The US military has embarked on a new and risky strategy in Iraq by arming Sunni insurgents in the hope that they will tackle the extremist al-Qaida in Iraq.
The US high command this month gave permission to its officers on the ground to negotiate arms deals with local leaders. Arms, ammunition, body armour and other equipment, as well as cash, pick-up trucks and fuel, have already been handed over in return for promises to turn on al-Qaida and not attack US troops
Great, so the US solution to the ever escalating civil war in Iraq is to align themselves with dozens of Sunni militiamen, cooperate, fund and arm sectarian militias - death squads- who work outside the Iraqi security forces, and include insurgent groups that have attacked Americans and coalition forces in the past.
“We have made a deal with the devil,” said an intelligence officer in the battalion.
Doesn't anyone, any where, see the horrific potential for blow back in this entire fucked situation? Please? Someone?
1 comment:
Sorry, I'm going to have to disagree with you on that one. Iraqi society is still very tribal in structure and co-opting tribal militias is probably the best and most efficient way of increasing stability.
Calling them 'death squads' is a hangover from El Salvador, which Iraq is not.
The formal army, moreover, is heavily sectarian and utterly permeated with militias. The Shi'a dominated government would indeed like to claim that the 'legitimacy' of the 'national' army - based on an increasing flimsy appeal to the 'nation' of Iraq - means that it should enjoy the monopoly of force in the country, as that would create an excuse to carry on persecuting the Sunni.
The fact is that there is very little left of an Iraqi national ideal at present, and the Sunni will refuse to take part in any political disposition that puts all power in the hands of the Shia and, to a lesser extent, the Kurds.
You're better off enabling tribes to protect their localities and creating the conditions for a realistic negotiation of power than allowing one group to consolidate power under the guise of of a 'national' state.
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