Thursday, March 15, 2007

PM fires general in charge of Baghdad operation

The Iraqi general who commanded the joint U.S.-Iraqi military operation to subdue Baghdad has been fired.

Lt. General Abdoud Qanbar Hashem was forced to retire at a lower rank. His name was included in a list of 1,189 former army officers who were put on pension.

General Qanbar was a senior officer in the former army under former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

But Prime Minister Nouri Maliki first employed him as head of his office and then promoted him to the rank of Lt. General to lead the troops deployed to impose law and order in Baghdad.

There were reports that U.S. commanders were not pleased with Qanbar at the head of the operation.

--MORE--

No comments: