Iraqis better off under Saddam? Jaafari sidelined?

John Pace, who last month left his post as director of the human rights office at the U.N. Assistance Mission for Iraq, said yesterday that Human Rights abuses are as bad now as they were under Saddam.

He also makes the allegation that the mortuary staff in Baghdad is being threatened from all sides to not investigate the deaths or to suppress evidence (BBC version,) so any numbers we're seeing shouldn't be trusted, whether it's the 1,300 reported by the WaPo or the 350 claimed by PM Al-Jaafari.

Oh, and while we're talking about Al-Jaafari, Bush's "strong leader,"

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari canceled a meeting Thursday with Iraq's top political leaders after they agreed to mount a campaign to deny him another term in a bid to jump-start stalled talks on a new government.

So, let me get this straight, he cancelled a meeting to help stop the "sectarian violence" to protect his political future?

(Interestingly, Juan Cole, who generally knows such things, says the Kurds and Americans are behind this effort to "sideline Jaafari." Hmmmm.)