Comments on: A Unified Front: Iraqi Leaders Demand An End To Violence

By: Joe

Joe — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 02:24:53 +0000

One teenie weenie bit of housekeeping here:

I tell people there is not a single post or comment that is improved by the use of the “F” word. I know people use it (and you should hear me when I lose my ATM card) and that Chris Rock has made millions on it. But, alas, we use family language on this site so I’m going to start as of today deleting that word when I see it. Rather than embarrass the persons who use it, I’ll usually just do it — once per person. Then I’d have to send a gentle email reminder. YOu actually turn off some readers as soon as they see it, so just leave it out and write your comment. It won’t lose anything without that word.

By: Polimom

Polimom — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 22:31:35 +0000

Rudi,

I don’t think the U.S. will be annointing anyone. This is, for the most part, out of our hands.

By: Rudi

Rudi — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 20:58:34 +0000

It was over a year ago that Ibrahim al-Jaafari was picked to be Iraqs leader. Months later the US interferred and al-Maliki was annointed the saviour. Peopple have to be naive to expect a single leader to restore order in Iraq. A failed US policy is now creating the failed state we said was unacceptable. Who is the next Iraqis to be annoited by the US…..

By: egrubs

egrubs — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 18:05:56 +0000

Now we see the same thing on the Shi’ite side. Sadr doesn’t control his own militia anymore. If he makes peace with the Americans or Sunnis, his rank and file may not go along with him.

Ironically, isn’t that democracy at work?

By: Elrod

Elrod — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 15:33:15 +0000

That’s true, grognard. One of the most challenging issues going forward is the fragmentation of the militias. In many ways, the decentralized nature of the Sunni insurgency made it so difficult to fight. If there was a central leader, we could take that person out and dent the insurgency. So, instead, we made Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi into “the leader” of the insurgency, instead of an important bit player. Killing him, of course, did nothing to stop the insurgency.

Now we see the same thing on the Shi’ite side. Sadr doesn’t control his own militia anymore. If he makes peace with the Americans or Sunnis, his rank and file may not go along with him.

By: grognard

grognard — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 13:48:57 +0000

There are indications that some of these militia groups are beginning to splinter, each one run by a local strongman looking for power and money. The leaders callin for calm will be ignored. The Sunnis will not remain calm as long as they see the security services raiding them and taking off people who will never be seen again.

By: Uncle Joe McCarthy

Uncle Joe McCarthy — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 08:44:53 +0000

ya….thats the ticket

who are you kidding?

the killing will go on

this is a civil war, with a multitude of sides and fractured alliances

want to stop it? appoint another strongman to control the country, and turn a blind eye to his abuses and corruption

By: Mikkel

Mikkel — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 06:11:21 +0000

Let's hope that when they lift the curfew things will be ok. Zeyad at Healing Iraq sounds much more alarmed than even after the Samarra bombing. Al-Sadr has also threatened to pull out of the government if Maliki meets Bush. Who knows, Sadr is so twofaced, but if he does that will probably mean the end of the government and new elections for parliament. If that happens, I think hell will break loose. I hope that we have a contingency plan.

By: Joe

Joe — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 05:50:35 +0000

GREAT post Andrew…JG

By: Elrod

Elrod — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 05:44:02 +0000

Unfortunately, this sort of thing happens after after major violent event. Recall that after the Samarra shrine bombing in February, all the top Sunni, Shi’ite and Kurdish leaders begged for unity and calm. They did whatever they could to ratchet down the rhetoric. The problem was that the Shi’ite street no longer listened to the “revered” moderate leaders of the country. It was a radicalizing moment that effectively ended Ali Sistani’s influence on politics and ushered in the full-on civil war.

More relevant is thiseffort by the Mahdi Army to step in where the government does not. Sadr openly emulates Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the longer he is able to connect with the Shi’ite masses and provide social services, the harder it will be to dislodge the Mahdi Army from power.