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Military cancels leaves, considers curfew

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published November 4, 2006

BAGHDAD - Iraq canceled leave Friday for all military officers two days before an expected verdict in the trial of Saddam Hussein. The move came as the second top Bush administration official this week, national intelligence director John Negroponte, huddled with the Iraqi prime minister.

In the Hussein trial, many of his fellow Sunni Arabs, along with some Shiites and Kurds, are predicting a firestorm if the court sentences the ex-president to death, as is widely expected. Bloodshed is already high, with police finding the bodies of 87 torture victims throughout the capital Thursday and Friday.

In a videotape Friday, Defense Minister Abdul-Qader al-Obeidi was heard issuing the order canceling all military leaves and ordering vacationing soldiers back to duty. The order took effect at noon Friday and was announced at a meeting among Maliki and senior military and security officials.

While there was no direct reference on the tape linking the canceled leaves with the Hussein trial verdict, there was discussion of a curfew for Sunday.

In other violence Friday, police in Kut found 13 bodies, and authorities reported at least nine other killings in Iraq.

The U.S. military announced seven more deaths - four Marines and three soldiers killed Thursday - raising the death toll for November to 11. At least 105 U.S. troops died in October, the fourth highest monthly toll of the war.

Maliki's demand for a speedier transfer of power to his military was believed to have been among issues he discussed with Negroponte.

Negroponte arrived just four days after the White House national security adviser, Stephen Hadley, paid an unannounced visit to Baghdad. Negroponte was heard to say he had come "to reinforce some of the things you have heard from our president."

The two top U.S. officials came to Baghdad in close succession after a video conference Oct. 28 during which President Bush and Maliki agreed to set up a five-member committee to coordinate military and political matters.

The U.S. Embassy in Baghdad would provide no details of the Negroponte visit and said it was not announced in advance as a matter of security.

The Iraqi government said Negroponte, who previously was U.S. ambassador here, had reassured Maliki of Bush's continued backing.

[Last modified November 4, 2006, 01:11:33]