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DAILY 03-11-10 MD SU A8 CMYK
A8 S KLMNO THURSDAY, MARCH 11, 2010
THE WORLD
U.S. military reassesses election violence in Iraq
37 DEATHS
IN 136 ATTACKS
Officials had disputed
reports of wide trouble
by Ernesto Londoño
baghdad — After initially play-
ing down the scope of the violence
during Sunday’s parliamentary
elections in Iraq, the U.S. military
has concluded in an internal as-
sessment that at least 37 people
were killed in 136 attacks.
U.S. officials have hailed the
vote as a milestone event that pro-
ceeded with little disruption, and
they disputed election-day media
reports of widespread violence.
But the military has since con-
cluded that at least 30 of Sunday’s
attacks, which included bomb
blasts, rocket attacks and small-
arms fire, killed or wounded peo-
ple. A U.S. official provided the
data to The Washington Post on
the condition of anonymity be-
cause it is at odds with the public
statements of senior military offi-
cials.
As explosions reverberated
throughout Baghdad on Sunday
morning, frightening voters and
MUHANNAD FALA’AH/GETTY IMAGES
delaying the dispatch of interna- An Iraqi electoral worker shows an invalid ballot paper to local observers at a counting and sorting center in Baghdad. Preliminary results could come Thursday.
tional observer teams, the U.S.
military issued statements con- idated” cars and empty buildings. ter being challenged by reporters probes into complaints from Sunni and secular Iraqis, has The nonpartisan International
tradicting media reports on the On Monday, Gen. Ray Odierno, who had witnessed the aftermath thousands of voters who could emerged as a top competitor to Election Monitors Institute,
violence that broadly match its the top U.S. commander in Iraq, of some of the attacks and inter- not find their names on electoral Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s which had a team of international
subsequent assessment. lauded the performance of Iraqi viewed survivors, Odierno said re- rolls and by a political dispute State of Law coalition. Maliki has observers in Baghdad on Sunday,
In one statement, the military security forces on election day, porters were getting information over how and whether to count endorsed the bans. expressed concern about the dis-
had called the dozens of blasts saying there had been only “two from “sources that don’t neces- votes for 55 candidates who were The disqualified candidates qualification of candidates in an
that thundered across the capital significant incidents” recorded. sarily give out accurate informa- barred from running the day be- were replacements for politicians otherwise largely positive report
“small-scale explosions” that had Odierno said explosives packed tion.” fore the elections. an Iraqi government commission issued this week. “I think [the dis-
“so far fallen short in deterring in water bottles caused most of The military did not respond to U.S. officials are closely watch- had disqualified weeks before the qualification] was pretty ad hoc,”
voter turnout.” the blasts. “There was nothing in an inquiry Wednesday about the ing the dispute because they fear vote for purported allegiance to said one of the observers, Scott
In fact, Baghdad, where most of there, unless you were right next discrepancy between its public re- it has the potential to incite vio- Saddam Hussein’s outlawed Klug, a former Wisconsin con-
the explosions in the country oc- to it, that could hurt anybody,” he marks and the official assess- lence and widen divisions among Baath Party. The vetting and dis- gressman. “It kind of hobbled the
curred, had among the lowest said. ment. political parties as they start to as- qualification of candidates has whole election process.”
turnouts of any province, 53 per- The deadliest attacks of the day Meanwhile, Iraqi electoral offi- semble a new government. About caused a political uproar because londonoe@washpost.com
cent, compared with the national occurred in eastern Baghdad, cials delayed the announcement 30 of the 55 disqualified candi- Shiite politicians competing in
average of 62 percent. where two booby-trapped resi- of preliminary results from Sun- dates belong to the Iraqiya list, led the elections, including onetime Correspondent Leila Fadel and
The military statement said the dential buildings collapsed, kill- day’s vote until at least Thursday. by former prime minister Ayad U.S. ally Ahmed Chalabi, run the special correspondent Qais Mizher
explosions had occurred in “dilap- ing and wounding occupants. Af- The vote tally has been delayed by Allawi. His bloc, popular among commission. contributed to this report.
Biden’s rebuke comes as Israel seeks to reaffirm U.S. relations
longs for U.S. backing. In Wash- including in east Jerusalem, that
by Janine Zacharia ington, administration officials would not allow expansion even
“He is clearly
tended to cast a shadow over the process as it was envisioned in
visit, an Israeli official said. the 1990s: trading land for peace.
were furious at the Israeli an- because of population growth.
embarrassed. . . .
