tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post5871557554209720358..comments2024-02-29T12:38:32.191-08:00Comments on MUSINGS ON IRAQ: Maliki’s Private Security Forces?Joel Winghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09611810110771744360noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-2656513516446403882009-03-04T20:19:00.000-08:002009-03-04T20:19:00.000-08:00Sounds like fun.What d'ya say we both check back h...Sounds like fun.<BR/><BR/>What d'ya say we both check back here in a few days - or more - and compare notes!?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-47679154103711323572009-03-04T20:05:00.000-08:002009-03-04T20:05:00.000-08:00I have a copy of their report, but no time to read...I have a copy of their report, but no time to read it right now. I'm in the middle of grading essays!Joel Winghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09611810110771744360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-30931441121449205822009-03-04T19:12:00.000-08:002009-03-04T19:12:00.000-08:00motown, you have to see this!!!Well, that is, if y...motown, you have to see this!!!<BR/><BR/>Well, that is, if you haven't already<BR/><BR/>http://abumuqawama.blogspot.com/2009/03/nupi-recommendations-for-post-sectarian.html<BR/><BR/>I came across this over at VetVoice.com which was referenced in a recent post by Chris LeJeune.<BR/><BR/>I've only glanced over it so far but hope to read it in great detail soon.<BR/><BR/>Let me know what you think!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-9969807747537396922009-03-03T18:18:00.000-08:002009-03-03T18:18:00.000-08:00I was just teasing you about the Afghanistan page....I was just teasing you about the Afghanistan page. :)<BR/><BR/>It's just that you have a great site here, with lots of good information. I'll check out the IraqSlogger site and see what they come up with for Afghanistan. <BR/><BR/>I hope you have lots of help here because I can imagine that it could be a 24/7 or more kind of effort and I want you to know that all of your work is very much appreciated.<BR/><BR/>I lost a great source of info on all of this and other foreign policy issues on the day that Senator Biden became Barack Obama's running mate. I've been missing Biden's regular contributions to foreign policy and national security strategy - you might say that I've been feeling a bit out of the loop!<BR/><BR/>So, thanks again for the information and the great discussion!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-48607683860051120622009-03-03T14:08:00.000-08:002009-03-03T14:08:00.000-08:00Nope, nothing of Afghanistan. I can barley balance...Nope, nothing of Afghanistan. I can barley balance my writings on Iraq with the demands of teaching and my family. The people at IraqSlogger are starting an all Afghan site however. I don't know if it's up yet but there's an ad for it at the top of IraqSlogger.com.Joel Winghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09611810110771744360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-33993545057949455572009-03-03T13:32:00.000-08:002009-03-03T13:32:00.000-08:00Hey motown! You don't by any chance have a 'Musing...Hey motown! You don't by any chance have a <B>'Musings On Afghanistan'</B> page somewhere, do you!?<BR/><BR/>Because that's going to be the really difficult row to hoe and we still haven't heard word one from Obama/Biden on a mission statement and overarching regional strategy. I'm willing to give 'em a little more time, but not much!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-23713255185992254702009-03-03T13:03:00.000-08:002009-03-03T13:03:00.000-08:00Well, a political solution in Iraq that will lead ...Well, a political solution in Iraq that will lead the country to stability and unity and away from sectarian fighting is NOT going to materialize spontaneously as Iraqis miraculously come together at a negotiating table and hammer out their political future, with their neighbors lining up to support whatever agreement they achieve. <BR/><BR/>Of course, only the Iraqis can decide their political future but they are going to need help and lots of it - as any nation would, under similar conditions. <BR/><BR/>That is going to require a lot of US leadership which, by the way, has been non-existant for the last many years. It is going to require a contact group led by the UN and involving the regional and major powers in the mother of all diplomatic efforts to assist the Iraqis and get them to the negotiating table. <BR/><BR/>Fortunately, the Obama/BIDEN administration understand exactly what will be required to promote and facilitate a sustainable political settlement in Iraq. Call me a cockeyed optimist!<BR/><BR/>I guess the national elections at the end of this year may tell a lot of the tale as to what path Iraq will take. Hopefully, a good deal of diplomatic groundwork will have taken place by then.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-27283164057527125282009-03-03T12:09:00.000-08:002009-03-03T12:09:00.000-08:00I just think Iraqis are going to make the ultimate...I just think Iraqis are going to make the ultimate decisions. If Maliki didn't budge when Bush gave him full support during the Surge, I don't think the U.S. is going to get anything more from him as we're drawing down forces and our influence is waning.<BR/><BR/>I think what the U.S. is focusing upon is finishing reconstruction projects, building up the Iraqi security forces and institutions, and trying to get them to spend their budget. The rest will be up to Iraq.Joel Winghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09611810110771744360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-64957185171854762892009-03-03T08:15:00.000-08:002009-03-03T08:15:00.000-08:00In case I haven't made it clear, I'm not a fan of ...In case I haven't made it clear, I'm not a fan of Maliki, for reasons that you have enumerated very nicely.