A-14
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2008
THE TIMES-PICAYUNE
WAR IN IRAQ
Report of U.S. spying upsets Iraqis itor Bob Woodward wrote about the reported espionage in his fourth book about the Bush administration, “The War Within: A Secret White House History, 2006-2008,” which is scheduled to be released Monday. The Post published an article about some of the book’s disclosures Friday. Some Iraqi officials said the revelation is likely to hinder already contentious negotiations toward an agreement that would govern the role of U.S.
‘There is no trust,’ Maliki official says By Ernesto Londono The Washington Post
Iraqi leaders on Friday expressed incredulity and disappointment over a report that U.S. officials had spied on Prime Minister Nouri al-Matroops in Iraq after the liki and other top Iraqi United Nations manleaders. date that allows them “If it is true, it reto operate in Iraq exflects that there is no pires in December. trust, and it reflects “It is going to affect also that the instituthe level of trust betions in the United tween us as two parStates are used to spying on their friends and Nouri al-Maliki ties,” said Abbas altheir enemies in the Book reveals he Bayati, an Iraqi lawmaker who acts as a same way,” Ali al-Dab- was target of s p ok es ma n fo r t he bagh, a spokesman for U.S. espionage United Iraqi Alliance, a the Iraqi government, said in a statement. “We will Shiite political coalition that inraise this with the American cludes al-Maliki’s party. “Spying side and we will ask for an ex- is usually done when one party planation.” is hiding something, and we Washington Post associate ed- know the Iraqi government has
BAGHDAD, IRAQ —
nothing to hide from the Americans.” Bayati said he was dumbfounded by the report. “I see no reason for them to spy on Iraqi leaders, because they are in constant touch with the (U.S.) Embassy and the military hierarchy, and we’re always meeting continuously with them at the highest and lowest levels,” the lawmaker said. “The American administration has all the information it needs on the Iraqi armed forces.” White House press secretary Dana Perino declined to comment on whether the administration had spied on al-Maliki. When asked whether the administration would respond to Iraqi demands for an explanation, Perino said the United States was in regular communication with the Iraqi government on a range of issues. The disclosure comes as Iraqi officials have sought to wrest more control over security operations in the country and have called for a firm timeline for the withdrawal of U.S. troops. U.S.
officials are trying to get the Iraqis to sign off on a deal that does not include definite withdrawal timelines. U.S. officials in recent months have gone to great lengths to portray their role in Iraq as a supportive one and have repeatedly expressed respect for Iraq’s sovereignty. U.S. officials said they were caught off guard this spring when al-Maliki deployed Iraqi troops to Basra for a crackdown on Shiite militias that sparked a wave of violence throughout the country. Subsequent joint military operations have been described as coordinated efforts. Bassam Sharif, a spokesman for the Shiite Fadhila Party, said he was surprised U.S. officials would see a need to spy on Iraqis. “The Americans know everything,” he said. But he said the revelation didn’t come as a total surprise. “We all know that all communications are under the supervision of Americans,” he added. “They have full control over all phone and wireless communication.”
Tensions in Iraq may slow withdrawal plans Despite gains, advisers expect more problems By Robert H. Reid Associated Press writer
BAGHDAD — Concern over upcoming elections and widening tensions among Iraq’s religious and ethnic groups appear behind the U.S. military’s recommendation to put the brakes on withdrawing more American
troops from Iraq despite improvements in security. President Bush’s top defense advisers have urged that he keep 15 combat brigades in Iraq until the end of the year — despite expectations that better security would allow for faster cuts. The recommendation seems at odds with recent glowing reports from many fronts: AlQaida in Iraq is on the run, the main Shiite militia has been pushed out of its strongholds in
Baghdad, and Iraqi security forces have been handed control of Basra and Amarah and the former killing fields of Anbar province. But U.S. military officials have been frank in saying that security gains are fragile. Political progress among Iraqi parties has lagged behind security improvements. The Iraqi parties’ commitment to achieving political agreements to ensure lasting peace will be severely tested in
the coming months — and the U.S. clearly wants enough resources inside the country in case they fail. The major challenge will likely come late this year when Iraqis elect ruling councils in the nation’s 18 provinces. The election will intensify a series of ongoing power struggles involving not only the Kurds and Iraqi Arabs but also rival parties within the Sunni Arab and Shiite communities themselves.
PEOPLE
Actor’s dream fulfilled in new movie Compiled from wire reports
All Seth Rogen really wanted when he came to Hollywood was to make a movie with Kevin Smith. His dream came true, and more: Rogen got to make a dirty movie with Smith. Rogen stars with Elizabeth Banks in Smith’s “Zack and Miri Make a Porno,” a romantic comedy with a whole lot of skin showing. T h e 26-year-old actor recalled a m e e t i n g nearly a decade ago with a Seth Rogen Realizes goal of prospective working with agent who Kevin Smith asked what his career goals were. That’s when he confessed his desire to work with Smith, whose profanity-spewing raconteurs were an influence on the sort of films Rogen eventually would make himself. The agent “said to me that’s probably easier than you think. I hadn’t realized that Kevin Smith movies didn’t make any money,” Rogen said in a telephone inter-
view from Los Angeles. “To me, he was like Steven Spielberg. I didn’t realize the difference between good movies and movies that make a lot of money.” “Zack and Miri” features Rogen and Banks as lifelong best pals and roommates who discover there may be something more to their relationship when they make a porn flick to pay off their debts.
Hulk’s bulk disputed
Thousands of dollars spent on clothing, grooming and vacations are among the average monthly expenses for Hulk Hogan’s wife, according to financial affidavits filed in the couple’s impending divorce case near Tampa. Linda Bollea’s monthly expenses
include $7,258 o n cl ot h in g; $1,318 on grooming; $6,100 on vacations, the documents state. Hogan, whose real name is Hulk Hogan Te r r y B o l l e a, Wife spends $7,258 a month spends $102 on clothes on clothing by c o mp ar i so n, and more than $38,000 on legal and accounting fees. The couple disagrees over Hogan’s net worth; Hogan, who reigned as Bacchus this year, claims it is $32 million, while his wife, Linda, claims it is $26.7 million. Meanwhile, their son, Nick, is serving an eight-month jail sentence for causing a traffic crash that left a passenger permanently disabled.
Today’s birthdays
Comedian JoAnne Worley is 71. Country singer David Allan Coe is 69. Country singer Mel McDaniel is 66. Rock singer-musician Roger Waters (Pink Floyd) is 65.
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