Iraqi armored vehicles in the Hayaniya district of Basra on Sunday, a day after soldierstook control of the former stronghold of the Shiite cleric Moktada al-Sadr.
From The National:
For the past five years American politicians and journalists have shared the same false notion about Iraq: both assume that the United States has more control over events in the country than has ever been the case. This has been true since the fall of Saddam Hussein, when President Bush and his viceroy in Baghdad, Paul Bremer, believed that what Iraqis thought and did could safely be ignored. Within months guerrilla war against American forces was raging across central Iraq.
The ability of America to make unilateral decisions in Iraq is diminishing with every month, but the White House was still horrified to hear the Iraqi prime minister Nouri al-Maliki appearing to endorse Barack Obama’s plan for the withdrawal of American combat troops within 16 months. This cut the ground from under the feet of John McCain, who has repeatedly declared that “victory” is at last within America’s grasp because of the great achievements of “the surge”, the American reinforcements sent to Iraq in 2007 to regain control of Baghdad.
Read more ....
My Comment: An excellent article that examines the "on the boots" situation between Shiite And Sunni groups in Iraq. He accurate
From The National:
For the past five years American politicians and journalists have shared the same false notion about Iraq: both assume that the United States has more control over events in the country than has ever been the case. This has been true since the fall of Saddam Hussein, when President Bush and his viceroy in Baghdad, Paul Bremer, believed that what Iraqis thought and did could safely be ignored. Within months guerrilla war against American forces was raging across central Iraq.
The ability of America to make unilateral decisions in Iraq is diminishing with every month, but the White House was still horrified to hear the Iraqi prime minister Nouri al-Maliki appearing to endorse Barack Obama’s plan for the withdrawal of American combat troops within 16 months. This cut the ground from under the feet of John McCain, who has repeatedly declared that “victory” is at last within America’s grasp because of the great achievements of “the surge”, the American reinforcements sent to Iraq in 2007 to regain control of Baghdad.
Read more ....
My Comment: An excellent article that examines the "on the boots" situation between Shiite And Sunni groups in Iraq. He accurate
The ability of America to make unilateral decisions in Iraq is diminishing with every month, but the White House was still horrified to hear the Iraqi prime minister Nouri al-Maliki appearing to endorse Barack Obama’s plan for the withdrawal of American combat troops within 16 months. This cut the ground from under the feet of John McCain, who has repeatedly declared that “victory” is at last within America’s grasp because of the great achievements of “the surge”, the American reinforcements sent to Iraq in 2007 to regain control of Baghdad.
Read more ....
My Comment: An excellent article that examines the "on the boots" situation between Shiite And Sunni groups in Iraq. He accurately describes the animosity between the groups, and the bitterness that still lingers.
I also agree with his assessment that while American forces have been an influence in Iraq, they are a minor player in the medium to long term development and reconciliation in the country.
This is a good article that contains a pessimistic (but realistic) assessment of the situation in Iraq.
Read more ....
My Comment: An excellent article that examines the "on the boots" situation between Shiite And Sunni groups in Iraq. He accurately describes the animosity between the groups, and the bitterness that still lingers.
I also agree with his assessment that while American forces have been an influence in Iraq, they are a minor player in the medium to long term development and reconciliation in the country.
This is a good article that contains a pessimistic (but realistic) assessment of the situation in Iraq.