Article

2009-02-21 Iraq

The Gamble: How Sean MacFarland's tactics turned Iraq's tide of violence

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Posted by Matt 2009-02-21 09:00|| || Front Page|| [2 views ] Top

#1 The "Anbar Experiment" was conducted in context of the all-party negotiations in Jordan. Al-Qaeda in Mesopotamia - which had major support in Sunni, Iraq - lost most when their presence became a liability as Shiites began winning battles with them. The fact that many were foreigners, didn't help either. It was the Sunni need to halt further erosion of their power that led them to accept the occupiers as power brokers. Sunnis had boycotted the first elections. Sunnis and Shiites have been fighting since 636 AD, and any peace arrangement has to be seen as transitory. MacFarland is a great tactition, but strategic aspects of post-2006 events, were out of his scope.

Posted by Alistaire Greash5374 2009-02-21 10:51|| 2009-02-21 10:51|| Front Page Top

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