Strange bedfellows

[xoxoxoBruce]

Michael Yon tells us the alliances are shifting.

The last major mission I did while in Baqubah in early 2005 was into Buhriz. That mission had begun with our artillery firing some 155mm shots into a palm grove on the banks of the Diyala River. The enemy in Buhriz, consisting partly of the 1920s Revolution Brigades, was tough and proficient at killing our people.

A current leader in Burhiz and member of the 1920s Revolution Brigades (1920s) goes by the name Abu Ali. On Monday 9 July, I drove in the back of a Stryker and talked on the streets of Buhriz with Abu Ali. Just months ago our forces would have shot Abu Ali on sight, and he surely would have done the same to us. Today we are allies, for now.

~snip~

Abu Ali said that on 1 April 2007, he and his people attacked al Qaeda in Buhriz for their crimes against Islam. He also said something that many Muslims have said to me: al Qaeda are not Muslims. (Both Sunni and Shia have said nearly the exact same words, at times on video.) Abu Ali said they fought hard against al Qaeda, and on 10 April, they asked the Americans to join the attack. It worked.

~snip~

Before the tape was running, I asked Abu Ali why he and the 1920s turned against al Qaeda in Buhriz. Speaking through LT David Wallach, a native Arabic speaker, Abu Ali said that “al Qaeda is an abomination of Islam: cutting off heads, stealing people’s money, kidnapping . . . every type of torture they have done.”

~snip~

In closing, I asked Abu Ali if there was something he would like to say to Americans. The markets that had been closed under al Qaeda were bustling around us.
Ali thought for a moment as some local people tried to interrupt him with greetings, and he said, “I ask one thing,” and now I paraphrase Ali’s words: “After the Iraqi Army and Police take hold and the security forces are ready, we want a schedule for the leaving of the American forces.”

It would appear the true insurgents, the ones that are for Iraq, had seen that if al Qaeda wins, they will be worse than under Saddam. And if the US wins, the Iraqis will control their own destiny and the US will leave... or at least be driven out easier.

You can read the rest of the article and see the taped interview at the link above.

[piercehawkeye45]

xoBruce, I think you will find this to be VERY interesting. It is a complete breakdown of the Iraqi insurgency and from what I have read, is very unbiased.

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/20...02/insurgency/

[xoxoxoBruce]

It's interesting and probably correct for the most part, from what I've seen elsewhere.

I also think the 1920's war on al Q, that started in April, will give the other groups a choice other than al Q, to rally behind. A choice that's truly for Iraq.

There have been a number of cities that have been under al Q control for awhile and are very unhappy with the brutality. Wholesale murders and cutting off peoples hands for smoking in public, is not the way to win friends and influence people. This is the same thing the people of Afghanistan discovered under al Q's strict islamic control.

Of course defeating al Q is only the first step of many, but at least it's a step toward an independent and maybe even semi-secular nation.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

It's interesting and probably correct for the most part, from what I've seen elsewhere.

I also think the 1920's war on al Q, that started in April, will give the other groups a choice other than al Q, to rally behind. A choice that's truly for Iraq.

There have been a number of cities that have been under al Q control for awhile and are very unhappy with the brutality. Wholesale murders and cutting off peoples hands for smoking in public, is not the way to win friends and influence people. This is the same thing the people of Afghanistan discovered under al Q's strict islamic control.

Of course defeating al Q is only the first step of many, but at least it's a step toward an independent and maybe even semi-secular nation.

You know the greatest hurdle really will be the mindset that the Iraqi people have about who a leader of sitting government should be and how such a leader should act. They have not known anything but brutality for so long. They have learned rightly that this is the only way to rule and to get what you want out of life. The most radical elements have learned it well and now are all acting like mini-Saddam's to get what they want out of what ever results from the vacume that will eventually be present when we leave. To bad that it will most likely take actions by a similar leader to get everyone back in line.

[piercehawkeye45]

Culture plays in a huge role in it too. That is why democracy fell flat on its face, their culture and priorities are so different from ours and it is understandable that they will work more efficiently with a different system other than a puppet state democracy (lets be realistic here).

Hopefully, they can pick something, assuming they can pick, something that is balanced since they have a very diverse culture and many just want peace but only time can tell.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by piercehawkeye45

Culture plays in a huge role in it too. That is why democracy fell flat on its face, their culture and priorities are so different from ours and it is understandable that they will work more efficiently with a different system other than a puppet state democracy (lets be realistic here).

Hopefully, they can pick something, assuming they can pick, something that is balanced since they have a very diverse culture and many just want peace but only time can tell.

I remain convinced that the only solution is some form of state partition with Bagdad being a neutral zone. Separate but equal areas, similar to our state system. Let the majorities in each area have control for security, taxation, etc, all responsible to the central government and support of same in some way. Even that proposal has roadblocks to success.

[xoxoxoBruce]

DMZs for everyone!
They'll have to do that on their own, we can't even keep the Taliban out of Afghanistan or wetbacks out of the US.