Iraq catch-all: after Operation Iraqi Freedom ended

[carl]

Dr. Michael Knights of the Washington Institute for Near East Studies recently testified to a joint committee of the United States House of Representatives that Al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) couldn’t help but overstep itself. During the early part of the Iraq War the Islamist organization tried to impose its foreign version of Islam upon Iraq, and intimidated and executed those that disagreed with it. It was actions such as those that eventually turned many Iraqis against it. Today, AQI is making a comeback establishing bases again within the country and carrying out a dizzying array of bombings. As the group looks to gain territory once again it is returning to its bad habits, which will eventually cost it sometime down the road.

It will cost it but how long do you think it will take? If it takes at all. The last time they got fed up with AQ, the American Army was there. This time we won't be there. Will they be able to overthrow AQ without Bradley's to back them up?

I've read that the takfiri killers are starting to impose similar regimes in the parts of Syria they control. How do you think it will play out there?

[JWing]

Hi Carl,
Glad you liked the interview. Couple responses

1) I've talked to people who worked in the govt & White House during the Bush years and they have different opinions on what happened. Some think the Bush admin was just as divided as others others say it was a real battle between organizations. It seems like each individual and institution had its own view of Iraq. Rumsfeld was against national building for example and wanted out of Iraq as soon as the invasion was over. Gen. Abizaid and Adm Fallon believed that the US was destabilizing Iraq so wanted out. The Joint Chiefs thought the troops deployments was breaking the military and wanted out. Rice & The NSC were looking for ways to win, etc. I take the view that there were deep internal divisions within the administration that hamstrung Iraq policy until 07 and the Surge.

2) Al Qaeda seems to be taking a two different strategies in Syria & Iraq. In Syria they appear to be doing a lot of hearts & minds ops learning from Iraq. In Iraq however its all terror, although they are trying to portray themselves as the protector of the Sunnis. I think Iraq's previous experience with AQI is the reason why they're gaining little traction there.

[carl]

1) I've talked to people who worked in the govt & White House during the Bush years and they have different opinions on what happened. Some think the Bush admin was just as divided as others others say it was a real battle between organizations. It seems like each individual and institution had its own view of Iraq. Rumsfeld was against national building for example and wanted out of Iraq as soon as the invasion was over. Gen. Abizaid and Adm Fallon believed that the US was destabilizing Iraq so wanted out. The Joint Chiefs thought the troops deployments was breaking the military and wanted out. Rice & The NSC were looking for ways to win, etc. I take the view that there were deep internal divisions within the administration that hamstrung Iraq policy until 07 and the Surge.

That's fascinating. Despite all the wrangling around here and other places over cointras, coindinistas, pop-centric, enemy centric and everything else, it may all have been a matter of divided command and a leader that needed to finally decide to take command and tell people what to do.

[JWing]

I think that's what Mansoor would say. Before the Surge Bush delegated Iraq policy to the Pentagon and almost everyone there wanted out of Iraq. There was no real policy to win or beat the insurgency outside of some individual commanders out in the field. When things finally deteriorated into full scale civil war Bush suddenly realized that he had to do something and took more direct control and that's what led to the Surge, his constant video conferencing with Maliki, etc.

[CrowBat]

Since around 20 December, the Iraqi Army is running an offensive against the ISIS in Anbar and Ninive Provinces. The operation in question is including units from the 1st and 7th Divisions of the Iraqi Army, plus air force assets like Beechcraft King Airs, Cessna AC-208s, and (recently acquired) Mi-35s of the Iraqi Air Force.

Here a video of one of Mi-35 attacks:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kE9FPr0l9U

...and here a King Air in action:
http://www.aparat.com/v/Adqy6

[davidbfpo]

Almost an April Fool's Day headline I thought on reading, but it is not.

Anxious to rid itself of the lawlessness that still plagues Iraq’s southern capital, Basra’s governor has hired a private military company run by a British general who helped capture the city from Saddam Hussein.
Maj Gen Graham Binns, who is the chief executive of Aegis Defence Services, commanded the 7th Armoured Brigade when it led the siege of Basra in 2003.
Four years later he supervised the handover of the city to Iraqi security forces. Now, amid growing concern about a fresh wave of terrorist violence across the country, Basra’s governor has invited Maj Gen Binns’s company back to assist at a “strategic level”.

Link:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...rity-role.html

[JWing]

As fighting continues in Iraq’s western Anbar province, the various tribes there have found themselves in a precarious situation. Some have aligned themselves with the central government against insurgents, some are opposed to both the federal forces and the militants, while still others have joined the gunmen. Anbar was always a very divisive place in part because of the deep-seated tribal rivalries. Those are all being exasperated by the current rebellion in the governorate.

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