It is good to know that the Iraqi police have your back.Muqtada and the Mehdi Army will emerge from this crisis stronger than they were before. How could it be otherwise? The first major Iraqi display of Iraqi power and thousands desert speaks volumes to a US mission that is in shatters.
Get the hell out of Dodge.
_____________________Published: March 31, 2008
BAGHDAD, March 31 (UPI) --
Thousands of Iraqi police officers who allegedly refused to fight against Shiite militias have been relieved of duty, Iraqi's interior minister said Monday.
The decision by Jawad al-Boulani covers units operating in Shiite neighborhoods in Baghdad and the predominately Shiite areas in southern Iraq, including Basra.
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki ordered Iraqi forces to crack down on militias affiliated with cleric Moqtada Sadr and other influential Shiite leaders, sparking widespread violence that rippled throughout the country last week.
Thousands of Iraqi police officers refused to fight the militias and two Iraqi army regiments allegedly joined the militias in Baghdad, the Iraqi daily Azzaman reported.
The move, the newspaper said, may further boost the ranks of the Shiite militias as those police officers relieved of duty may join them.
This was reported over the weekend on the Jerusalem Post:
ReplyDeleteNight Watch: BASRA - The situation for Iraq's army and police seems to be rapidly deteriorating and knowing Tehran's extensive contacts in the Baghdad government, including their working relationship with Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki that should not be surprising. It is a strategic relationship between Baghdad-Tehran designed to undermine completely any effort by the UK/US to create stable Iraqi institutions which can govern the country with a Western oriented administration. What is even more telling the Jerusalem Post/AP report some of the air strikes by UK/US warplanes seem to be mainly inflicting civilian casualties though the Pentagon strongly denies this and claims most of those killed have been Shia militia fighters. If the coalition response continues to be ineffective, and with confusion reigning, then an enormous debacle is already underway. The air strikes have to be called in by British-U. S. units on the ground which means they are increasingly isolated from the Iraq Army. Hospital officials have stated in Basra 50 civilians have been killed and 388 wounded. The most recent air strike took place in Basra's Hananiyah district which an Iraqi policeman said killed some women and children. There are reports of pools of blood near houses and in the sewer."
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This has hardly received the attention that it deserves. It drove me to the Elephants. Folks, it is over. It is one great stinking pile of shit. The Iraqi government has all the credibility of Bear Stearns' balance sheet.
It's enough to drive me back to my book about John Adams, who was a yeoman farmer, a lawyer, and a great man. Had a heck of a first sea voyage to France(taking little John Quincy with him), excitement all the way, and when he got there, the treaty was already agreed to, the purpose of his voyage. How this could have happened I have yet to learn.
ReplyDeleteFlipping over to Clinton for a minute, she really is playing Rough She does want to be President, will try any thing to do it, it seems. Such rough tactics.
ReplyDelete" It is a strategic relationship between Baghdad-Tehran designed to undermine completely any effort by the UK/US to create stable Iraqi institutions which can govern the country with a Western oriented administration."
ReplyDelete---
Kevin brought this up at the beginning of Maliki's Basra surge at BC, and of course was roundly shouted down.
I asked W to comment further on Kevin's assertion, but he chose not.
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You might remember this one that I posted earlier:
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U.S. Takes Lead in Iraq Offensive
U.S. forces in armored vehicles battle Mahdi Army fighters in Sadr City as offensive begins third day.
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BAGHDAD, March 27 -- U.S. forces in armored vehicles battled Mahdi Army fighters Thursday in Sadr City, the vast Shiite stronghold in eastern Baghdad, as an offensive to quell party-backed militias entered its third day. Iraqi army and police units appeared to be largely holding to the outskirts of the area as American troops took the lead in the fighting.
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The U.S. officials, who were not authorized to speak on the record, said that they believe Iran has provided assistance in the past to all three groups -- the Mahdi Army; the Badr Organization of the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq, Iraq's largest Shiite party; and forces loyal to the Fadhila Party, which holds the Basra governor's seat.
"Such rough tactics."
ReplyDelete---
Really pretty mild, mellow, and nuanced, compared to the dishonest race-baiting and America-Hating of her opponent and his brilliant but deranged wife.
If any of us admitted to sending our kids to a hate-house like Wright's, they'd be immediately, and rightly, shunned by the rest.
From the Selma BS Story, to using anyone, to include the grandmother that raised and supported him, there is no-one that Barry won't use and abuse if it furthers the Barry is beautiful MeMe.
...and does MeMe ever describe Barry.
...course my critique may be biased, cause I was raised by TWO typical white folk.
Wo be unto me!
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ReplyDeleteI don't think anyone really knows what is going on in the Arab world and I doubt that there is anyway to know it.
ReplyDeleteWhich is reason enough to disengage and let the cow chips fall where they may.
My only concern is the safety and well being of Israel and I think they too would be better off without our interference. Support them, yes, but for God's sake, stop enabling their enemies.
Hate to say I told you so, but ...
ReplyDeleteHalf-stepping to Babylon, it's all we know how to do.
US military's been training to lose, for five years now.
Why would one expect the Army's Shia dominated troops would fight their cousins?
ReplyDeleteThey are not interested in dying for Maliki's power trip. They ride with the majority., al-Sadr has the biggest group within the Shite bloc.
The Iraqi Army is loyal to Iraq and it's people, not Maliki or the US.
"The Iraqi Army is loyal to Iraq and it's people, not Maliki or the US."
ReplyDelete---
Like the majority of them were 5 years and $600 billion ago, 'cept there was a lot less Sunni/Shiite tension among the regular troops.
McClatchy: Iranian general played key role in Iraq cease-fire
ReplyDeleteThe Weekly Standard: General Panic
ThreatsWatch.Org: PrincipalAnalysis: Dangerous Liaisons
ThreatsWatch.Org: PrincipalAnalysis: Qods Force, Karbala and the Language of War
The Long War Journal: Home
The Weekly Standard: Qods Force Pulls Sadr's Strings
Carnegie Council: The Shia Revival: How Conflicts within Islam Will Shape the Future
AP: Al-Sadr Trumps in Latest Showdown