With many Israelis feeling For Netanyahu, who had
jerusalem — Two years ago, nouncement and said they will That stance struck many analysts snubbed that Obama has yet to hoped to avoid the peace process
Israel announced plans to build watch Netanyahu’s response very as unrealistic, and after months
What does he do
visit, Biden’s visit was intended to discussion as much as possible
new homes in east Jerusalem just closely to see whether the dispute of tension with the Israeli govern-
as Secretary of State Condoleezza is affecting the broader U.S.-Is- ment, the administration accept-
to walk it back?”
mend fences. But in the Israeli and focus on Iran’s nuclear pro-
press, Biden’s declarations of af- gram, “the timing couldn’t have
Rice was preparing to meet with raeli relationship. ed a temporary, limited freeze — A senior U.S. fection for Israel and the Jewish been worse,” said Zalman Shoval,
Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Liv- “He is clearly embarrassed. We that did not include east Jerusa- official, people were overwhelmed by a former U.S. ambassador to Is-
ni, prompting Rice’s spokesman accept that he did not know lem. Palestinians attacked the speaking of commentaries about Israel’s po- rael who is part of a 15-member
to characterize the move as “not about the announcement,” said a deal as a cave-in and refused to Israeli Prime litical mismanagement. forum Netanyahu established
helpful.” senior U.S. official, who request- return to direct talks. Minister “Crisis in Visit of U.S. Vice three months ago to advise him
Put in a similar predicament ed anonymity to discuss the issue On Wednesday, Abbas said Is- Binyamin President Biden” and “U.S.: Israel on U.S. relations. It remained un-
Tuesday after Israel’s announce- candidly. “But he is head of gov- rael’s new construction, in an Netanyahu’s Played a Trick on Us” blared the clear Wednesday whether the ap-
ment of 1,600 new housing units ernment. What does he do about area Palestinians see as their fu- reaction to the headlines in Yedioth Ahronoth, proval of the housing units was
in east Jerusalem, Vice President it? What does he do to walk it ture capital, undermined negoti- announcement Israel’s largest daily newspaper. coincidentally timed to Biden’s
Biden swiftly decided to con- back? That embarrassment does ations. Still, he used the opportu- of new housing Akiva Eldar, one of Israel’s visit or purposely placed on the
demn the move in the harshest create an opportunity to walk it nity of Biden’s visit to address Is- in east leading political commentators, agenda of a Jerusalem committee
terms. After making Prime Min- back in some way.” raelis directly, saying, “The time Jerusalem wrote in his column in the Haa- to signal the lack of support for a
ister Binyamin Netanyahu wait The official said the adminis- has come to make peace — peace retz newspaper: “Biden, who division of Jerusalem among a
90 minutes for dinner, Biden told tration wants Netanyahu to dem- based on a two-state solution,” morial museum to freshen up for came to Israel determined to em- key member of Netanyahu’s polit-
him that the statement was being onstrate he is taking steps to re- suggesting there was still hope the dinner with Netanyahu. brace Netanyahu all the way to ical coalition.
released as they ate. Biden reiter- verse the housing announcement for peace talks to resume, though At a cabinet meeting Wednes- indirect talks with the Palestin- For Biden, the point was moot.
ated his criticism Wednesday, be- before special envoy George J. in an indirect fashion mediated day, Netanyahu, finding himself ian Authority, swore allegiance to “The decision by the Israeli
fore television cameras, after Mitchell returns to the region by the United States. on the defensive, acknowledged the security of Israel, but was government to advance planning
meeting with Palestinian Presi- next week to help bring about a The greater damage could be to it was a “major mishap” but not- slapped in the face with such for new housing units in east Je-
dent Mahmoud Abbas. resumption of talks between Is- the image of the U.S.-Israeli alli- ed that Israel had never commit- force that it was heard in Wash- rusalem undermined” the trust
Biden’s rebuke was far tougher rael and the Palestinians. “Netan- ance. Israeli politicians and news ted itself to freezing construction ington.” necessary for “profitable negotia-
than Rice’s. And the stakes are yahu has been saying for several commentators were apoplectic in east Jerusalem, according to More than a matter of wanting tions. That is why I immediately
higher for Israel, which has been months that he is prepared to ne- about the mismanagement of the Israeli media reports. to embarrass U.S. officials trying condemned the action,” he said.
