alternative hippopotamus

progressive cyberdadaism from our nation’s capital

August 2, 2007

Coincidence or Tipping Point?

by AltHippo @ 11:29 am. Filed under Uncategorized, Iraq

Washington Post:

BAGHDAD, Aug. 1 — Iraq’s largest Sunni political group partially withdrew from the Shiite-dominated government Wednesday, the latest indication of growing Sunni frustration with Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

The announcement by the Iraqi Accordance Front came on an especially violent day in Baghdad, as three car bombs killed at least 75 people in the capital. Meanwhile, the U.S. military announced the deaths of four U.S. troops, bringing the total number of Americans killed in July to 78, the lowest monthly figure since November.

The Accordance Front announced that it would vacate five of its six seats in Maliki’s cabinet because of what Sunni leaders called the failure of the prime minister and other leading government officials to make progress on a list of demands the group issued last week.

“The government is continuing with its arrogance, refusing to change its stand and slamming shut the door to any meaningful reforms necessary to save Iraq,” said Rafaa al-Issawi, a senior member of the Accordance Front.

Michael Ware via Christopher Durang: (emphasis mine)

Well, Anderson, there is progress. And that’s indisputable. Sectarian violence is down in certain pockets. There are areas of great instability in this country. They’re at last finding some stability.

The point, though, is, at what price? What we’re seeing is — is, to a degree, some sleight of hand. What America needs to come clean about is that it’s achieving these successes by cutting deals primarily with its enemies. We have all heard the administration praise the work of the tribal sheiks in turning against al Qaeda. Well, this is just a euphemism for the Sunni insurgency. That’s who has turned against al Qaeda.

And why? Because they offered America terms in 2003 to do this. And it’s taken America four years of war to come round to the Sunnis’ terms. And, principally, that means cutting the Iraqi government out of the loop. By achieving these successes, America is building Sunni militias. Yes, they’re targeting al Qaeda, but these are also anti- government forces opposed to the very government that America created.

The suggestion that I’m making is that Sunni’s are withdrawing from the political process because deals are being cut to establish Sunni militias, a la Saddam Hussein.

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