Article

2008-05-05 Iraq

Today's Yon: In Iraq, a storm before the calm

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Posted by Sherry 2008-05-05 10:33|| || Front Page|| [11133 views ] Top

#1 Many of those "critics" have the same attitude (don't disturb the criminal & he will stay away from ME) w/r to Iraq and here in the US.

Posted by tipover 2008-05-05 10:51|| 2008-05-05 10:51|| Front Page Top

#2 Most of those "critics" are dhimocrats and part of the surrender and retreat movement.

Posted by DarthVader">DarthVader 2008-05-05 11:10|| 2008-05-05 11:10|| Front Page Top

#3 The militias, unlike Al Qaeda, are not insane; we can negotiate with them.

Comment to a particular anonymous poster last week, whose Arab-vocabulary seemed limited to 'hudna' and 'taqqiya': since Yon appears to be truth-incarnate here at Rantburg, is the idea acceptable now?

Posted by Pappy 2008-05-05 13:30|| 2008-05-05 13:30|| Front Page Top

#4 "The great victory of the past year and a half has been the decision of Sunni citizens to turn against Sunni outlaws. Now, neither we nor the Iraqi government can maintain our credibility with the Sunni if the Shia militias are allowed to remain outside the law."

I agree, this is a key factor.

Posted by liberalhawk 2008-05-05 13:33|| 2008-05-05 13:33|| Front Page Top

#5 #3 - I tend to agree, I even think we can negotiate with Muqty, as long as from a position of strength (which is what Yon calls for) and realizing what he is, and not trusting farther than we can shake a stick at him.

OTOH, even if we CANT negotiate with Muqty, doesnt mean we cant negotiate with local leaders who may have been aligned with him in the past.

Posted by liberalhawk 2008-05-05 13:35|| 2008-05-05 13:35|| Front Page Top

#6 Tater Tot is not 100% synonymous with the Shia militias. Probably there are militias we should be speaking to. But not Tater. He has got to go.

Recall that even some of the "insane" AQI affiliates wound up switching sides and fighting with us. No doubt similar techniques will work with the Shia gangs. Neutralize those you can and obliterate the rest.

Posted by Iblis 2008-05-05 16:07|| 2008-05-05 16:07|| Front Page Top

#7 But not Tater. He has got to go

No argument there. The trick is ensuring he isn't accorded martyr status when he's taken down.

Posted by Pappy 2008-05-05 18:43|| 2008-05-05 18:43|| Front Page Top

#8 A head on a Pike at the gate reduces the martyr syndrome

Posted by Dorf 2008-05-05 21:12|| 2008-05-05 21:12|| Front Page Top

#9 A head on a Pike at the gate reduces the martyr syndrome

Posted by Dorf 2008-05-05 21:14|| 2008-05-05 21:14|| Front Page Top

#10 Yon was writing at an op-ed level of generalization, but he's wrong (in an irrelevant way) about "all" insurgencies, and in a slightly less irrelevant way about the JAM. Many of its components started, and remained, little more than predatory gangs. There was no sustained Sunni terror war in most of the south, or the east. But JAM affiliates there were sometimes so awful that the locals themselves took up arms agin 'em.

The militias are best "negotiated" with not just from a position of strength, but after their leading members have been killed, or imprisoned, or humiliated (in the case of the many that are little more than criminal enterprises, and especially in the case of those that are very Iran-aligned). That is, if you want your "progress" to last more than a month or two. But if not, I suggest you consult current CoS Casey about his wildly successful strategy of treading lightly and carrying a small stick.

Posted by Verlaine 2008-05-05 22:51|| 2008-05-05 22:51|| Front Page Top

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