One of Iraqi Kurdistan’s most prominent journalists has been gunned down after receiving threats to stop reporting on corruption in Masud Barzani’s administration. Jalal Talabani’s political party has made similar threats against the Sulaymaniyah-based newspaper Hawlati, and is continuing a lawsuit (heard before his own judicial appointee) to place the editor in prison for an article question corruption and family business dealings in the Talabani administration.

The Kirkuk Journalist Association has issued an open letter to the White House, part of which is here:

Looking at the history of Baath Party, surprisingly the similar behavior can be seen, those behavior turned Baath party to oppressing and terrorizing organization. Some of the trends are; Baath party had offices in each neighborhood in the cities to terrorize people; PUK and KDP have twice more office not only in the cities but they also extended to each Kurdish villages. Baath Party had one security apparatuses to kidnap and kill opponents; PUK and KDP, each have many security apparatuses, in fact each city has two set of security apparatuses one from PUK and the other from KDP. Baath party undermined journalists and free press, PUK and KDP are doing the same and shutting down newspapers, and killing journalist who criticize them. Baath Parties had two controlled TV stations, PUK and KDP each have many TV station and that is fully controlled only to broadcast what is in the favor of the party and its leader. When Saddam Hussians traveled, his convoy was 20 cars, Talabani and Barzani car convoys are 100+ cars each time they travel. Baath Party fixed elections to elect party members; both Kurdish parties are doing the same and imposing party members on Kurdish people to be elected for parliament, and government posts.

Success in Iraqi Kurdistan could have been one of Bush’s greatest legacies. Unfortunately, it appears just one instance of how his administration has squandered its chances.