Comments on: Possible Implications of the “Surge” (Will we be Helping Sadr?) http://poliblogger.com/?p=11326 A rough draft of my thoughts... Wed, 10 Oct 2024 03:00:35 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 by: Buckland http://poliblogger.com/?p=11326#comment-1313460 Tue, 16 Jan 2024 03:40:16 +0000 http://poliblogger.com/?p=11326#comment-1313460 Implication? I think it's bigger than that. Letting Sadr and company deal with the nest of mad bombers is front and center in the current model. I think the whole idea behind the 'surge' is to quiet things enough to give a graceful exit. Then the Shiites (including the Mahdi gents) can deal with matters in their own way. Iraq, especially Baghdad, isn't a place that can be dealt with using Robert's Rules of Combat that the US is under. It's best dealt with using tactics that don't flow well when recounted before congressional panels. Torture, disappearances, death squads, intimidation of families, and other fun and games will be necessary to get things back under control. Not something we can do easily, but clearly a sport the Mahdi Army excels at. Implication? I think it’s bigger than that. Letting Sadr and company deal with the nest of mad bombers is front and center in the current model. I think the whole idea behind the ’surge’ is to quiet things enough to give a graceful exit. Then the Shiites (including the Mahdi gents) can deal with matters in their own way.

Iraq, especially Baghdad, isn’t a place that can be dealt with using Robert’s Rules of Combat that the US is under. It’s best dealt with using tactics that don’t flow well when recounted before congressional panels. Torture, disappearances, death squads, intimidation of families, and other fun and games will be necessary to get things back under control. Not something we can do easily, but clearly a sport the Mahdi Army excels at.

]]> by: PoliBlog ™: A Rough Draft of my Thoughts » Disagreement Between US and Iraq over “Surge” Plans? http://poliblogger.com/?p=11326#comment-1312224 Mon, 15 Jan 2024 18:38:32 +0000 http://poliblogger.com/?p=11326#comment-1312224 [...] Also, details in this story fortify issues raised in my earlier post: “We are implementing a strategy to embolden a government that is actually part of the problem,” said an American military official in Baghdad involved in talks over the plan. “We are being played like a pawn.” [...] […] Also, details in this story fortify issues raised in my earlier post: “We are implementing a strategy to embolden a government that is actually part of the problem,” said an American military official in Baghdad involved in talks over the plan. “We are being played like a pawn.” […]

]]> by: Simmons http://poliblogger.com/?p=11326#comment-1311191 Mon, 15 Jan 2024 15:56:21 +0000 http://poliblogger.com/?p=11326#comment-1311191 Even if the surge or whatever works ends most of the civil war, there will always be a Sunni insurgency against the Shiite-dominated government. Why can't they just get along! It's so frustrating. All over the world people along well enough that there's no civil war... Even if the surge or whatever works ends most of the civil war, there will always be a Sunni insurgency against the Shiite-dominated government. Why can’t they just get along! It’s so frustrating. All over the world people along well enough that there’s no civil war…

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