US Approved Iraqi Leader Par For The Course

The U.S. blessed leaders of nations where the U.S. has an interest have never been known as nice guys. As Juan Cole reports today the appointed leader of Iraq, Iyad Allawi, is certainly no exception. The Sidney Morning Herald reports that eyewitnesses are saying Iyad Allawi personally executed several prisoners in late June just before the Americans turned the country over to him.

They say the prisoners - handcuffed and blindfolded - were lined up against a wall in a courtyard adjacent to the maximum-security cell block in which they were held at the Al-Amariyah security centre, in the city's south-western suburbs. They say Dr Allawi told onlookers the victims had each killed as many as 50 Iraqis and they "deserved worse than death" . . . Iraq's Interior Minister, Falah al-Naqib, is said to have looked on and congratulated him when the job was done. Mr al-Naqib's office has issued a verbal denial.

Well, this is what happens when you decide an ex Bathist hit man is your choice to run the country. I guess the question is, how different is this guy going to be? Have many Americans and Iraqis have died just so Iraq can have a Saddam sequel?