“the militia’s themselves said they would no longer engage, if there were US air strikes.”
That was just political posturing.
They could not blast ISIS out of Saddam’s fortified palaces, so American firepower was needed.
The Americans didn’t want participate in an operation which includes major war crimes, as part of the plan, or set a precedent for sectarian violence, so they required the militias to back off, “to avoid fratricide”.
The Iranians and their special group militias have been systematically purging and ethnically cleansing areas as they advanced. Tikrit is the Motherlode for them - home to the elites of the Ba’ath Party, and some of the wealthiest and most powerful Sunnis. One of Iran’s main war aims is to massacre their Iraqi domestic opponents, and to consolidate areas where they totally dominate - like the they made the Bekaa Valley in Lebanon, for their Hizbullah militia. Diyala Province has kind of become that for the Badr Brigades. The Iranians and their special groups have long lists of names and addresses in Tikrit to kill and burn out.
So the American plan was for the Iranian backed militias to be held out, while the national Army and Police secure the victory, and get the credit with the public. The militia leader just said that they had decided not to participate, so it did not look like they failed, or were not in charge. Sour grapes.
The militias did not convoy back to Baghdad and disperse though, they are sitting close by, ready to pounce after the bombing has done its work. If they ravage the Sunni population, then the Sunni civilians of Mosul will know that they have little choice but to fight till the death in the upcoming Battle of Mosul, which will be the main event, for what I call The Summer of Death.
interesting. and there is warped logic to it. Your last paragraph is telling.
So Iran is giving the US political cover ? Why ?