With the downfall of Saddam many Iraqis had hoped for peace and representation of their interest. Is this what they got after his ousting? No. What do you think frustrated people do? You have to factor in that coalition forces are foreign poewrs on their home soil. Will they accept bullying by foreigners who claim to be helping? Do they deserve it? Is it representative of the stated purposes and intents of the coalition mission in Iraq?
No - they got a bunch of baathist remnants and foreign "Mujahideen" blowing crap up. Lovely.
Demonise the insurgents as you will, but I think it si entirely within the realm of possibility that iron fist will provoke greater fighting and sympathy for the insurgency. It will create/enforce the view of coalition force as "hypocrites and liars" amongst the populace of Iraq.
Don't think so - and as for all this talk of "demonizing" (you seem to like that word) they do that just fine on their own without my help. Kidnapping civilians, exchanging fire with troops who aren't attacking you and blowing things up aren't characteristics I associate with people who want law and order.
Wrong about Iraqi culture. Iraq is not Afgahnistan.
No, it's Iraq. That place where Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds have been slaughtering each other for a long long long time.
The Kurds may want a separate stae. This probably won't happen (most in Iraq are opposed to it, I imagine and Turkey probably won't either). As for the Sunni/Shia issue, youa re thinking like a westerner, now - when it comes to fighting between those groups it is infighting, never a fight for a separate state. Thus, Shia power might be feared for its possible consequences you won't hear calls for separate state.
Sorry - either I misspoke or you mistook me. I did not mean to imply that anyone (other than the Kurds) wants a separate state. The Shiites and Sunnis don't want separate states from each other (although there have been activists who have suggested it in the past) - they just each want to be the one running the show so they can abuse and/or kill the others. Nice.
Wannabe Ayotallah? Perhaps. But like Saddam? Not possible. He claims to have 10, 000 fighters in his "Mehdi Army", observers/experts/the coalition estimate less - perhaps as low as 3, 000. He couldn't hold power with a force like that. You are buying into coalition rhetoric trying to demonise Sadr and equate him with Saddam. He is a radical, certainly, but there is nothing to suggest his views are like that of Saddam.
Umm - I see. And you are ignoring the fact that an Iraqui court has a warrant out for his arrest for the assassination of another cleric, yes?
And 3000 or 5000 armed men are a nice core around which to build an army.
Silver Warder
Warder to Rebelaessedai
Risk everything - or gain nothing.
Geoffrey de Charney - 1356
Deeds - Not words
Remembering Joe (CrazedWeasel)
