tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post5414501040497425638..comments2024-02-29T12:38:32.191-08:00Comments on MUSINGS ON IRAQ: How Long Can Al Qaeda In Iraq Last?Joel Winghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09611810110771744360noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-38284461689469195682010-07-21T12:14:38.078-07:002010-07-21T12:14:38.078-07:00The first. The Iraqi state was frail after years o...The first. The Iraqi state was frail after years of sanctions and the government was trying all kinds of moves to keep its hold on the country. That included new patronage systems like the food ration cards, turning over security in regions to tribes, and eventually moving towards Islamic symbols. Islamism was also spreading on its own at the time through the region, and Iraq tried to co-opt some of that. In fact, Saddam added Allah Akbar to the Iraqi flag back in 91 right before the Gulf War to garner some support from Islamist groups.Joel Winghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09611810110771744360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-54895364061852594822010-07-21T11:02:29.327-07:002010-07-21T11:02:29.327-07:00Joel, how much of the growth of Salafism in late B...Joel, how much of the growth of Salafism in late Ba'ath Iraq was coming about as a result of the fraying of the state and a decreasing hold of the secular Ba'ath ideology going on at the time and how much was a result of Saddam trying to burnish his Islamist credentials? Or would you say that Hussein trying to appear more Islamist was related to the first two phenomena?AndrewSshihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12092217847584427587noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-49388819497621677122010-07-21T08:25:10.824-07:002010-07-21T08:25:10.824-07:00And Iraq's Sunnis have turned out to be weak a...And Iraq's Sunnis have turned out to be weak and divided and still can't figure out how to deal with the new Iraq.Joel Winghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09611810110771744360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1953410733493889728.post-9464899696215881712010-07-21T07:02:28.901-07:002010-07-21T07:02:28.901-07:00Iraqi Shiites are a weak-willed spineless people, ...Iraqi Shiites are a weak-willed spineless people, they were silent under Saddam because that was the path of least resistance, then they collaborated with the Crusaders, because that was the path of least resistance, and after the occupation flees they will again break under whoever exercises force against them. Do not count on the ISF to stay intact.Dollyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16896617620139110214noreply@blogger.com