eager to reaffirm relations with gotiate,” the official said. “Now Jerusalem housing announce- At the dinner, Netanyahu told to advance the peace process, the zachariaj@washpost.com
the United States after getting off there is an opportunity to test ment and the way it affected Bi- Biden that he was just as sur- Jerusalem housing announce-
to a rocky start with President that willingness.” den’s visit. Biden was told of the prised about the timing of the an- ment illustrated the continued Staff writer Glenn Kessler in
Obama a year ago. Israel is jittery Obama came into office de- construction in his limousine af- nouncement by the Interior Min- lack of political consensus here Washington contributed to this
about Iran’s nuclear progress and manding a full settlement freeze, ter leaving Israel’s Holocaust me- istry and that he in no way in- on the core bargain of the peace report.
DIGEST
PAKISTAN extended the term of the head of Corrie, 23, was killed when she Baghdad that involved U.S. and
6 killed in attack
the country’s main intelligence tried to block a bulldozer from Iraqi troops. An Iraqi police offi-
agency by a year in a move expec- demolishing a Gaza home. The cial said U.S. troops opened fire
on U.S aid group
ted to preserve continuity in the driver said he on a Kia vehicle about 12:30 p.m.
fight against Islamist militancy. didn’t see her, in the Iskan district, killing a man
Suspected militants armed Lt. Gen. Ahmed Shuja Pasha, and the Israeli and a woman. The official said
with assault rifles and a home- director general of the military’s military has the Americans reported sensing a
made bomb attacked the offices Inter-Services Intelligence agen- ruled her threat.
of a U.S.-based Christian aid cy, or ISI, was due to retire this death an acci- — Ernesto Londoño
group helping earthquake survi- month but will remain in office dent.
vors in northwestern Pakistan on for another year, Prime Minister Corrie was Russian oligarch wins libel suit:
Wednesday, killing six Pakistani Yousaf Raza Gillani’s office said an activist Self-exiled Russian tycoon Boris
employees, the organization and in a statement. with the Berezovsky has won a libel case
police said. — Reuters Rachel Corrie International against a Kremlin-owned broad-
The attack prompted World Vi- Solidarity caster that aired allegations he
sion, a major international hu- ISRAEL Movement, a group that sends masterminded the murder of a
manitarian group, to suspend its foreigners into volatile areas to former KGB agent in London.
operations in Pakistan. Other aid
Trial begins in death
assist Palestinians. The activists The London High Court’s ruling
organizations condemned the
of U.S. Gaza activist
often place themselves between marks the latest round in the 64-
violence but said they would not Israeli forces and Palestinians to year-old oligarch’s battle with the
curtail their activities. The family of an American ac- try to stop Israeli operations. Kremlin, which has sought to
The assault took place in Oghi, tivist who was fatally crushed by — Associated Press bring him before a Russian court.
a small town in the Mansehra dis- an Israeli bulldozer in Gaza in
trict that was badly hit by the 2003 accused the Israeli military IRAQ Egyptian Muslim cleric dies:
ADREES LATIF/REUTERS
2005 Kashmir earthquake. of whitewashing its investigation N
— Associated Press during the opening Wednesday of
U.S. opens inquiry
Egypt’s top cleric, Mohammed PAKISTA
Sayed Tantawi, known for oppos- Police officers inspect the destroyed offices of World Vision in Oghi,
a civil case it has brought against
into 2 Iraqis’ deaths
ing female genital mutilation and a village in the Mansehra district. Suspected militants attacked the
Spy chief’s term
Israel. the face veil, died of a heart attack offices of the U.S.-based Christian aid group Wednesday, killing six.
The parents of Rachel Corrie The U.S. military said it has during a visit to Saudi Arabia.
extended by a year are seeking unspecified compen- launched a probe into the death Tantawi, 81, left a mixed legacy scholar and supporter of wom- merely followed the line of
sation from Israel’s Defense Min- of two Iraqis killed Wednesday across the Muslim world, where en’s rights but also criticized as Egypt’s government.
Pakistan’s prime minister has istry for their daughter’s death. during an operation in western he was viewed as a moderate an appointed civil servant who — From news services
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