Iraq Sunni VP says U.S. needs a 'Plan B'

[Creek_George]

He said...

"I was very frank with the American administration. I encouraged them to think seriously about `Plan B,'" he said. "What sort of alternative do we have in the future in case the current security plan fails?"

I bet who ever he was talking to....had a look of expression on his face like one we've never seen before..

Any idea what plan "B" would be folks?

 

[Annie]

I'm assuming you are referring to this? I think this is coming back to the discussion that Maineman and I were having earlier, it expands on the problems, but the desire for honest players to work towards compromise.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/world/4582579.html

Feb. 26, 2007, 12:51PM
Iraq Sunni VP says U.S. needs a 'Plan B'

By ROBERT H. REID and HAMZA HENDAWI Associated Press Writers
© 2007 The Associated Press


BAGHDAD, Iraq — The most prominent Sunni in Iraq's fragmented government said Monday that the United States is going to have to come up with a "Plan B" if the current crackdown fails to stem the violence in the capital.

Tariq al-Hashemi, the Sunni vice president, also warned that the Shiite-led government has no choice but to use force against sectarian militias, even though it may be too late to keep them from resuming killings and kidnappings when the Baghdad security crackdown ends.

He spoke as the country's other vice president, a Shiite, escaped an apparent assassination attempt in a bombing that killed 10 people. Adel Abdul-Mahdi suffered a minor leg injury in the blast and was hospitalized for medical exams, his office said.

Al-Hashemi, head of Iraq's biggest Sunni party, said he warned U.S. officials during a visit to Washington last December that sectarian rivalry had paralyzed the unity government and that the U.S. needed to think about alternatives if its current security strategy fails.

"I was very frank with the American administration. I encouraged them to think seriously about `Plan B,'" he said. "What sort of alternative do we have in the future in case the current security plan fails?"

Al-Hashemi said he has received no indication whether his advice was accepted.

He blamed much of the security crisis on the government's failure to curb Shiite militias, even though many Iraqis believe the latest bombings have been the work of Sunnis.

"I don't read these car bombings as sectarian but political," al-Hashemi said. "It is true that they hit Shiite areas but they kill as many Sunnis as Shiites."

He said the attacks were aimed at discrediting the Iraqi government and "there are many parties that have an interest in this."

...

 

[Creek_George]

Yep..that's the article.

I sure hope the Iraqi's can work this out..and we support them as a whole in trying to establish some type of normal daily life there...Maybe we were a little more in favor with the Shiit Majority there..being they were a minority under Saddam's rule when we first came in??

So many factors come into play...I can see this..these bombings as a political motive.(a majority of them)..but at the same time alot are revenge.

It's hard to even come up with words to describe the situation..

 

[Annie]

Yep..that's the article.

I sure hope the Iraqi's can work this out..and we support them as a whole in trying to establish some type of normal daily life there...Maybe we were a little more in favor with the Shiit Majority there..being they were a minority under Saddam's rule when we first came in??

So many factors come into play...I can see this..these bombings as a political motive.(a majority of them)..but at the same time alot are revenge.

It's hard to even come up with words to describe the situation..

Well the Shia were always the majority, just Saddam oppressed them, so they were the ones put into the chippers and such. For some reason they are hostile to those that used to run things, the Sunnis. At the same time, only a few Sunnis were evil, so it's a very difficult situation. We did wrong, by knocking all the Sunnis generals and upper military out, on that basis alone.

Whether or not the mistakes can be made right? Patreaus is asking to give it til summer, seems reasonable to me.

 

[Creek_George]

Yep..that's what I meant...The shiit were a majority of the population...but a minority to the rule under Saddam...I am in awee a little bit that Saddam accomplished what he did..or could say held out with that Iran War they had...having a majority of Shiit in the military at that time...but I suppose any soldier in that era that had any rank over a private 2nd class was a Sunni....

Yes..it's a tricky situation...but there is a chance for mediation to take more root in the accomplishments thus far..I think both sides..(the majority) see these bombings as an opsticle..and have differences yet to work out..

Trust could be one of them...but as of yet..both sides seem not to have a whole lot of trust to throw around outside there sect..(Shiit..or Suuni).

We're gona find out though...how things turn out...What confusion....(scream)..

 

[Annie]

Yep..that's what I meant...The shiit were a majority of the population...but a minority to the rule under Saddam...I am in awee a little bit that Saddam accomplished what he did..or could say held out with that Iran War they had...having a majority of Shiit in the military at that time...but I suppose any soldier in that era that had any rank over a private 2nd class was a Sunni....

Yes..it's a tricky situation...but there is a chance for mediation to take more root in the accomplishments thus far..I think both sides..(the majority) see these bombings as an opsticle..and have differences yet to work out..

Trust could be one of them...but as of yet..both sides seem not to have a whole lot of trust to throw around outside there sect..(Shiit..or Suuni).

We're gona find out though...how things turn out...What confusion....(scream)..

And I pray and hope that this new strategy has a chance and if so, it works. To pull out without giving a fair chance would be terribly unfair to all the Iraqis that have worked so hard, sacrificed and risked so much. If we do pull out, soon or before it all has time to take hold, we will be back, under worse circumstances.

What I do not understand is that so many that were so eager to get us into the Bosnia situation, which should have been handled by Europe, are unwilling to help here.

 

[Bullypulpit]

He said...

"I was very frank with the American administration. I encouraged them to think seriously about `Plan B,'" he said. "What sort of alternative do we have in the future in case the current security plan fails?"

I bet who ever he was talking to....had a look of expression on his face like one we've never seen before..

Any idea what plan "B" would be folks?

There is none. The "Surge" is supposed to make everything right. But 20,000 combat troops and their support infrastructure are militarily insignificant and will do little to secure Baghdad, let alone Iraq.