What... the hell...
Jun. 23rd, 2003 09:34 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sethrakIn an AP story on AOL News about the continuing resistance in Iraq to the occupying US troops - including mention of a 12 yr old girl toting an AK47!! - I stumbled across this appalling information:
" U.S.-led civil administrators announced the creation of a new Iraqi army Monday and said recruitment will begin next week, hoping to contain Iraqi anger over desperate unemployment and to curb a rash of attacks against U.S. forces.
''I am pleased to announce this first step in creating an armed force that will be professional, nonpolitical, militarily effective and truly representative of the country,'' said Walter Slocombe, a senior adviser for security and defense for the administration. "
Excuse me. Pardon me. Did I just read that we're planning on re-arming a nation of people we just _dis_ armed? people whom plainly don't want us there? people who haven't even gotten their own civilian basic services up and running again, like clean water and reliable food circulation? People who therefore have every reason to use their new army as a way to kick us out??!!! And then perhaps try remobilizing to a point where they can seek revenge on us?
::jaw thuds audibly::
We should not be doing anything of the kind until we've at least restored something like order to the country. That way the newly armed Iraqi army will have less reason to turn on us. God damned stupid idiots.....
" U.S.-led civil administrators announced the creation of a new Iraqi army Monday and said recruitment will begin next week, hoping to contain Iraqi anger over desperate unemployment and to curb a rash of attacks against U.S. forces.
''I am pleased to announce this first step in creating an armed force that will be professional, nonpolitical, militarily effective and truly representative of the country,'' said Walter Slocombe, a senior adviser for security and defense for the administration. "
Excuse me. Pardon me. Did I just read that we're planning on re-arming a nation of people we just _dis_ armed? people whom plainly don't want us there? people who haven't even gotten their own civilian basic services up and running again, like clean water and reliable food circulation? People who therefore have every reason to use their new army as a way to kick us out??!!! And then perhaps try remobilizing to a point where they can seek revenge on us?
::jaw thuds audibly::
We should not be doing anything of the kind until we've at least restored something like order to the country. That way the newly armed Iraqi army will have less reason to turn on us. God damned stupid idiots.....
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no subject
Date: 2003-06-23 12:48 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-06-23 05:08 pm (UTC)Right now, what it all comes down to is pride. The majority of Iraqi soldiers who fought in the wars were conscripts, men forced into service, often at gunpoint. You hear guys in the first Gulf War talk about finding an Iraqi foxhole that was booby trapped the wrong way. It wasn't designed to keep Americans out, it was designed to keep Iraqi soldiers IN. Now here they are, defeated by the American armies and reduced to peasantry. By reforming an Iraqi army, you help restore some of their pride. You show them that they have a role in determining Iraq's destiny.
Besides that, there are more practical reasons. One of the big complaints we have lobbed at us is that we're not doing enough to establish law and order in Iraq. Well, guess what, if we put more than a token effort into it, those same people would be screaming about how we're abusing our power by oppressing the poor innocent Iraqis with our infidel ways. You turn over the policing to a legitimate Iraqi army, you avoid conflicts between Iraqis and Americans.
Thirdly, more complaining from Arab and European countries says we need to turn over the government and all its powers to Iraqis. No provisional Iraqi government constructed by the coalition is going to last more than a day without support of a standing army to quell the rebellion that WILL break out three minutes after we leave. Iraq is like America in one very important way. It's diverse. It's like a melting pot, except no one wants to melt.
They have the guns anyway, Kim. And they're already using them to kill American soldiers. We can't stop them without using the same kind of tactics Hussein would use, and the second we start getting near those, the world is going to start screaming. The only way out of this for us now is to see it through to the end, and for that end to come about Iraq needs an army.
Speaking as someone who will probably end up there inside the next year, I feel better knowing this is going to happen.
Besides....and on a more primitive, flag-waving note....if this new Iraqi army decides they want to eject us forcefully from their nation, then they can roll the dice and take their chances. People outside the military have no idea just how much we held back for the sake of their civilians. We have the capability to reduce Iraq to a pile of ash WITHOUT a nuclear strike, and anyone who thinks otherwise is fooling themselves. The last time the Iraqi army stood against the U.S., they were defeated. They won't find a glorious victory for Allah in turning on us. They'll find a massacre.
no subject
Date: 2003-06-23 10:24 pm (UTC)I don't blame the Bish admin for this. Nor do I happen to consider said admin to be bunny eating fiends, although I wouldn't call them the cream of the Republican party either.
I don't even think that the _eventual_ re-arming of an Iraqi army is a bad thing. Volunteer soldiers with a real stake in defending Iraq could be an excellent thing for restablizing their society, if we can keep out double agents to the greatest extent possible. It will be a necessity for the continuance of the provisional government once we leave, you're right about that.
I just think it's too soon. Get the pacification a bit farther along, and make sure they have a decent pre-screening process in place for recruits so we don't accidentally let in any Ba'aath party leaders. That takes time. Once that's done, go ahead and re-arm them, so we get our boys out of there and they can get back to running their own country. That's all I'm saying.
I don't ruddy _care_ about the rest of the world screaming bloody murder about our alleged abuses of power during this whole mess. None of them wanted to lift a finger to help us during the war. None of the complaining nations are exactly pouring humanitarian aid into Iraq, or begging the US to let them do so. None of them really have any constructive ideas to offer on how we can do the job of rebuilding Iraq better. Most of the complaining has consisted of trash-talking the US, and nothing more. Let them put teeth behind their desire to assist the Iraqi people, and then I'll worry about hurting their feelings.
On a more primitive, defending-my-mate note, I'm already nervous about the prospect of you going over there under current conditions. If the new Iraqi army decides to stage a coup, and you're there, I will go into full-blown panic. Sure, they'll be slaughtered. But there will be plenty of losses on our side as well before such an insurrection is defeated. I'd strongly prefer that you not be one of those losses. ::tight huggle::
::smiles and duct-tapes Fraser's Commie Brit mouth shut:: No more comments from the cabblit gallery. You wouldn't even think we were justified in going to war if Saddam had said the Queen Mum was a wanker and he wanted to fire missiles at St. James Cathedral, I expect.
Meh. It's late. I'm tired. I'm going to bed.