<BR/><BR/>I am interested in knowing why you think Iraq is going to "keep on going like it's going for the foreseeable future" and if you believe this to be the case whether or not Obama/Biden can successfully promote a sustainable political settlement while the withdrawal of US forces proceeds.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-29064372461402134612009-03-03T07:18:00.000-08:002009-03-03T07:18:00.000-08:00I would think that Iraq is just going to keep on g...I would think that Iraq is just going to keep on going like its going for the foreseable future. For example, you said that Iraq needs a national compromise between the different groups for power sharing, not going to happen under Maliki. He repeatedly says that reconciliation is almost complete for example.Joel Winghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09611810110771744360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-13902472178948810242009-03-02T20:41:00.000-08:002009-03-02T20:41:00.000-08:00Exactly! Maliki doesn't control all of Baghdad, le...Exactly! Maliki doesn't control all of Baghdad, let alone the rest of the country. Frankly, I don't see any leader in Iraq - including Muqtada al Sadr - being able to head up a strong central government that is capable of providing security and services to all Iraqis, at least at this point in Iraq's history. <BR/><BR/>And that's why I am still so convinced that Iraq will opt for federalism or it will fall back into sectarian violence and it will be Katie-bar-the-door time once US forces withdraw...and withdraw they must, even in the absence or failure of an effort to move toward political reconciliation.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-73029789693976464662009-03-02T20:28:00.000-08:002009-03-02T20:28:00.000-08:00The reason why I'm reluctant to all Maliki a stron...The reason why I'm reluctant to all Maliki a strongman is that he really isn't an autocrat. At least not yet. He doesn't have control of parliament for example, even though its weak and divided. He also doesn't have control of the provincial councils, the ministries, etc. It's like there are many centers of power in Iraq, some strong, some weak, and he just happens to have the most freedom right now to do what he wants.Joel Winghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09611810110771744360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-63944070064315704072009-03-02T16:37:00.000-08:002009-03-02T16:37:00.000-08:00It's not so much a matter of what's in vogue as it...It's not so much a matter of what's in vogue as it is the truth of the matter. I mean, Maliki has proven that, if nothing else, he knows how to capture power, how to hold on to power, and how to prevent others from taking that power away...actually, kind of reminds me of Canadian politics. :) In fact, remind me to never use Canada as an example of how federalism works. :(<BR/><BR/>In any case, I remain convinced that Iraq cannot be governed from the center unless there is a strongman at the helm. But, that wouldn't exactly give governance in the new Iraq a very good name, to say nothing of a very sad irony.<BR/><BR/>And, it does not bode very well for Iraqis if the Sunnis and Kurds do not feel that they are being equitably treated by the central government. That is why I continue to hope that a diplomatic process will begin soon that will allow for negotiations amongst the various groups in Iraq to finally start hammering out a power-sharing agreement that they can all live with.<BR/><BR/>Without a diplomatic offensive like this, involving the UN, and the regional and major powers in an effort to support and secure whatever political settlement the Iraqis are able to achieve, I don't see any reasonable prospects for a stable and united Iraq...in which case, US forces might as well have been withdrawn yesterday with containment the order of the day!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-83518156563825734072009-03-02T12:56:00.000-08:002009-03-02T12:56:00.000-08:00Saying Maliki is becoming a strong man is what's i...Saying Maliki is becoming a strong man is what's in vogue with many these days, but I'm not sure about how to characterize him. <BR/><BR/>I read some article a while ago that said Maliki was an opportunist, and I think that might be the best way to describe him. There's no real checks and balances on the prime minister's power so he's trying to get away with as much as he can, while wrapping it in the Iraqi flag. That means all manner of things from centralizing control of the military in his office, to setting up these two units that only answer to him, to taking on his former allies the Supreme Council, the Accordance Front, and the Kurds.<BR/><BR/>Maliki, who was never really that well known before and was almost deposed at least 3 times in parliament, has actually proven to be an exceptional tactician able to use the carrot and stick in many different situations. He's also won, so the real question is what happens when someone stands up to him and doesn't give in.Joel Winghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09611810110771744360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-7489823521728841202009-03-02T04:30:00.000-08:002009-03-02T04:30:00.000-08:00Replacing One Strongman with Another?I hope not, b...Replacing One Strongman with Another?<BR/><BR/>I hope not, but it may be the only way a STRONG central government will work.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com