Iraq today, has the US become mayor of Baghdad? (Ron Paul, Congress, Iran)

[TnHilltopper]

In a recent TIME magazine piece, it states that southern Iraq is now basically open country since the British have decided to pull out. The US has always had a light presence since its allies were charged with the oversight of southern Iraq but not it seems that Iran may have more influence in the region.

"Outwardly, the main cities in the south are in the hands of Iraqi authorities answering to the central government in Baghdad. In reality, Karbala, Najaf, Basra and the provinces they sit in are now a struggling ground between the Mahdi Army and the Badr Brigade, a rival Shi'ite militia also though to have links to Iran."

Also recently there was an article in the Gulfnews that Iran has been moderating a peace agreement with Shiite factions in this volatile region. An interesting aspect and some might even cite, as evidence of Iran’s influence is the reopening of some border crossings in the southern Iraq-Iran region.


Also if we look towards northern Iraq we see that it appears that Turkey has begun shelling Kurdish rebel camps along the border. There is even word from Turkey that they are about to engage in paramilitary actions in northern Iraq against the PKK.

"Turkey is shelling suspected Kurdish rebel camps across the border in northern Iraq, a newspaper reported Wednesday, but the government appeared unlikely to move toward sending ground troops until next week.

A large-scale military incursion would disrupt one of the few relatively peaceful areas of Iraq and jeopardize Turkey's ties with the United States, which has urged Ankara not to take unilateral steps.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan told reporters that preparations for the parliamentary authorization were under way but he did not say when a motion could reach the floor."


With scant US forces in the south and what appears to be little control in the north, has the United States essentially become the mayors of Baghdad? The current state of Iraq almost mirrors what is taking place in Afghanistan where it is often whispered that the US and UN are frequently referred to as the “Mayors of Kabul”.

In the post invasion of Iraq, the Bush administration has often been criticized for its lack of post invasion planning, Now several years into this misadventure, it seems that the phrase, “lack of planning” is a gross understatement leaving many wondering what hope is there of achieving the goal of a democratic Iraq.

[ontheroad]

Can't really add anything except to agree with you. Now if only we could pool our resources and exchange reading material.

[fishmonger]

I hate this ****.

[GregW]

What is the sum of Shiastan + Sunistan + Kurdistan? Zero because these nonexistent states will become Iran + Syria + Turkey.

[stlsteved]

Originally Posted by GregW

What is the sum of Shiastan + Sunistan + Kurdistan? Zero because these nonexistent states will become Iran + Syria + Turkey.

Good. I say we let them have it, pull the F outta there, tighten our borders for real, start drilling smartly in Alaska and focusing the billions we are spending in that hellhole in the ME on developing clean energy and standardized health care reform (among other issues plaguing our nation.)

[GregW]

stisteved - I agree. Time to let them figure it out for themselves. Besides we only want to keep the oil so we can sell it to China anyway. It is not about oil, it is about oil profits and who gets to keep them.

[TnHilltopper]

Of course if it were me, I would suggest you vote for Ron Paul in order to get out of this predicament.

In all seriousness though, it would seem that contrary to various aspects of gain that is purported by surge, the overall seems to be getting even more bleak. Is a three state, loosely federated solution the best course of action? Iran, Saudi Arabia and Turkey aren't going anywhere and we do at some point have to come home, or at least I hope we do. How much and what can actually be done at this point in order to hold this mess together?

[TXboomerang]

I've always said I supported Bush removing Saddam. Even Clinton wanted Saddam gone. But I've also never liked how obvious it is that there was not only poor planning, but possibly no planning at all about what would happen with different after effects of Saddam's removal.

Considering that in September that only 3 or 4 benchmarks for the Iraqi govt were slightly close to being met, I'm ready to see us leave. The idea with benchmarks was to set many of them to show clear signs of Iraq's intent to take control back of its country. The benchmarks were not set at difficult to reach levels, and they still were fallen way short of. That was my final straw with voicing support for us to stay and stabilize. While I don't support immediate and full withdrawal, I do support a fast reduction and eventual full removal of troops, within 2 years.

[Marodi]

The US is starting to realize a weak central gov't and stronger states based along religious sect lines is the most likely to work becuase the central gov't can't do crap.

(I find it amusing the US congress was criticizing the Iraqi congress for vacationing without doing anything, when the US congress does the same thing)

[TnHilltopper]

Originally Posted by tnbound2day

While I don't support immediate and full withdrawal, I do support a fast reduction and eventual full removal of troops, within 2 years.

I believe it could be done in a year, at least combat troops.
Without a deadline, a perpetually is inevitable.

Originally Posted by Marodi

The US is starting to realize a weak central gov't and stronger states based along religious sect lines is the most likely to work becuase the central gov't can't do crap.

(I find it amusing the US congress was criticizing the Iraqi congress for vacationing without doing anything, when the US congress does the same thing)

Onetheroad posted a clip of Joe Scarborough calling the Iraqi's "dumb" for not managing the chaos we created better. It was one of the most repugnant moments from a US newscaster in the commercial media I have seen.