Jobs for the boys in Iraq

7 faculty members have resigned from Kurdistan University Hawler (KUH) after ex-top brass Lt Gen Robin Brims was appointed the new Rector.

The English-medium university was founded in 2006 with funding from the Kurdistan Regional Government with distinguished academic Professor Abbas Vali appointed as Rector. His reputation persuaded many Kurdish and English-speaking academics to work at the University.

The reason for the change of leadership is unclear according to the English Language Gazette who broke the story. The mystery is why on earth a man with no academic credentials has been placed in charge of a flagship educational institution.

Brims did not even attend University which raises further questions as to why the Kurdistan Regional Government appointed him to the role. He is however well known in Iraq as the man who led the inavasion of Basra, back in the glory days when it looked like the allied troops were winning. So having reduced the country to rubble it now seems that the Officer classes are helping themselves to the plum jobs.

At the time of the Basra invasion Brims said:

“If you think that it was only eight, nine days ago that the reception that we got here was a hail of bullets and rocket attacks. We now come here on our feet, we talk to the people. The reception has been excellent everywhere I’ve been.”

So confident was he that he found time to lecture the English Cricket Team on how to win a test match.
England later lost the match.

Brims does not appear to have commented on the events of last year when the British scarpered out of Basra as quick as their flimsy Personnel Carriers could carry them.

So presumably he has not been appointed for his impeccable foresight. Or his leadership skills for that matter; Brims was almost forced to resign after facing a vote of no confidence over his surrender of the Light Infantary’s name in 2005.

Perhaps, as the above pic shows, it’s friends in high places that really help in Iraq these days.

Rumours that Stormin’ Norman is set to take over the country’s Primary Schools have yet to be confirmed.

Stop Deporting Iraqis!

A ‘Tent City’ has been called on the weekend of 21/22 June to call on the government to stop the brutal deportaion of Iraqis.

Despite the UN Commission on Refugees claiming that Iraq is not yet safe for refugees to return, the Immigration Service are still sending people back to the country this government helped destroy.

Many more Iraqi refugees have had all benefits stopped and have been left destitute and under constant threat of deportation.

Meet at noon on Saturday June 21st in Parliament Square and be prepared to spend the weekend.

This demonstration is illegal under the SOCPA legislation but organisers claim arrests are unlikely as the daft law is set to be repealed.

Senior Police Officers have warned however that demonstrators may be arrested for loitering within a tent.

http://www.voicesuk.org/

200 Arrests in US Anti-War Protests

In news that should shame the UK anti-war movement over 200 people were arrested across the US in a series of anti-war protests marking the fifth anniversery of the war in Iraq.

32 people were arrested in Washington after attempting to blockade the IRS building, with another 30 nicked outside a Congressional Office building. Meanwhile in San Francisco 143 people were arrested on charges including trespassing, resisting arrest and obstructing traffic.

In New York, 30 members of the “Granny Peace Brigade” gathered in Times Square, knitting in hand, to demand troops be brought home now.

“We’re out here to show people that this war is madness. We never should have gotten into this war in the first place,” said Shirley Weiner, 80.

Time Line From San Francisco 

200 Arrests in US Anti-War Protests