi, former army intelligence chief Lt. Gen. Hatam al-Magsousi and three other Kurdish members of the Iraqi security forces.

The report also accused Kurdish peshmerga fighters of confiscating arms and ammunition abandoned by the military, and called on Abadi to recover them or discount their value from the Kurdistan Regional Government’s share of the budget.

There has been no official accounting of how Mosul was lost, or of who gave the order to abandon the fight. Maliki has accused unnamed countries, commanders and rival politicians of plotting the city’s fall.

The report was approved by 16 of the 24 members of the panel who voted, lawmaker Muhsin Sadoun said. Two were absent. Parliament was expected to vote on the findings Monday and then refer it to Abadi and the public prosecutor.

In May, nearly a year after Mosul’s shock capture, Ramadi fell to ISIS, dampening Baghdad’s hopes of quickly routing them and pushing north following earlier victories in eastern provinces.

Abadi ordered security forces to hold their positions in Anbar, but some troops fled from the militants, abandoning their vehicles and arms.

On Sunday, Abadi approved the findings of an inquiry into the defeat and directed military commanders to face court martial for abandoning their positions against orders. A statement released by his office did not name those accused.

Abadi’s cut to the Cabinet will see the elimination of the minister of human rights, ministries of state for women’s affairs and provincial affairs, and another minister of state.

In addition, the ministry of science and technology will combine with the ministry of higher education and scientific research. The ministries of health and environment will merge. The municipalities ministry will combine with the ministry of construction and housing. The ministry of tourism and antiquities will merge with the culture ministry.



 
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