Juan Cole Predicts British Withdrawal from Iraq by Year's End
international |
anti-war / imperialism |
other press 
Wednesday May 03, 2006 16:29
by redjade
{ from Iraq, that is }
'...actually handing over to Muqtada al-Sadr, whose bloc controls the provincial government...'
British To Withdraw
The British are obviously declaring victory in southern Iraq and going home. They are in the process of handing over security to local provincial governments in Maysan and Muthanna, and heading out.
Soon the Italians will do the same in Nasiriyah. Does Diwaniyah desperately need foreign troops?
Of course, when you say you are handing over to Maysan officials, you are actually handing over to Muqtada al-Sadr, whose bloc controls the provincial government. And the Sadrists deploy the Mahdi Army for security, whether in official police uniform or no. Likewise, Muthanna is Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq territory, and their "security" is one way or another Badr Corps.
But, well, that is what is in Iraq. It doesn't turn out to be full of James Madisons. The British are doing the right thing. Basra doesn't need them either. The Western occupation of southern Iraq will be gone, probably by the end of the year.
There are no US troops in Kurdistan to speak of, and its security is supplied by the peshmerga or Kurdish paramilitary.
So all that is left is the US garrisons in Baghdad and the Sunni Arab heartland. Why should the Sunni Arabs be the only ones to be occupied?
more at:
http://www.juancole.com/2006/05/british-to-withdraw-fro....html
Muqtada al-Sadr
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muqtada_al-Sadr