Karbala Province Cuts Ties with U.S. Forces

Karbala provincial spokesman Abdel Amir Hanoun complained that U.S. soldiers brought dogs inside the building when their commander visited provincial Gov. Aqeel al-Khazraji, considered an insult by the council.

 

They also blocked roads leading to the governor's office, preventing council members and the governor from parking cars outside the building, Hanoun said. The governor instructed the council to suspend contacts until U.S. forces apologize, he said.

 

The Karbala council is controlled by the Supreme Council of Islamic Revolution in Iraq, the country's largest Shiite party, and Dawa, the party of Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari.

 

On Sunday, Maysan province decided to suspend ties with British authorities pending an investigation into a recently released videotape of British soldiers beating Iraqi youths during a January 2004 riot there.

 

British authorities said three soldiers have been arrested in connection with the beatings shown on the videotape first reported by the London newspaper News of the World.

 

The Maysan council also called for the release of all the province's detainees held by coalition authorities.

 

The governing council for Basra province, headquarters of Britain's more than 8,000-member military contingent in Iraq, also cut ties with the British military and civilian operations over the video.

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/wo...world-headlines

http://thedanreport.blogspot.com/2006/02/k...ties-to-us.html