In January 2007, Condoleeza Rice said, "There’s still a tendency to see these things in Sunni-Shia terms. But the Middle East is going to have to overcome that.” And now, a year and a half later and despite the surge, no progress has been made in that area. The mainstream media is certainly in a "good news is no news" defeatist mode, and is always on the lookout for soldiers and Iraqis to say the kinds of things they say here, but there is no reason to doubt the accuracy of these statements given the fact that the Sunni-Shi'ite divide is fourteen centuries old, nothing has even kept a lid on it except brute force, and nothing has been done in Iraq to combat the jihad ideology or inculcate appreciation for the wonders of the republican government that the Wilsonian democracy project is devoted to instituting there. While the Administration works for democracy in Iraq, it does nothing to weaken to main force that will keep democracy from taking root there: the political aspect of Islam.
"A 'surge' unit sees change, but questions its permanence," by Sam Dagher for the Christian Science Monitor, July 3 (thanks to James):
[...] In many regards, the plan worked. Violence dropped as about 30,000 extra US soldiers moved into combat outposts around Iraq starting in February 2007. Last month, the number of Iraqis killed was 515; last June, that figure was 3,000.Still, while the 1/64 recognizes much progress during its tour, the majority of the more than dozen soldiers and officers interviewed question if their effort will have been worth it in the end. Many say their mission helped bring about only a lull in the sectarian killings and feel that neither the Iraqi government nor its forces are ready, capable, or even motivated to build on the successes of the surge.
"We have no control over what happens once we leave. No one is prepared to stay here 20 years of their lives to make sure this place stays good," says Spc. Mark Webster, a native of San Luis Obispo, Calif., stationed at the neighborhood garrison of Adel. These combat outposts (COPS) have been scattered throughout Baghdad since the start of the surge. "We have accomplished things; we kept it at a general lull," adds Specialist Webster.
Although the experience of the 1/64 applies to only one slice of Baghdad, many of the issues and challenges it has grappled with are similar to those confronting other units in Baghdad and in other restive provinces – Anbar, Diyala, and Nineveh – where most of the surge units were deployed. [...]
On a recent house-to-house search in Adel by members of the 1/64, accompanying Iraqi soldiers seemed more interested in chatting and texting on their cellphones than the mission at hand.
"It's tiring. It has been five years. Now it's called knock-and-search instead of raids. A lot of the [Iraqi] soldiers do not want to do their jobs," grumbles Staff Sgt. Jose Benavides from Miami. "If the Americans leave, the sectarian violence will flare up."
In one stately Adel villa, Iman Marouf says she's "guarding" the house for its absent Shiite owners. No Shiites have dared return to the neighborhood since a bombing last month targeted some who had come back.
"Fear consumes people. Hearts are still filled with fear," says Mrs. Marouf, gesturing emotionally.
Her sister, Jinan Marouf, adds: "All this calm is temporary, trust me. If we get someone like Saddam Hussein back, Iraq will be itself again. We need someone with his control." [...]
This result is inevitable. Wherever Islam goes, bloodshed follows and remains.
"Iraqis still have not "overcome" Sunni-Shi'ite divide" --Condi
And they never will.
And, that's beneficial for us because they can focus on slaughtering each other rather than on slaughtering us.
Bravo Sunni-Shi'a divide!
From article: "If the Americans leave, the sectarian violence will flare up."
American soldiers should not be a buffer between warring parties. If you step up to protect someone, it is you who will receive the blows.
This is a good reason to abandon project Iraq.
Let them have at each other...that is their destiny, it always has been and it always will be...Let them deplete their own energies, wear themselves out,
waste what little resources they have. Of course Allah has to be willing...and of course he is.
But G Bush is stronger than Allah, and Bush is not willing...
Condi Rice is quoted: "There’s still a tendency to see these things in Sunni-Shia terms. But the Middle East is going to have to overcome that.”
When Condi returns to Stanford in January maybe she'll have the time to remedy some of the vast ignorance about Islam to which that famous remark testifies. Too bad it will be too late to make any difference.
Jinan Marouf is quoted: "All this calm is temporary, trust me. If we get someone like Saddam Hussein back, Iraq will be itself again. We need someone with his control."
This sounds like one of Saddam's dispossessed Sunni clansmen wistfully yearning for the good old days. But it could as well be an accurate assessment of what's going to happen after the U.S. finally tires of Iraq leaves.
Apologies to the readers, but maashallah!!!
Another reason to vote Obama!!!
She may be a wistful-for-Saddam Sunni but I had an iranian neighbor tell me essentially the same thing a couple of years ago: that the strongman rules the neighbor, region, country and that the middle east will always be that way. I took it to mean the islamic middle east because when Christianity was the predominant religion in the region, the strongman wasn't the ruler as Christianity teaches servant leadership.
Another reason to vote Obama!!!
Posted by: Infidel Pride
Don't count on Obama. He is already backing away from what he said in the primaries.
Bill Clinton had a similar strategy in 1992, leading many Americans to think we would be out of Saudi Arabia (and Iraq) sooner rather than later.
Once in office, he changed his mind.
"There’s still a tendency to see these things in Sunni-Shia terms. But the Middle East is going to have to overcome that."
-Condoleezza Rice
Careful what you wish for. What we need is for the Middle East (indeed, the world) to get past the Muslim vs non-Muslim divide. In the meantime, keep that Sunni-Shia divide operative. A house divided against itself cannot stand.
Many say their mission helped bring about only a lull in the sectarian killings and feel that neither the Iraqi government nor its forces are ready, capable, or *even motivated* to build on the successes of the surge.
(emphasis mine)
..................................
It's possible to overcome all sorts of unreadiness, poor training, ill-equipage, etc--but if there is no will--and I have seen very little to convince me that there is--then the Iraqi forces will never be "ready".
from above:
Her sister, Jinan Marouf, adds: "All this calm is temporary, trust me. If we get someone like Saddam Hussein back, Iraq will be itself again. We need someone with his control."
.........................
Doesn't sound like someone who appreciates the "wonders of republican government" to me. Yes, likely this is a Sunni yearning for the Sunni supremacism that Saddam Hussein represented. I think this is more than brute tribalism, though--many Muslims consider democracy to be completely "un-Islamic", and will only use it as a tool if it is advantageous to them in the short run.
Hamas used the electoral process to come to power in Gaza--but then they reverted to form. They did not want their Fatah rivals running a new campaign for the next elections--so they savagely expelled them from the territory--throwing them out of windows, kneecapping them so that thay could not run away, and even persuing them into hospitals to finish off the wounded.
from above:
In one stately Adel villa, Iman Marouf says she's "guarding" the house for its absent Shiite owners. No Shiites have dared return to the neighborhood since a bombing last month targeted some who had come back.
.....................
I suppose it isn't completely impossible that Ms. Marouf is telling the truth, that she is just looking out for her old Shiite neighbors. I doubt that her assertion is likely to put to the test any time soon, however.