Meet the New Boss

Baghdad has a new mayor, or so he says. Jaudat Obeidi added that he has the backing of the Iraqi National Congress, the Pentagon's favorite Iraqi splinter group. But an INC spokesman in Qatar claimed to have never heard of Obeidi.

U.S. Marines in the city are even more blunt. "Anyone declaring themselves as mayor or anything else is just not true. The US government has not appointed anyone," a Marine captain said.

Be that as it may, it hasn't stopped widespread reporting of Obeidi's ascension as a fact, accompanied by descriptions of an "aide" to INC chief Ahmad Chalabi being in charge of the city. Chalabi himself has just entered the city, which quite a few people evidently think he controls.

Wait 'til Iraq gets to the hanging-chad stage of democracy. Might have four or five mayors of Baghdad.

Comments

[Anonymous]

Reminds me of this movie that came out recently called Gangs of New York. It's about New York City during the Civil War and the notorious Tammany Hall.

http://www.gangsnewyork.com/

"Many factors contributed to an increase in the number of gangs in New York City during the 1800's, especially the Five Points area. The major factors were: the huge number of immigrants with different nationalities; the resentment of native born Americans towards the newcomers; poor living conditions; young single immigrants seeking identity and protection in a sometimes hostile environment; and the patronage system of rewarding favors with jobs. The setting was ripe for the proliferation of gangs and corrupt politicians."