Article

2008-04-05 Iraq

Iraq PM ~~is a wuss~~ reverses course, freezes raids

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Posted by gorb 2008-04-05 01:49|| || Front Page|| [7 views ] Top

#1 1. According to Maliki, it is temporary so some can surrender. Sounds to me like it is part of some sort of negotiation.

2. It isn't total:

http://www.mnf-iraq.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=18152&Itemid=128

After receiving reports that Iraqi Security Forces were under attack and taking small-arms fire from a building, Coalition forces employed an unmanned aerial vehicle to observe and confirm the target in Basras Haiyaniya district. A rotary-winged aircraft then conducted the strike. An armed criminal was confirmed killed in the precision airstrike.

Posted by crosspatch 2008-04-05 10:07|| 2008-04-05 10:07|| Front Page Top

#2 ~~An armed criminal~~A terrorist was confirmed killed in the precision airstrike.

Fixed that for ya', cross.

Posted by Barbara Skolaut">Barbara Skolaut 2008-04-05 10:22|| http://ariellestjohndesigns.com/]">[http://ariellestjohndesigns.com/] 2008-04-05 10:22|| Front Page Top

#3 Note the increasing use of the word "criminal" for "terrorist." The Iraqi (and Afghanistani and Pakistani) governments are preparing themselves for a possible liberal administration in the US, and they want to get ahead of the "treat terrorism as a police problem" curve...

Posted by M. Murcek">M. Murcek 2008-04-05 10:37|| 2008-04-05 10:37|| Front Page Top

#4 This is one of the danger signs we should be looking for. Lack of political will. Will to shake off Iran, get rid of roving militias, govern themselves. If the army sucks, that's one thing, we can work on that. But if they have no will to have a peaceful, prosperous society, that's a big problem. 5 years into this, they would still rather kill each other than build a school. And before anyone even says it, I'm not being reactionary, we've given them every chance in the world to get their shit together.

Posted by bigjim-ky 2008-04-05 10:53|| 2008-04-05 10:53|| Front Page Top

#5 I think the "criminal" distinction is also an internal issue. It is to imply that the government isn't "after" Sadrists in general, but only the ones who attack government forces or are involved in other criminal activities. The notion being that a Sadrist who wants to chill out, take part in the political process, and cooperate with the government won't have any problems.

Posted by crosspatch 2008-04-05 10:55|| 2008-04-05 10:55|| Front Page Top

#6 bigjim-ky: We should also not be tempted to draw conclusions one week into a months long campaign. There is an excellent article over at Bill Roggio's site. Part of the problem is that one of the units involved (14th IAD) went into battle with a brigade (52nd brigade) that had just finished basic training in February and cracked in battle. It doesn't mean the battle is lost or over.

Posted by crosspatch 2008-04-05 10:59|| 2008-04-05 10:59|| Front Page Top

#7 Note this from Roggio's article:

An estimated 500 Iraqi Army soldiers and 400 policemen deserted during the Basrah fighting, Iraqi military officials told The Associated Press. The 500 soldiers were reported to be from a single Iraqi Army battalion.

So that puts things in a little different light. While I am not going to believe that 100% of the deserting soldiers came from one battalion, it is reasonable to believe that the vast majority of them did and that police desertions were probably more systemic withing the police units.

Posted by crosspatch 2008-04-05 11:05|| 2008-04-05 11:05|| Front Page Top

#8 why do they think this letting them surrender shit is gonna work. wake up you have tried it before and it hasn't worked yet.

Posted by sinse 2008-04-05 11:08|| 2008-04-05 11:08|| Front Page Top

#9 Dang, sorry to hog so much here but there is a lot of news on this subject this morning: Apparently raids on Sadr City haven't been "frozen" either.

US Soldiers Move Into Sadr City

Posted by crosspatch 2008-04-05 11:11|| 2008-04-05 11:11|| Front Page Top

#10 I'm not talking about the IA crosspatch, they performed quite well in many instances, poorly in others, but overall well. I'm talking about their leadership and the slugs that sit in their parliament. If they would rather run their country into the crapper than improve it, then we have a serious problem on our hands. If they WANT to have Iran pull their strings and run the country there isn't much we can do to help them. Maliki is a duplicitous character to say the least, we need to sound him out and figure out if we are wasting our time with this "bringing democracy to the mideast" thingy.

Posted by bigjim-ky 2008-04-05 11:11|| 2008-04-05 11:11|| Front Page Top

#11 "why do they think this letting them surrender shit is gonna work. wake up you have tried it before and it hasn't worked yet."

