Cannibalism Is Best Practiced As A Spectator Sport
By streiff Posted in War — Comments (5) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
In a January 12, 1987 New York Times article headlined “Keeping Either Side From Winning”, the estimable Henry Kissinger succinctly summed up US policy in the Iran-Iraq War. “Too bad,” he said, “they can’t both lose.”
Reading this report from the Jamestown Foundation’s Lydia Khalil, I was struck with the same feeling.
One of the largest Iraqi insurgent groups has announced that its leader was offed by al-Qaeda.
Read on.
According to the internet release of the "al-Jihad al-Islami Corps" of the 1920 Revolution Brigades on March 27, its "valiant leader, Harith Dhahir Khamis al-Dari, fell today immersed in his chaste blood during his battlefield jihad in Abu Ghraib sector. He was in charge of jihad and of fighting the enemy in that sector. He was targeted this morning in a treacherous ambush while returning to his house after inspecting one of the operations grounds." There have been recent reports that the 1920 Revolution Brigades, and al-Dari in particular, were about to link up with the al-Anbar Salvation Council, although spokesmen for the 1920 Revolution Brigades strongly deny that a final deal had been struck. Leaders within the group, however, confirmed to Arab newspapers that this was the cause of the rift within the organization and the cause of al-Dari's death.
Al-Anbar province has been the scene in recent weeks of insurgent groups carrying out operations in concert with the Iraqi Army to kill al Qaeda. This in isolation is a good thing. When we combine this with al Qaeda assassinating insurgent leaders it becomes a very, very good thing.
The indigenous insurgent groups are close to arriving at an agreement with the al Maliki government. They have seen their operations transformed from an effort to reinstall the Ba’ath regime to primarily protecting themselves from the predations of Shi’a death squads and from the operations of the increasingly proficient Iraqi Army.
Even the dimmest bulb amongst them has to have realized that their only hope for survival is as part of a federal or unitary Iraqi state.
The nihilistic violence preferred by AQIZ works against economic development and it works against community survival.
But in the meantime, let’s recall the words of Henry Kissinger, pull up a chair, pop a cold one, and pass the popcorn.
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I beleive it was President Lincoln who, upon learning of the victory at Gettysburg, was quoted as saying: "Yippie skippy" (that might not be an exact quote, so don't ask me for an attribution).This is like hearing about a pit bull choking to death while eating a poodle; there's no down side.
BUT..
...it makes me wonder how the Democrats will react. I'm in that portion of the population that beleives that the Dems would rather put the country on the path that will lead to Sharia law being enforced in Manhattan, rather than allow the Bush administration to acheive a victory (as in "establish a secure and stable democracy") in Iraq. The closer we get to anything that might reflect well on the GOP in 2008, the more obvious the donk sabotage is likely to get (and, no, I DONT think that the supplemental funding bill or Reid's threat to pull funding is as obvious as they can get).
Wow. I can't wait for 184 that will prove that Shiite and Sunnis want to join "don't worry, be happy" groups.
Sorry. Not buying it. The Shiite want to dominate the Sunni's and what the Sunni's want really doesn't matter.
Mookie should be taken out by a fellow Shi'ite in the same manner as the infighting between AQI and Sunni insurgents, although I'd be perfectly satisfied if our own people do it.
As far as I can tell, Mookie was nowhere near the Najaf demonstration; his quotes came from a printed statement. Certainly he finds it easier to incite mayhem from the comfort of a Teheran guest house. He might already mistrust his fellow Shi'ites and this might be his second reason for remaining out of country.
Here are some more details of "The Awakening", as the Sunnis call their decision to turn against Al Qaeda. Clearly this is the major turning point in the war because the only "insurgency", the only factor stopping Iraq from being a unified country has always been the Sunnis.
Quotes from report below:
For Americans, the war's most important events from August to December 2006 occurred in Baghdad. For al Qaeda and other Sunni Islamic extremist enemies in Iraq, equally important events in that same period occurred in Ramadi, the capital city of Anbar Province. Al Qaeda terrorism provoked many of Anbar's sheiks actively to cooperate with U.S. Forces, oppose all terrorists in the province, support the Iraqi Police and Army, form an effective city government and strengthen the provincial council. The sheiks called their movement "The Awakening." The hostility of the local population changed Ramadi from an al Qaeda stronghold into an area effectively contested by U.S. and Iraqi forces.
The presence of U.S. forces conducting counterinsurgency missions to secure the population made the local rejection of al Qaeda possible and effective. The leadership and example of the sheiks of Ramadi inspired other sheiks in neighboring cities to cooperate with U.S. and Iraqi forces. As a result of their efforts, especially in late 2006 and early 2007, al Qaeda no longer controlled Ramadi or Fallujah. By February 2007, U.S. and Iraqi forces were pushing the enemy from the other cities in the province. U.S. forces conducted deliberate counterinsurgency operations to secure the population from terrorism. Together with the Iraqi Security Forces, they cleared, controlled, and retained cities in the Euphrates River Valley. U.S. forces exploited opportunities created by the enemy and by the local population.
This is the stuff that puts a smile on your face and a spring in your step. The situation is still tough going, but I do believe it is turning. It is reports like this that confirm it.
"Wubbies World" - MSgt, U.S. Air Force (Retired): "Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know." -Jer 33:3-