 Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al- Maliki told Reuters on Thursday he could end the violence in Iraq in six months if the United States gave him the weaponry and control over Iraqi forces.
Q. The United States says you have agreed to a 12-month "timeline" of measures to end the violence and bring stability to Iraq. Can you tell us in your own words about this?
A.They think building Iraqi forces will need 12 to 18 months for us to be in control of security. We agree our forces need work but think that if, as we are asking, the rebuilding of our forces was in our own hands, then it would take not 12-18 months but six might be enough.
| I would actually be in favor of that, having had just about enough of attempts to civilize Iraq. If the rebuilding of the Iraqi forces is left in Iraqi hands, they end up with an army that's trained to Arab standards, good for oppressing the populace, but no great shakes on the battlefield. Trained to our standards, they could actually be dangerous to someone, at least until inshallah maintenance standards kick in again. |
Q. What sort of weapons are you saying you need?
A. I'm not talking about modern tanks or modern warplanes and missiles because we aren't fighting a war with another country and facing an army. I'm talking about having a well-trained army, swift and light on its feet and at the same time with medium weapons. The police are sharing rifles. That is why when the police clashed with the (Shi'ite Mehdi Army) militia in Amara, the police fled. This is the responsibility of the Coalition because they created them (the police). Maybe they thought that the country would not slip into this situation. Well, now that we are here we need them to build the army quickly.
| I thought we had built a reasonable Iraqi army, at least a core of infantry. If he's saying he needs some mechanized units, artillery, etc., sure, fine, but in return he has to promise to help us paste Syria some day ... |
Q. Are you concerned that the United States could try to push you aside if there is no progress in the coming months?
A. I don't think American policy would commit the mistake of replacing a prime minister or a government in Iraq. That would be burning their slogans.
| "They created us, now they're stuck with us." |
| He's right, everything we've tried to do in the new Bush doctrine would come crashing down. As long as someone doesn't blow him up he's actually in a sweet position, at least til the next election. |
I don't think they think like that as it would mean the failure of the entire political process. As far as 'tough decisions' go, I say we want to take firm and difficult decisions. But anyone who wants to take a difficult decision has to do so from solid ground and so the far the ground is unstable -- due to current security policies ...
| "That's why I've been paralyzed. Normally, I'm very decisive, y'know..." |
If anyone is responsible for the poor security situation in Iraq it is the Coalition.
| "Couldn't be us, or our policies. After all, we've got a government of national unity. Nobody's left out. All we have to do is please all the participants. It's just that some of their requirements sometimes conflict. A little. Here and there. In ways." |
I am now prime minister and overall commander of the armed forces yet I cannot move a single company without Coalition approval because of the U.N. mandate. So those who have the authority and could move the forces are also responsible. This should be clear ...
| "Not me, beppy. I am off the hook." |
I have to be careful fighting some militias and terrorists ... because they are better armed than the army and police.
| "I have no idea how that came to be. I should probably get around to looking into it, and I will, once I've gotten these other important considerations off my plate." |
The other point is that the army and police have been infiltrated because they were randomly formed. There are terrorists in the army and militias in the police and also members of the old regime. But if I had formed them, they'd be all Shia and those annoying Kurds would be out of the way and we'd have a clean shot at every SOB Sunni in the country.
Oh, and the oil too. |
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