Rebuke Israel - Rebuke Us!

Blogmaster’s indignation: If after the more than 4000 American lives sacrificed, thousands more wounded and maimed for life, and the billions of our tax dollars invested to give Iraq the opportunity to be free and to enter the 21st Century, they wish to become just another Arab fiefdom who seeks Israel's destruction… Then Screw Them, their Mullahs, and their camels! Let's get our troops out of Iraq as soon as possible and let them slaughter one another & good riddance!


Iraqi MPs voice outrage after President shakes Barak's hand.

By Reuters

BAGHDAD - Several members of the Iraqi parliament called on President Jalal Talabani on Friday to apologize for shaking hands with Ehud Barak at a conference in Greece this week, saying that by shaking the Israeli defense minister's hand he had violated Iraqi law. Talabani, a Kurd, was introduced to Barak by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at a Socialist International meeting near Athens on Tuesday, where the historic handshake took place. The handshake, largely ignored by Iraq's media but covered in the Israeli press, sparked heated debate in Iraq's parliament on Thursday.

Like many Arab countries, Iraq does not recognize Israel. Some members accused Talabani of breaking Iraqi law, although it was unclear what the law says about Israel. "I told the speaker it was a slap in the face for the Iraqi people," said Ahmed al-Massoudi, from the movement of anti-American Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr. "[The handshake] was a violation of law," he told reporters.

Massoudi said he had received many complaints from Iraqis about the handshake and some members of parliament had called for an apology. Some had even urged Talabani to resign, he said. Under Iraq's political system the president is largely a figurehead. Ali al-Adeeb, a senior parliamentarian from Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's Dawa party, said the handshake was unacceptable. "The president is supposed to represent Iraqi policy? which means not recognizing Israel ... He must apologize." Perhaps sensing the handshake might cause anger, Talabani's office issued a statement on Tuesday saying he met Barak as a representative of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) party, not as Iraq's president.

The PUK is one of two main Kurdish parties in Iraq. Fellow Kurds defended Talabani. "He was welcomed by Abbas who introduced him to Barak. It would have been illogical to refuse. It doesn't mean relations are normal," said Fuad Masoum, a Kurdish member of parliament.