and
Posted on 04/24/2005 3:15:02 PM PDT by jmc1969
The Bush administration has hailed the formation of a new Iraqi government as a major step toward bringing stability to the country. But behind the scenes, some U.S. officials are fretting about Iraqi plans to remove as many as 9,000 members of the country's security, intelligence and police services who have been identified as former members of Saddam Hussein's Baath regime. Such a move could wreck the Iraqi forces that the U.S. has spent two years and $5 billion trying to train, according to U.S. officials in Baghdad and Washington. They are also worried that a sweeping de-Baathification order could toss out thousands of former mid-level men who are cooperating with the U.S. against the insurgency. "We want to see the Iraqi security forces take a bigger role," says a U.S. official in Baghdad. "Purging these people without reference to their loyalty now or their competence will set that back."
The de-Baathification push is being led by members of the Shi'ite-dominated United Iraqi Alliance, the most powerful bloc in the new government, who accuse outgoing Prime Minister Iyad Allawi of packing the country's security apparatus with former Baathists. The issue is so sensitive that during a mid-April visit to Baghdad, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld delivered a private warning to new Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jafaari that the U.S. does not support a mass purge.
With the insurgency still raging, some Iraqis fear that the de-Baathification order will drive newly unemployed officers into the arms of the rebels. Says an Iraqi captain, who asked to be identified by his nickname, Abu Laith: "If the government has 1,000 enemies now, they will have 10,000 enemies."
Looks like the Iraqis are starting to assert themselves. I've heard back-and-forth opinions on this. I do know a lot of Iraqis feel very strongly about finishing the housecleaning.
Sooner or later ya gotta let them sink or swim..
I wouldn't mind if the new government choses to sink or swim, if our troops weren't in harms way, and Zarqawi wasn't more then happy to take advantage of the situation to plan attacks on the US.
I see a big danger I point it out, the fact is we trained thousands of these guys and the last thing we want is our soldiers paying the price for the mistakes of religious leaders in Iraq.
If the situation gets worse because of this it will be the fault of Iraqi politicans that put power and revenge over the good of their country and no one else.
Looks like more of the same old same old from the MSM to me.
Typical.
Some (?) U.S. officials ? some unnamed source's ? a unnamed Iraqi General ?
Very "Time, Newsweek, NYT's, US News & WR, CNN etc,..etc..." Like.
These so-called copy-reporters .....er ...um ...." journalist", are born into this world- Scantily Clad, Disoriented and Terrified. They live their life as such, and there reporting reflects it.
Not one bit of reliable info, facts to check out or a verifiable source, Must have been put together by someone with a PHD.
(Piled Higher & Deeper)
Let the Iraqis purge them the old fashioned way, the Baathists won't be creating any problems for anyone.
The problem is that 2/3rds of all Sunnis over 20 are ex-Baathists. It was a requirement for Sunnis. Much like the current pope being required to be a Hiter Youth. Hell, Allawi himself is an ex-Baathist.
The enemy is not anyone who ever had a Baath card the enemy is those that have taken up arms against America and the Iraqi people.
Anyone know what happened to Sadr? Did we wipe out his forces last year or did we withdraw from Sadr City?
Some day in the future we'll get the inside scoop. Should be interesting.
One humorous note. The movie "The Siege" is on TV right now. What an absolute crock of sh*t. Muslim terrorists blow up NYC yet the real evil ones are white guys.
According to the leftpress, we made a huge mistake by launching all of these people two tears ago. Now we come to find out they are still around and helping. Oh, I forgot. It is no longer part of the election cycle.
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