“Post-Zarqawi Goals,” by Cliff May, The Corner, 25 June 2006, http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=NDFmYjFmOWY3NDJhOTAyZjIxMDExY2QyY2NmMDg2Nzc=.
Cliff May is talking sense:
The elimination of al-Qaeda commander Abu Musab al-Zarqawi presents an opportunity that should not be missed: Now is the time to take a fresh look at America’s goals in Iraq.
…
Defeat at the hands of Militant Islamist terrorists and the remnants of Saddam Hussein’s forces would be disastrous.
The consequences would unfold over decades. The perception – and perhaps the reality – would be that the U.S. military, despite its technological prowess and the courage of its troops, is no match for enemies armed with cell phones and garage door openers (used to set off Improvised Explosive Devices), butcher knives and video cameras.
…
Now is the time to prioritize: The primary goal should be suppression of the forces once led by Zarqawi and Saddam, particularly, in and around Iraq’s capital.
I’ve said similar things before. The upshot: leave Iraq.
In my series entitled Guerrillaz, I used lyrics from the popular song “Clint Eastwood” to demonstrate why we should allow Iraqis to defend themselves.
I’m happy, I’m feeling glad…
I’m useless but not for long:
the future is coming on….
Finally, someone let me out of my cage…
I’m good at repairs…
look, I’ll make it all manageable…
a spiritual hero who appears in you to clear your view…
Gun smokin’, righteous
Allow me…
In the context of Iraq, the “I” are the Kurdish and Shia militias. Current US policy views them as detrimental to success in Iraq, but they are the future of Iraq. They are the energy of a freed people, the protectors against a return to Sunni despotism (whether Baathist or Qaedist). By enabling the majorities of Iraq — the Shia and the Kurds — to run their own country, we transform Iraq into a country that is manageable. The current Bush administration policy of appeasing terrorists creates an unmanageable country. Spiritual Iraqi heroes, from Sistani to Sadr, are the organizing force in Iraq. Instead of attempting to abort the Iraqi political climate by demanding special rights to the Baathist/Qaedist thugs that have destroyed Iraq, we should reward and salute those Iraqis who prevent a Sunni Baathist/Qaedist resurgence. They are gun smoking. They are righteous. And they should be allowed to protect themselves, their homes, and their lands.
A total victory in Iraq — where Iraq becomes “an engine for regional economic growth — will have to rely on the “Reverse Domino Effect.” It will be done through trade, not war. Economic growth first requires security, and that means letting the loyalty militias do their job. That means killing the Baathists and the Qaedists. And that means not confusing friends, who want to kill bad guys, and enemies, who want to kill you.
The Iraqis
by tdaxp on January 4, 2007 at 12:00 amI like Eddie and his two blogs, Live from the FDNF and Hidden Utilities, a lot. He is one of my friends on shelfy, and (as he served and I did not) he is both braver and stronger than I am. However, one of his comments over at Coming Anarchy illustrates almost everything that is wrong about typical American opposition to the Iraq War:
I’ll concentrate on his accusation that A,erica demaned and betrayed itself by allowing members of Muqtada al-Sadr’s political party from participating in Saddam’s execution.
Excluding supporters of al-Sadr’s party amounts to political blacklisting in a friendly democracy. Among other reasons why this is a terrible, terrible idea:
1. “Blacklists” against members of political parties are in general a bad idea
2. “Blacklists” against members of political parties with elected seats in a national legislature are in general a bad idea
3. “Blacklists” against members of political parties which are part of a democratically elected governing coalition are in general a bad idea.
4. “Blacklists” against allies in the war against Baathism and the war against Qaedism are in geeneral a bad idea
The lack of basic respect for the Iraqi and Iraqi democracy shown by many anti-Iraq-War commentators is astounding.
A Friend, Not a Colony
For nearly a century the majority of Iraqis have suffered from tribal apartheid under a small Sunni clique (comparable in size to the white supremacist government of South Africa). In recent decades the Sunni Arab supremacists escalated the war against their own people to genocidal levels, using mass executions of entire families (such as Mr. Sadr’s), poison gas attacks (such as those against the Kurds), and other tools. After the American libration of Iraq, the Sunni Arab surpemacists responded with terror bombings that the American occupiers either pretended didn’t exist or blamed on the victims.
And once the Iraqi peopl became aware that the American strategy hinged on appeasing terrorists rather than defending civilians or supporting her friends, many (including anti-war commentators) prompted blamed the Iraqi people again for their heroic defense of their families, their communities, their nation. These commentators may or may not believe there is a right to self defense, but apparently not for the Iraqi people.
Too bad.