Aug 28 2006
Iraqis Purging The Militias
News out of Iraq has the Iraqi Army clashing with the Mahdi Shiite Militia. While the Iraqi Army is taking the initial hits, that will only fuel the comaraderie you see in any military organization, and that will create the environment that can cause the eventual downfall of the militias. The militias are the last large barrier to a stable and successful Iraq. The “tall poles” facing Iraq and the coalition have been taken down one by one since the summer of 2003. These things take time, but progress has been continuous. We are seeing one of the last of these barriers in the militias which must be disbanded for the country to become one. This is definitely good news, despite all the media’s (constant) handwringing.
Aj:
I hope you got to spend some time with the family.
And yes, I agree about the militias. I had hoped the calm could continue but the militias have to be neutralized and there is no way to do that without fighting. The media won’t see it that way. They will just talk about the latest uptake in violence, but then again if they do not deal with the militias the media talks about the death squads. I hope they succeed.
P.M. Al Maliki: Reshuffling Iraqi Cabinet…
P.M.Al Maikla is rooting out and purging disloyal or poorly performing ministers who rally outside militant groups. Cabinet changes, and an independent Iraqi Army, are the path to their security….