BAGHDAD, June 17 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al- Maliki Prime Minister and acting Interior Minister, acting Defense Minister, and acting National Security Minister
on Tuesday sacked some senior security officers for their failing to halt the advance of Sunni insurgent groups, a statement issued by his office said.
"We have decided to punish a number of officers who failed in the performance of their professional and national duties," Maliki said in the statement.
Maliki fired Lieutenant General Mehdi Sabih al-Gharawi, commander of Nineveh Operations Command, his deputy Major General Abdul Rahman Handhal, as well as Chief of Staff and Brigadier General Hassan Abdul Razak, and will take legal actions against them, according to the statement.
The prime minister also fired Brigadier General Hidayat Abdul Rahim, commander of the army's 3rd infantry division. Rahim has been "referred to the military court for his trial in absentia for his escape from the battlefield to an unknown destination."
The statement said that further instructions would be issued later to sack more military leaders and bring them to justice.
Remind again, why do PM's have have portfolio ministers? So that they can take the blame when things go terribly wrong. Didn't the acting defense minister put those corrupt generals in charge in the first place? Seems to me like he needs to be canned.