Article

2005-04-20 Iraq-Jordan

Shi'ite group says Australian troops not needed in Al Muthanna

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Posted by Spemble Whaimp3886 2005-04-20 03:41|| || Front Page|| [4 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Sounds like an Iranian talking not a Iraqi.

Posted by Sock Puppet 0â Doom 2005-04-20 5:47:00 AM|| [http://www.slhess.com] 2005-04-20 5:47:00 AM|| Front Page Top

#2 If what the Shi'ite group says is true . . . then the mission should go swimmingly and allow for the early withdrawl of the Aussies when training reaches the benchmarks they have set. Achieving those benchmarks should be gravy in a province which is completely pacified.

Especially if there is no CORRUPTION within the militia, like taking bribes at checkpoints or allowing large arms shipments to move through their province to other areas in exchange for peace . . . . no problems at all.

Posted by Jame Retief 2005-04-20 7:38:32 AM|| 2005-04-20 7:38:32 AM|| Front Page Top

#3 The Australians are there to protect Japanese engineers. They may well be doing other things like training, I presume at the behest of the Iraqi government. The Badr spokesman is just drawing lines. I don't see a problem.

BTW, JR smuggling arms into Iraq is like smuggling heroin into Afghanistan. Anyone who things this is happening (and has a material effect) is a fool.

Posted by phil_b 2005-04-20 8:26:37 AM|| 2005-04-20 8:26:37 AM|| Front Page Top

#4 Well, it being a militia and all, I would suggest that the acid test would be their willingness to be integrated into the Iraqi army. If they are just a sectarian militia, then they serve a different master than their nation, a unified Iraq. It implies that they do not believe that even a Shiite majority government will be able to protect them, or has their best interests in mind, which plays into the mindset of an eventual civil war to the point of their being a force for destabilization, rather than a force for local protection.

Posted by Anonymoose 2005-04-20 11:03:58 AM|| 2005-04-20 11:03:58 AM|| Front Page Top

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