When the American forces invaded Iraq in 2003, Iraqis divided themselves into two teams. The first team which was the majority included Shiite and Kurdish people who were oppressed during Saddam regime. This team was always shouting and demanding the Coalition forces especially the US to stay in Iraq until the security situation is settled. This team was always reminding people that the Iraqi security forces are not capable of controlling the security situation for years because the army had been just re formed on complete different bases. The second team which included Sunni and some Shiite trends were demanding the US to set a time table for their departure. They used to remind Iraqis that the Americans are not more than occupation.
During the last two weeks, everybody noticed that the two main teams had exchanged the roles. Now the big bloc is demanding the US forces to set a schedule for their departure while the other bloc or to be more accurate the main part of the bloc demands the US troops to stay longer.
People like me who are very close to the daily political scene sometimes have the strange feelings towards such changes. I asked my colleagues about their opinions but none of them gave me an acceptable answer. I couldn’t ever expect that politics can push people to change that way especially those who experienced the oppression of the dictatorship.
Until now, I’m like most of Iraqi, completely disappointed with our politicians who care only about their parties and forgot that we are the ones who put them in their positions.
This is an illegal invasion.
The US is NOT the policing force in this world.
We need to get back to our highest standards and regard for human life. We must leave Iraq and let them sort it out. I believe with their history they know how to find direction and I am sure they will accomplish more than we ever could.
I believe we are responsible for monetary in an effort to make 'amends' for the death and destruction of their country.
Posted by: lost_souls | May 27, 2008 at 11:44 AM
Chris Baker's remarks really do show a lot of what is wrong with the USA these days.
The US military's job is to defend our country from threats ..... not to develop other countries or occupy countries that were never a threat.
And as for Congress, it is none of their business what other countries decide to do, unless they are planning an attack on the US! It is their business to declare or end a war, however.
And what the Iraqis decide to do after the US troops are out of there is the business of Iraqis - not the US, and not the other Gulf states. I hope the Iraqis will one day have the opportunity to run their country without all this outside interference.
Hey, if Petraeus wants a strong and united Iraq, why is he dropping so many bombs and missiles on the Iraqi people? How is that making the Iraqi people "strong" or "united"? Well, I guess they are getting more unified in their opposition to foreign countries dropping bombs and firing missiles on them.
Posted by: Susan | May 23, 2008 at 04:33 PM
It seems to me the haven't 'switched teams' they have always been on their own team. When it seemed to give them an advantage the Shiite politicians were with the Americans, now they think it is not helping them achieve what they want and so desire that the U.S. forces leave. The converse is probably true for the Sunni. They now see U.S. forces are a brake against persecution that may occur if U.S. forces leave.
Posted by: Eve | May 20, 2008 at 02:02 PM
General David Petraeus wants a strong and united Iraq although he understands that is still at substantial risk, and that's why he has strenuously opposed a fixed deadline or schedule for departure of US troops from Iraq. However those in Congress advocating a fixed deadline for withdrawal of US troops know it could create a weak and divided Iraq, and in fact that's likely what they want.
Also the same interests in Congress calling for a fixed deadline for departure of US troops pushed through a resolution essentially calling for an effective partition of Iraq and a very weak central government - called federalism. That resolution was roundly denounced by Nouri al-Maliki and in fact it was denounced by newspapers all across the Middle East. Now those same interests in US Congress are back with a deadline for withdrawal.
Posted by: Chris Baker | May 20, 2008 at 12:56 PM