Allawi says strong security forces can save Iraq

Former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, tipped to be security supremo in a new administration, called on Tuesday for Iraq's forces to be reinforced to prevent sectarian conflict exploding into all-out civil war.

Since talks on forming a national unity government were dragging on, leaders should consider a quick, temporary deal to install a crisis cabinet and review its line-up in a year or so, the secular, Shi'ite politician told Reuters in an interview.

"We are in the early stages of a civil war. We hope we don't get to the point of no return," he said at the headquarters of his Iraqi List, a cross-sectarian party that is the fourth biggest bloc in parliament with a tenth of the seats.

Bloodshed and "sectarian and ethnic cleansing" were already happening but "there is still hope" of avoiding war, he said.

"We mustn't get to that stage. We must strengthen the army, police, security and intelligence services. If we make them capable then we can stop ourselves before reaching the fatal point. If not, the situation will be disastrous."

The creation of a new Security Council announced this week is, political sources say, designed to bypass the wrangling over a unity government and give Allawi, as the council's likely head, a major role in fighting armed groups on all sides.

It actually makes sense now why he says this is a sectarian conflict or low level civil war. Because, if he says this is simply insurgent violence against Shia like others have as the head of security he can't target the Shia militias like the Madhi Army as one of the two major parts of the problem.

Agree. Hard not to. He is using words as any politician must to bolster his aim at getting the MD post most probably. And surely his goal would be to have all militia's band. The fat boy must be fumming under his burka, steam coming out of his head. ha ha. Hakim and company must be wandering what the heck they are going to do. If they are even perceived as supporting the Iranian infiltrations, once a new gov., is in place, then they will be targetted. Sadr's main forces are all hunkered down in the slums of Baghdad, fairly easy to literially isolate, if required. With the Iraqi army now in full swing as far as cordon patrols go, the Sunni Band south of Baghdad (Latifiya, Al Mahmudiya, Iskandaria, etc.) areas shall be further depleted of ala babba. As Baathist and remaining al Qaeda are weeded out of these areas, as well as the corresponding areas north of the capital, things could quiet down quite a bit.
I would expect to see a lot more combined coalition/government attacks such as we saw last week with swarmer, to further sharpen the Iraqi's skills and at the same time with speed capture kill more ala babba strongholds. Got to give the Iraqi army the means to fully become independent units, and what better way then operations of this sort. I do hope their southern army depots are close to becoming fully on line to support division down through Battalion unit forces with all their needs. That is still an item we do not enter into the equation. It is very important. And I had brought it out a few times earlier on. To obtain level 1, a unit must be fully independent.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.