Anbar Awakening Council: Friends Close Enemies closer?

[Tom Odom]

Thanks sir. Well said. One thing I've found to be true is a good professor is very similar to a good NCO.

And that is priceless.

v/r

Mike

Does that mean Marc is like Stan?

[marct]

Does that mean Marc is like Stan?

Well, we both like to blow things up !

[Ken White]

chicks but Marc's faster than I am...

[marct]

chicks, Ken. Musicians, OTOH, are another matter !

[davidbfpo]

Hat tip to al Sahwa for this article:http://al-sahwa.blogspot.com/2010/10...y-in-iraq.html

Ends with:

Unless the Iraqis (hopefully with US help) can figure out a more effective power-sharing deal at the national level and determine a better system to reintegrate Awakening fighters and leaders back into the workforce in a fair and legitimate manner, the situation could spiral out of control quickly and move towards an all-out civil war.

There is a related comment (on a new website for me):http://cpost.uchicago.edu/blog/2010/...gency-in-iraq/

[ODB]

I am continually amazed by the number of articles, postings, blogs, etc... referencing the Sunni vs Shia vs Kurds in Iraq. They all fail to mention the fact this did not exist (with exception of the Kurds vs Arabs) in Iraq until the insurgency. Prior to 2003, Saddam jumped sides between both Kurdish political parties to keep them from uniting. Many Iraqi's did not know if they were Shia or Sunni and did not care, Sunnis married Shias and vice versa. After the fall of the Saddam regime, outside influences began to drive the wedge between Sunni and Shia. The whole secratarian violence was created by these outside influences from Iran, Syria, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and the list goes on. With the amount of money, power and influence involved it is no wonder these outside influences want to gain control. These same external influences are continuing to play puppetmaster and will do until the Iraqi people decide to stop it. unfortunately, the Iraqi people just want someone else to do it for them, hence "Enshallah"". Not the preferred way to run a country. One must also take into account Islam is 500 years behind Christanity as a religion. Did the Christians not go through the same, Protestants vs Catholics for example.

The next mistake no is talking about was trying to implement a judicial system like America's into a country that was not and is not ready for it. See if you can find any statistics referencing the number of Article 4 Terrorism convictions in Iraq. Cannot go further into this, but understand the system is not working and the insurgent organizations know it. Corruption, intimidation, and cowardice reign supreme. One only as to look as far as the amount of money being shuttled out of country into personal accounts to understand what is at play right now.

Now just imagine when the DOS takes control......can you say we will be trying this all over again.

If anyone wants more specfics, email me and I will get you my SIPR address.