Jan 18 2007
Iraq Makes Move Against Shiia Militia
The tide is turning as the new, more aggressive strategy put forth by Bush and his administration starts to take hold. The first to feel the ‘surge’ are the Shiia Militia – one of the major stumbling blocks to a stable Iraq. Iraq has begun by detaining 400 of the 20,000 or so strong Militia (my estimate – no one knows for sure). But if you get the leaders the army will fall apart. And clearly the Militia are complaining, so this move must be impacting them.
Now the militia will get a taste of a real, professional military – and as expected they have no staying power. Once dispersed they will find it very hard to regain any leverage. Al Qaeda is running away, the militia’s are disbanding….Looks like the Dem surrender plans will have to wait.Two Shiite militia commanders said Thursday that Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has stopped protecting radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr’s Madhi Army under pressure from Washington, while the fighters described themselves as under seige in their Sadr City stronghold.
Their account of an organization now fighting for its very existence could represent a tactical and propaganda feint, but there was mounting evidence the militia is increasingly off balance and has ordered its gunmen to melt back into the population. To avoid capture, commanders report no longer using cell phones and fighters are removing their black uniforms and hiding their weapons during the day.
It’s the “Get out of Jail” by bribing the police, that remains to be tested.
Since “arrests” in iraq have been a profitable business for the police. One in which they take money. To open doors. And, this is something of an “arab” habit.
Again, America’s had three years to collect all the data it needs on the malfunctions.
Including with the fact that “just handing out” money didn’t work. Because the arabs took this. And, then did not deliver. And, there’s no legal mechanism in iraq, to make signatures on contracts “worthy.”
Lots of hands have gotten “theirs” through graft.
On the other hand? The iraqis have faced about 34,000 civilian deaths. Given that both the shi’a and the sunni have no use, at all, for life. And, they prefer attacking targets that don’t fight back.
Tha maliki is hurting? Probably a better word would be to say he was “worried.” He’s worked very, very hard to get himself elected. (Don’t forget, not only has Paul Bremer tripped. But so has Chalabi. And, Allawi couldn’t get elected dog catcher.)
Our troops are NOT hated!
That’s one of the features not mentioned these days. But American troops were hated in korea. And, vietnam. Different mind sets between the orientals and the arabs.
The other key piece; which remains hidden. Is what is happening to the verbal-gerbil in iran?
We just never know when despots hit the ropes. Heck, castro’s been laying there like a lox. And, if he’s not dead, then he’s just close enough to be non-functioning, that his brother, and others, are running around “looking for solutions.”
Sometimes? Despots can make do with parades.
And, sometimes? Despots lose power. And, their pictures get air-brushed. That’s how the russians “read” their Pravda, anyway.
And, I’d bet that Bush is in a stronger, rather than weaker position. While, today, Drudge is running the headline that pelosi has no intention of trying to divert funds to iraq. (I guess their polling system totters? Because, usually they can get the polls to say anything they want.)
Interesting political “pictures” are emerging; sort of the way the old Polaroids used to work. The camera would click. And, a piece of paper would emerge. But you’d have to keep looking at it, to “see what ya got.”
For all we know pelosi will find herself holding onto maliki’s balls? It certainly doesn’t look like she has the “tiger by the tail.”
LBJ, also, was a “big manipulator.” Then, came an obscure professor, Gene McCarthy, who beat the heck out of his popularity numbers in New Hampshire. And, in those days? Things like that were career-ending blows.
For pelosi, though, the knife is in the hand of her surgeon. (Good luck to her, if she thinks it will keep her looking young.) She’ll just look foolish. And, that’s not the same thing.
The media tells us they’re concentrating on maliki.
And, ya know what? In iraq the people to watch are the people our military trusts.
I’ll bet ya, that’s where the success really is. Where it can be found. Because our military has been aware of their iraqi counterparts. Who is strong. And, who is weak. And, where the bad guys are hiding.
Similar to the way things were for Tommy Franks, the bad guys are on the run. (And, from IRAQ THE MODEL, you know the two villages that were chosen as “hide-outs.”
Now, let’s see how the logistical networking stands up.
Because it’s similar in Afghanistan. And, we’ve been iradicating the al-kay-duh there.
It also must cost a small fortune to be “housed” in the villages. Nothing comes “free.” But ya know what?
Where it was “uncle sugar” for 3 years running. Now it’s gonna be up to the bad guys to supply the funds for their terrorists’ logistics.
To say nothing of what this means, because even if the bad guys can recruit these “martyrs.” It’s not gonna be so easy to keep those who run (because they fear the “surge”), by just “paying off” tribal leaders.
You know why? Tribal leaders have an odd way of “switching” alliances. Sort’a like playing The Price Is Right. But there’s no dolly in a fancy dress, to escort ya on and off da stage.
People have no idea how these manuevers play themselves out. All ya need to know, is that it is NOT like it is in the movies.
Just sitting around a village without indoor plumbing. And, no stores. Believe me, it’s not like being in Baghdad. And, it’s NOT friendly! Let alone, if you should happen to need medical care.
Does the media still have you fooled?
Not me. The terrorists may have run to ground. But where can they hide, now? Let alone, where can they practice? You don’t think troops need exercise? And, practice with their weapons? You think they can go to ground for months on end and still be in tip-top condition?
I think fly paper can catch half of these guys while they are napping.
And, I think the locals can rob them blind.
Among all the other possibilities for them, on what could go wrong.
Why don’t people anticipate the problems for men on the run?
Just think of what it would be like if you went from your home, to some hole in the wall, with nothing but your suitcase.
The media gets away with so much mischief as it fools people.
So AQ has supposedly bugged out to places elsewhere and The militias are standing down even before we get there how is supposed to be a help.
Leave hide or stay low for the duration.
All we can salvage out of it is working to make things better in the interim and building up trust with the population when the deaths go down.
Not necessarily a bad trend.
Especially if they are willing to tell when the bad guys come back to do their dirty deeds later after the surge.
It could be a help.
But it is just my idea of a way to do things, and do I have any credibility in this?
Nope but it sounds good.
I doubt if the real militias are that big. The actual fighters probably do not number anywhere near those kinds of numbers. The hangers on are people who will go with whoever is calling the shots and my guess the actual number of people willing to stand and fight the US military is smaller than people think.
What are all these reporters holed up in the green zone in Baghdad going to report on when all the bad guys are gone from Baghdad? Will they get off their cans and go out and see what is really happening in Iraq? I doubt it.