‘Iraq situation due to Bremer’s miscalculation’

The situation in Iraq was the result of a ‘‘profound’’ miscalculation by US civil administrator Paul Bremer, who ordered the closure of Shi’ite newspaper critical of the occupation, a media report said. ‘‘Several US and Iraqi officials now regard Bremer’s move to close the newspaper as a profound miscalculation based on poor intelligence and inaccurate assumptions,’’ The Washington Post said. Bremer closed the paper on March 28 because he believed that after months of waiting, the moment was right to pressure Al Sadr to capitulate to US demands to disband his growing militia, which had attacked US troops in the past,’’ the newspaper reported. —(PTI)