Iraqi defense officials deny influence of Kurdish militia leaders

[sabra]

http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/news/nation/13509513.htm

Iraqi defense officials deny influence of Kurdish militia leaders
By Tom LasseterKnight Ridder Newspapers

BAGHDAD, Iraq - The Iraqi defense ministry, reacting to a Knight Ridder report this week, said Thursday that Kurdish troops in the Iraqi army take their orders from the central government in Baghdad, not from Kurdish militia leaders.

Knight Ridder this week reported on interviews with Iraqi soldiers and officers in northern Iraq who said that they were ready, if necessary, to follow the commands of Kurdish militia leaders to secure the borders of an independent Kurdistan.

On Wednesday, staff members of the Iraqi army's chief of staff, Gen. Babaker al-Zebari, asked a Knight Ridder reporter for the names of every Iraqi soldier and Kurdish political official who was interviewed for the story or facilitated the reporter's visits to Iraqi military bases. Al-Zebari is a Kurd. The reporter refused.

On Thursday, al-Zebari's office released a statement saying that the quotes in the story weren't representative of the defense ministry and charging that they "are false and created by followers of the ex-regime to frustrate the Iraqi brave army's will."

[Kagemusha]

1. Asked for the names of all people interviewed?...

The reporter's lucky he didn't get thrown in Abu Ghraib for this...