Better than a Painted School
Uncategorized - - Posted on July, 20 at 2:26 am by Eric Martin
You want some honest, realistic good news from Iraq? Here it is (courtesy of the ever-vigilant Cernig):
Seven of the most important Sunni-led insurgent organisations fighting the US occupation in Iraq have agreed to form a public political alliance with the aim of preparing for negotiations in advance of an American withdrawal, their leaders have told the Guardian.
In their first interview with the western media since the US-British invasion of 2003, leaders of three of the insurgent groups - responsible for thousands of attacks against US and Iraqi armed forces and police - made clear that they would continue their armed resistance until all foreign troops were withdrawn from Iraq, and denounced al-Qaida for sectarian killings and suicide bombings against civilians.
Speaking in Damascus, the spokesmen for the three groups - the 1920 Revolution Brigades, Ansar al-Sunna and Iraqi Hamas - said they planned to hold a congress to launch a united front within the next few weeks and appealed to Arab governments, other governments and the UN to help them establish a permanent political presence outside Iraq.
This is good news because it is essential that the Sunni insurgents forge a political presence that can, eventually, lead negotiations on an effective power-sharing arrangement with the rest of Iraq’s major factions (think Sinn Fein and the IRA). Further, the exclusion of al-Qaeda type elements is a necessary and constructive step (those espousing al-Qaeda’s worldview would not likely be amenable to any negotiated settlement, nor could they be counted on to live up to any should they initially accede).
The best possible outcome here would be for this political front to gather and unite the lion’s share of Sunni resistance groups such that it forms as unified and non-factionalized a voice as possible. If the Sunni resistance’s political front can speak for, and bind, the vast majority of the armed wing, then effective negotiated settlements will be made more possible. This, despite the fact that even with these conditions satisfied, it is likely that some period of increased conflict may play out regardless before negotiations become attractive enough to the various combatants.
A useful corollary to these political developments would be for the Iraqi government to hold a new round of provincial elections (which is one of those elusive benchmarks). In the last local elections held in January 2005, the Sunni parties boycotted in protest. Thus, many predominately Sunni areas now have Shiite’s in charge of local government. Expanding the Sunni political presence, at the same time that the resistance gains a political voice, would at least set the stage for the curtain call, even if such a resolution remains many bloody acts away.
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the good news.
[UPDATE: More analysis from the Aardvark:
These moves by the major insurgency factions over the last several months don't fit well within the preferred American narrative. Their actions are not motivated by the 'surge', but rather by the belief that the US will soon leave. Their hostility to the Islamic State of Iraq/al-Qaeda does not translate into support for the United States or the current Iraqi government. They vow to continue armed struggle until the US forces leave, and to stop the violence when they do. And they have clear demands for changes to the Iraqi political system on behalf of Sunni interests - demands which may be unacceptable to other Iraqis in their current form but at least offer a starting point for real political talks. These factions have been articulating these positions very clearly and consistently for several months now. But they repeatedly seem to be marginalized or discounted because they don't fit the American narrative, in which al-Qaeda is the primary enemy and most Sunnis and insurgency groups are switching to the American side. I really hope that American officials don't really believe their own propaganda and are paying attention to the really significant developments on the Sunni side - because if not, then the political resolution which everyone seems to agree is needed will never be achieved.
True.]
Posted in Uncategorized |
July 21st, 2007 at 4:43 am
Good points Eric. How ironic tho…the Secular Baathists were shoved out of power by the the occupying authorities…& many seem to have become more religious…generally Sunni…& now the occupying force is supplying them w/ weapons to counter the growing Shiite powers…& in the long run it is hoped by some like Biden that Iraq can be divided up into 3 regions, primarily based on religious allegiance…Sunnis, Kurds & Shiites…& that eventually a Secular, somewhat Democratic Nation will be formed in Iraq…w/, in all probability, no fly zones, external financial & food assistance…& a strong leadership that can resist Iranian incursion…& provides major Western oil corporations w/ opportunities to gain access to its abundant resources…& will probably be provided w/ defensive weaponry from the US, Britain etc…
Plus ce change eh?…but rather than Saddam using brute force to keep the Shiite insurgents down, the invasion by the Coalition of the Willing has led to a similar amount of casualties that diminish Shiite ranks. And the profits for US-based companies far exceed previous amounts…& the COW taxpayer’s burden has increased.
Quite an grotesque experiment in cost shifting & increasing profit margins if you ask me.
I was reflecting tonite on the 4,000 + deceased American soldiers…the more than 3,600 in Iraq…& 400+ in Afghanistan. I started thinking about my old high school in Toronto. Generally a 1000 students were enrolled. Seemed enormous…sometimes you wouldn’t see friends in the halls for days.
The dead US soldiers would fill 4 of those schools. Imagine entering 4 (four) huge schools full of nothing but bodies…slumped, sprawled everywhere…in classrooms, on benches, in the gym, the toilets, in the cafeteria, across playing fields & ovals…
& perhaps 30 + more schools w/ nothing but students who’d had part of their bodies damaged, limbs blown off…skulls crushed, eyes unseeing…30 + (thirty plus…) schools filled w/ the physically damaged…& traumatized…the injured American soldiers from Iraq & Afhghanistan…
& then another school or two for the dead private contractors…& another for the British, Italian, Spanish, Polish & other allies…a few more for their injured & traumatized…
& then…possibly…
700…yes, 700 (Seven Hundred) schools for the Iraqi dead…& so many others filled w/ Afghanis…
perhaps thousands for their injured, traumatized & displaced…
…all to avenge 3 schools on 9/11.
To find no weapons of mass destruction.
In these times of obsession w/ dollars & numbers…it seems to me…
the numbers just don’t add up.
N’
July 21st, 2007 at 9:11 pm
And…NO Bin Laden
July 21st, 2007 at 9:38 pm
In 1990s it cost >US$28 pb to get texan oil (the easiest & most plentiful in amerika) out of the ground - when the spot price was between US$10-14(tops)pb.
It was never about obtaining Iraqi oil, but the US majors controlling it. Preferably by keeping it off the market, at least pro tem.
I long ago gave up listening to US military/WH flaks talking about fighting t’rists.
The Shia are killing Sunni, rarely amerikans unless they get involved, the jihadis kill anyone within range and the Sunni, knowing their miniscule numbers - about the same as the (non arab) Kurds - respond as their testosterone driven Honour demands in Baghdad. Elsewhere, ie Anbar, they are content to maintain their tribal lands. Ain’t no jihadis there.
It’s possible that the amerikans are so stupid/ignorant as to be unaware of these facts/realities but i think it’s simple arrogance; their belief in their oft proclaimed hyperpower status.
After all, if you spend more on your military than THE REST OF THE WORLD COMBINED then, ipso facto, you must prevail.
Served them well in Vietnam, so should be equally efficacious in Eyerak.
July 21st, 2007 at 10:09 pm
I agree…holding it up to heighten the price, make it rarer…less supply more demand…price goeth thru the roof.
I’m very worried about where this Kurd vs Turkish situation goes…particularly if the Israelis are involved in the Kurd region…be hard to blame them if so…but…
I wonder if the Iraqi leaders are beginning to feel this way:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrwoAsimsVI
How many of these same roads must we take before Humanity finds the Light?