Iraq Press Roundup

The Association of Muslim Scholars' al-Basaer newspaper had an editorial Tuesday with the headline "Fabricated quietness and reflected catastrophe." The editorial said it is a matter of fact that the occupier's "tails" -- a reference to the Iraqi government -- describe those who oppose them and their projects as failures.

In spite of the rejection of the occupation from the public, both in Iraq and the United States -- especially with the increased number of U.S. casualties and the collapse of the U.S. economy -- "lies and allegations" continue, the newspaper said.

It also said the occupier and those behind it have been advertising that the security situation is improving because of a "success" in implementing their security plans.

"The fact of the matter is that the Iraqi politicians have even failed to analyze the reasons to their failures as they say it was tactical one time, or strategic another time," it said.

"The improvement in the security situation that the reports describe are in fact the outcome of the death squads' success as well as implementation of the neighbors' agendas in gaining what they aim for by playing a role in Iraq's stability," the Saudi-based newspaper said.

The newspaper added that the policy of divide and conquer along sectarian and ethnic lines has only deepened today as disputes are taking place among people from the same sect, or same ethnicity.

Divisions in one sect -- the Sunnis -- are the "success" the political process's saviors achieved as they carried out campaigns to give the armed resistance to the occupation a bad reputation, the editorial said.

Iraqi politicians accuse the resistance of failing the stability, democracy and rebuilding projects that Bush promised Iraqis, heedless of the fact that even the West is concerned that Bush could implement an "idiotic" decision -- a reference to a possible war on Iran -- as he is in power for six more months, the newspaper said.

Some of the regional powers are working hand in hand with the occupier in order to divide Iraq so that both sides achieve their goals, the newspaper said.

It added that participants in the "game" -- as it called the political process -- care nothing for the interests of the Iraqi people, being only interested in stealing Iraq's wealth and chaining the country in a long-term security agreement with the United States.

"The Iraqi politicians, the main players in the game, want only to remain in power, even if it is at the cost of their dignity and sovereignty," it said of the Iraqi members of Parliament who support the Status of Forces Agreement between Iraq and the United States.

It also said the reflected catastrophe against the presence of U.S. forces is a natural result of the plans of the "war administration" in Iraq, and that today the people of Iraq are more aware than ever that those who disregard the suffering of the people they represent have no place in people's hearts.

The honest regional countries are the ones who reject and oppose the occupation, the newspaper said.

"The people of Iraq surprised the world when they thwarted the occupier's projects through their instant uprising that allowed them to regain their glorious position in the world and become a historic example in resisting the power of the occupation and evil," the influential Sunni newspaper said.

It concluded that the positions of the Iraqi government were obtained because of the attachment to the occupier's presence and that they will be removed with the elimination of the occupation.