Barring any credible progress on reconciliation between Shiite and Sunni groups in Iraq, supporters of throwing American blood into the country forever generally point to the movement within Sunni groups to police themselves against outside agitators like al Qaeda in Iraq. Unfortunately the program is falling apart on several levels. For one, while we were successfully exporting democracy labor strikes seem to have snuck in among the the crates.
The success of the US “surge” strategy in Iraq may be under threat as Sunni militia employed by the US to fight al-Qaida are warning of a national strike because they are not being paid regularly.
Leading members of the 80,000-strong Sahwa, or awakening, councils have said they will stop fighting unless payment of their $10 a day (£5) wage is resumed. The fighters are accusing the US military of using them to clear al-Qaida militants from dangerous areas and then abandoning them.
Assuming that American-trained and armed Sunni groups do go on strike, they will have to pay their cable bills some other way. Since central government in Iraq went the way of the Lake Sarammish Sammamish salmon that traditionally means kidnapping and extortion.
If we can’t pay the groups who we need to work with us (maybe somebody could re-find that $9 billion?) then at least we could stop killing them.
American-backed Sunni volunteer forces had set up two checkpoints at a small bridge near the insurgent stronghold city of Samarra, taking precautions not to be mistaken for enemy fighters. They had spent the night before with their U.S. allies, marking areas where their men were stationed, and said they were told everything was fine.
“Our men wore special uniforms with the translucent markings so that they would be recognized by the American planes and were deployed at two points north and south of Ishaki bridge,” said Abu Farouk, a leader of the predominantly Sunni “Awakening” forces, which the U.S. military refers to as the Sons of Iraq or Concerned Local Citizens.
At 4 a.m. Saturday, an Apache helicopter opened fire, killing six men and wounding two. The military said in a statement that the men were suspected of planting improvised explosive devices. Citing initial reports, the military acknowledged that Farouk’s group was friendly to U.S. forces and said the attack was under investigation.
This isn’t the first time that we have killed people trying to help us. When our friendly fire comes in the form of red tape rather than rockets the effect is the same. Iraqis who might want to cooperate weigh their options and decide that the risk isn’t worth it.
PNAC, the early years.
Ninerdave
It’s all Organized Labor’s fault. If there weren’t unions…
Dennis - SGMM
Why does it seems as though we’ve just been making up the strategy as we go along?
Capture Baghdad, then assure the people’s love for us by letting looting and chaos reign while we guard the Oil Ministry.
Disband the Iraqi army, now train a new Iraqi army.
Insist on de-Baathification, then hire back the Baathists.
Arm the Shia so that the Sunnis can’t stage a coup d’état.
Arm the Sunnis so that they can deal with Al Qaeda.
Declare progress at every new development.
Jay S
That’s Lake Sammamish not Sarammish.
Seitz
That’s what they get for being brown in a war zone.
jake
Whatever for Tim? If things become too difficult at home they can just apply for refugee status in the – Oh no I forgot, they can’t.
We must let them die over there so we don’t have to bury them over here.
TenguPhule
Who can blame them?
They’re safer against America then for it. Think about who’s in charge on each side and decide, who do you think will win?
TenguPhule
It’s worse then that.
They don’t have any real strategy. Everything is a desperate grabass attempt to keep it from exploding before Bush has fled the Whitehouse.
demimondian
POTD
srv
You America-haters do not understand. Our forces over there are legally distinct from the US military. If you think they should be paying off these terrorist unions, you’ll need to go through proper controlling legal authority.
Dennis - SGMM
From the linked article:
The government cites a postinvasion Security Council resolution on the reconstruction of Iraq to assert that Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, and his troops serve in an international army that “is legally distinct from the U.S. military.”
Then why do we have to pay them? Seriously, according to Bushco, the Americans serving in Iraq are legally distinct from the U.S. military. Just what the hell are these people trying to pull off now? This makes no sense what so ever.
ThatLeftTurnInABQ
How much money was spent on McCain’s security detail while he was visiting? How much backpay could have been filled with those funds?
Maybe the US Govt should set up a program where each American family can adopt a Sahwa fighter for just 10 bucks a day – like those pitiful Save-The-Children posters, only with rifles and RPG’s. Then we could get monthly email updates of how “our” fighter is doing – how many roadblocks they’ve manned, how many Shia they’ve arrested recently, when they got shot up by Apache helicopters, etc.
