Trouble in Paradise
John Burns at the NYT reports that Iraqi government officials are balking at aspects of the U.S. surge plan. Sounds like time for another “Come to Jesus” chat with al-Maliki, and similar chats all the way down the line.
… the signs so far have unnerved some Americans working on the plan, who have described a web of problems — ranging from a contested chain of command to how to protect American troops deployed in some of Baghdad’s most dangerous districts — that some fear could hobble the effort before it begins.
First among the American concerns is a Shiite-led government that has been so dogmatic in its attitude that the Americans worry that they will be frustrated in their aim of cracking down equally on Shiite and Sunni extremists, a strategy President Bush has declared central to the plan.
“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.”
OK, how about playing them back. Force the issue. Forget the niceties and provoke al-Sadr. Take a page from al-Maliki’s book: Smile, nod, then do what you were going to do anyway.
Dan Riehl says give al-Maliki 60-to-90 days to get with the program, or start the pullout. I wouldn’t throw al-Maliki into that briarpatch. The stakes are too high to let him get away with it.
Politburo Diktat 2.0 is eager to start the surrender festivities.
Fareed Zakaria at Newsweek quoting LTC Steven Duke: The Mahdi Army “is sitting on the 50-yard line eating popcorn, watching us do their work for them.” Again, the stakes are too high to let a Shiite-dominated Iraqi government that is in bed with al-Sadr call the shots. Time for tough love.
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Posted by Jules Crittenden at 12:16 pm on Monday, January 15, 2007
4 Responses to “Trouble in Paradise”
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January 15th, 2007 at 5:24 pm
If we act without Maliki’s approval, maybe he’ll go to the U.N. and ask for sanctions against us…
Where would we be without other people’s oil and other people’s savings?
January 15th, 2007 at 6:59 pm
and other people’s savings?
That they invest here says they have more faith in us than you do.
January 15th, 2007 at 7:57 pm
And we’re putting their money to such good use…
Maybe they will accept some Baghdad real estate as payment when Bush’s balloon payment comes due?
Or some hardly-used aircraft carriers?
January 15th, 2007 at 10:13 pm
And we’re putting their money to such good use..
And uses of which they apparently approve..cuz they keep sending it.