A Nation In Crisis
On Sunday the Islamic State swept without opposition into Duluiyah, 80 kilometres north of Baghdad. There, they took control of the mayor's office, police station, local council and courthouse, according to a local police officer. They blasted a bridge linking the town with the predominantly Shiite city of nearby Balad."Due to the absence of any agreement on the names of the nominees for the three posts [Iraq's Sunday parliament session was breaking off the proceedings]."
"There are still deep differences. We need more discussions to agree on the names."
Mahdi al-Hafidh, Iraq parliament acting speaker
Almost half of Iraqi military units are not worthwhile sending American advisers to work to bring them up to full usefulness, according to a report by American personnel in Iraq. Many units have been infiltrated by extremists or by allies of Iran; their presence could compromise the safety of any American advisers. On the other hand, failing to maintain a U.S. presence in Iraq could conceivably aid in ceding power to Iran and ISIS.
The U.S. administration grapples with this new headache; should it advance more military advisers, weaponry and surveillance systems; at what cost, what risk levels to the country that America was forced to leave in 2011 through its own request in the reassurance it was capable of looking to its own interests and American military presence was persona non grata. A country now on the brink of total collapse in surrendering a significant proportion of its territory to terrorist Islamists.
Six teams of U.S. Special Operation forces rushed in to assess the Iraqi Army trained and equipped by the United States, draining the American treasury of over $15-billion in the process. With the American troop withdrawal President Maliki appointed commanders based on political loyalty; lack of military skills not assessed as a handicap in any manner.
The report concluded that Iraqi forces might "defend" but not "hold" Baghdad in its entirety, nor are the Iraqis capable of restoring any of their territory taken by ISIS.
The deep divisions stalling the formation of a new unity government in Iraq has not enabled one iota or progress in choosing new leaders dedicated to keep the nation together, capable of confronting the Sunni Islamist advance overrunning the country. Under pressure to swiftly select a new speaker of parliament, president and prime minister representing the first steps toward a new government, the legislature is completely stalled.
Sunni blocs had initially announced their agreement on a candidate for the post of speaker, Salim al-Jubouri. Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki had agreed to support that candidacy. Conditional to Sunnis backing al-Maliki to return as president for a third consecutive term. "This will not happen as we do not accept that", stated a Sunni legislator, Saleh al-Mutlaq.
The general agreement inside and outside Iraq that it is al-Maliki himself and his Shiite-dominated parliament, shutting out the Sunni component that had caused the collapse of the unity government and that he must be replaced first and foremost before the country could move forward, is obviously one that he will not accept. The lawmakers are deadlocked over the position of prime minister, the most powerful position of all.
Even his former allies accuse him of monopolizing power, alienating the Sunni community, attempting persuasion that he not demand a third term, but he refuses to withdraw his candidacy. Better to see his country collapse entirely, fall into the hands of the Islamic State than surrender his ego-driven, sectarian-ridden stance of lifelong government control.
The Sunni terrorists who swept across most of northern and western Iraq in the period of one single month is a reality that threatens to split the country into three distinct sectors, each inimical to the continued presence of the other. Tribal, ethnic, sectarian animosities will carry the country into its utter dissolution.
The U.S. administration grapples with this new headache; should it advance more military advisers, weaponry and surveillance systems; at what cost, what risk levels to the country that America was forced to leave in 2011 through its own request in the reassurance it was capable of looking to its own interests and American military presence was persona non grata. A country now on the brink of total collapse in surrendering a significant proportion of its territory to terrorist Islamists.
Six teams of U.S. Special Operation forces rushed in to assess the Iraqi Army trained and equipped by the United States, draining the American treasury of over $15-billion in the process. With the American troop withdrawal President Maliki appointed commanders based on political loyalty; lack of military skills not assessed as a handicap in any manner.
The report concluded that Iraqi forces might "defend" but not "hold" Baghdad in its entirety, nor are the Iraqis capable of restoring any of their territory taken by ISIS.
The deep divisions stalling the formation of a new unity government in Iraq has not enabled one iota or progress in choosing new leaders dedicated to keep the nation together, capable of confronting the Sunni Islamist advance overrunning the country. Under pressure to swiftly select a new speaker of parliament, president and prime minister representing the first steps toward a new government, the legislature is completely stalled.
Sunni blocs had initially announced their agreement on a candidate for the post of speaker, Salim al-Jubouri. Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki had agreed to support that candidacy. Conditional to Sunnis backing al-Maliki to return as president for a third consecutive term. "This will not happen as we do not accept that", stated a Sunni legislator, Saleh al-Mutlaq.
The general agreement inside and outside Iraq that it is al-Maliki himself and his Shiite-dominated parliament, shutting out the Sunni component that had caused the collapse of the unity government and that he must be replaced first and foremost before the country could move forward, is obviously one that he will not accept. The lawmakers are deadlocked over the position of prime minister, the most powerful position of all.
Even his former allies accuse him of monopolizing power, alienating the Sunni community, attempting persuasion that he not demand a third term, but he refuses to withdraw his candidacy. Better to see his country collapse entirely, fall into the hands of the Islamic State than surrender his ego-driven, sectarian-ridden stance of lifelong government control.
The Sunni terrorists who swept across most of northern and western Iraq in the period of one single month is a reality that threatens to split the country into three distinct sectors, each inimical to the continued presence of the other. Tribal, ethnic, sectarian animosities will carry the country into its utter dissolution.
Labels: Conflict, Iraq, Islamists
posted by Pieface @ Tuesday, July 15, 2014
<< Home