El Cid
The New York Times has a report which makes me real nervous.
Excerpt. Follow link for full article.
Saul Goode
Timmeh…you seem to be grasping for any sign of defeat. I hate to break it to ya Skippy, but it ain’t gonna happen.
Sure, you’ll have your occassional bright spot where AQ will strap bombs to mentally challenged little girls and killing scores of innocents, but those days are numbered.
Oh, BTW…you might wanna re-think your hysterical position on
global warming..er climate change, as the kids are calling it these dayshttp://www.theaustralian.news.com.:au/story/0,25197,23411799-7583,00.html
Rex
As said above, it’s Lake Sammamish, not Sarammish. And really, what is the point of that citation? It’s not all salmon in Lake Sammamish, it’s one strain of summer breeding kokanee. There is still a fall run of the same species. As well as numerous coho and chinook.
El Cid
Saul: Why is anyone supposed to be surprised that a representative of a “Australia’s leading free market think tank” claims to offer that global warming is now disproven?
Should I respond by posting a scientist from a think tank supporting global warming / greenhouse effect and say “so there”?
For example, there’s a good reason deniers like Marohasy want to start measuring temperatures in 1998 — due to the exceptionality of El Niño.
Dennis - SGMM
From the SourceWatch.org article about this free-market think tank:
Am I the only one who, on hearing the phrase “right wing think tank” immediately thinks of phrases like, “military intelligence” or “hospital food” or “amicable divorce”?
w vincentz
OT- CNN just reported that with the deaths of four more US military today, the milestone of 4,000 has been reached.
I wonder how many more will there be.
TenguPhule
“Ve can Vight a two Vront war against the English Swine and the stupid Russians!
My only puzzlement is that given the caliber of leadership in Al Queda and that in the US government, why hasn’t Al Queda simply declared victory already?
TenguPhule
Too many. SATSQ IV^12.
D0n Camillo
But, but Debra Saunders says “The surge of U.S. troops in Iraq has brought positive changes to that war-ravaged country.” Who on Earth am I supposed to believe?
TenguPhule
“Who ya gonna believe? Me or your lying eyes?”
D0n Camillo
I’m gonna go with lying eyes for $1000, Alex.
TenguPhule
Today’s *Daily Double*.
He said “F*CK YOU” to a US Senator on the floor of the Senate.
AlanDownunder
Translation: thick tank
(but deemed by the racketeers who endow it to be essential to their continued megawealth)
Translation: highly remunerative opinion made to order
Translation: either a loony or a prostitute
D0n Camillo
Who’s Deadeye Dick, shooter of lawyers, Alex?
MAX HATS
As a marine in Iraq, let me say that an awakening group working with U.S. forces one night then planting an IED the next night are hardly mutually exclusive.
jake
Shorter Saul Goode: Cry Havoc! Let slip the trolls of war!
w vincentz
Max Hats,
This exact kind of behavior (planting IED’s at night) happened so long ago to a good friend of mine. During the day, as part of the “Vietnamization” plan, he trained people to become ARVN. At night, they were Vietcong.
They planted a mortar shell along the train he used, hooked it to a car battery, and touched it off when he came along.
It blew off both legs, his right arm, and half of his face including his right eye. He lived, but spent the rest of his life trying to understand the meaning of it.
Later, he even brought medical supplies to Vietnam, counseled vets, and taught college courses dealing with history and the US involvement in SE Asia.
Sadly, he died two years ago. I don’t believe he ever found the answer to the questions his sacrifice demanded.
Max Hat, I hope you return safely and don’t have to deal with similar questions for the remainder of your life.
In my humble view, the lesson was learned long ago.
mario
man, oh man.
All these comments and no one says anything about the clip?
One of my all time favorite movies. Good choice Tim.
Ice is nice!!!!
Saul Goode
Nah…1998 was the year where the GW hysterics claimed, incorrectly so, that was the warmest ever
El Cid
Saul: You’re an idiot. You just confirmed the wrongness of your quoted argument by reinforcing my point about the ridiculousness of starting a discussion of trends at an extreme.