Actually it DID work bigtime. It turned insurgent groups into groups of "concerned citizens" by allowing them to switch sides. You have to remember that this is a domestic issue for the Iraqis. They are engaged with their own people. They are going to give them every opportunity to surrender. We do the same thing. Even when we are engaged with an armed group in this country, our usual first reaction is to give them plenty of time to surrender. It appears that the groups are fair game if they open fire on government or coalition forces, though.

Posted by crosspatch 2008-04-05 11:14|| 2008-04-05 11:14|| Front Page Top

#12 I'm talking about their leadership and the slugs that sit in their parliament. If they would rather run their country into the crapper than improve it, then we have a serious problem on our hands. If they WANT to have Iran pull their strings and run the country there isn't much we can do to help them.

I agree with much of that and I also think Maliki would too! The operation in Basra wasn't just to run down there and beat up Sadr's goons. There was a larger context. The economy in Iraq is improving. The demand for goods is increasing and Iraqi production of goods is increasing. Basra is practically the only and certainly the largest port facility to connect Iraq with the rest of the world and get goods in and out of the country by ocean freight. The only other route is over land via Turkey and that route is "hot" right now with the Turks fighting some Kurdish communists across the border. The only other routes are Iran, Syria, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. The border with Saudi is mostly desert without a lot of transportation infrastructure and I believe there is one major road to Jordan.

So Iraq's economy NEEDS that port in Basra but it is being "run" by gangsters who are hijacking the freight and pocketing the proceeds. It is wrecking the economy. Many of these gangsters are Sadrists, but probably not ALL of them. The government is moving against these gangs and is in the process of securing the ports so that they can be rehabilitated for the good of the general economy of the country.

Sure, many of these individual gangsters might have the support of various Iranian interests, probably in both government and enterprise. But I think people would get a better idea by backing away a little so they can see the whole forest instead of concentrating on the individual trees and groves of trees. This is the Iraqi government establishing itself in Basra and taking control away from these thugs. It is a good thing. Maliki made a judgment call to send those troops in way early. It probably gave him the benefit of surprise.

Posted by crosspatch 2008-04-05 11:27|| 2008-04-05 11:27|| Front Page Top

#13 I just did a quick look and it appears that the only major rail link out of the country is via Turkey. There is a rail line that goes from Basra all the way to Turkey and there is a branch that goes out into Anbar but doesn't appear to connect to Syrian or Jordanian rail from the map that I found. So that port in Basra is going to be very important in connecting Iraq's economy with the global economy.

Posted by crosspatch 2008-04-05 11:43|| 2008-04-05 11:43|| Front Page Top

#14 The world as I see it from my armchair! :-)

Gorb, there is nothing wrong with your armchair!

~:) funny pic btw!

Posted by RD">RD 2008-04-05 12:53|| 2008-04-05 12:53|| Front Page Top

#15 Maybe it's just a hudna.

Posted by Abu Uluque 2008-04-05 14:48|| 2008-04-05 14:48|| Front Page Top

#16 no that didn'y work when they saw aol queda murdering their children and others at will is what turned them, but they can all be turned ata ahat though

Posted by sinse 2008-04-05 15:57|| 2008-04-05 15:57|| Front Page Top

#17 aol qaeda? Marriage of corrupt evil terrorist organizations, huh?

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2008-04-05 16:18|| 2008-04-05 16:18|| Front Page Top

#18 aol qaeda? LOL. Nice catch, Frank.

Posted by Pancho Elmeck8414 2008-04-05 16:56|| 2008-04-05 16:56|| Front Page Top

#19 "chance to those who repented and want to lay down their arms."

IOW, we're just armin' up!

Posted by BA 2008-04-05 17:13|| 2008-04-05 17:13|| Front Page Top

#20 Nappy time, now all you little boys lay down on your prayer mats, and as soon as recess is over we'll continue with the murders.

Right now nappy time, heads down, no talking.

Posted by Redneck Jim">Redneck Jim 2008-04-05 18:56|| 2008-04-05 18:56|| Front Page Top

#21 Maybe it's just a hudna.

Now wouldn't that be ironic, clever, and rather Rovian.

Posted by Gabby Cussworth 2008-04-05 19:22|| 2008-04-05 19:22|| Front Page Top

#22 never type and drink frank, it's just a bad idea

Posted by sinse 2008-04-05 20:47|| 2008-04-05 20:47|| Front Page Top

#23 LOL - granted

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2008-04-05 21:48|| 2008-04-05 21:48|| Front Page Top

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