Tribal leaders don't trust Iraq soldiers(according to US Col. Sutherland)

[maddezmom]

WASHINGTON - Tribal leaders and some political groups in the strife-ridden Iraqi province of Diyala are turning to terrorists and insurgents for protection rather than trust Iraqi soldiers and police, the commander of U.S. forces in that area said Friday.

"This sort of unity only worsens the sectarian divide and encourages further violence," said Col. David Sutherland, commander of the 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division. He spoke to reporters at the Pentagon by a satellite video connection from his headquarters near the city of Baqouba, northeast of Baghdad.

"Public perceptions of corruption, inequity and fear are the driving force behind support to terrorist organizations," Sutherland added. "These are not new problems in Iraq but problems that developed out of a desire for personal and financial gain."

He said he is trying to turn that around by putting Iraqi police through more rigorous training, placing more U.S. advisers in the Iraqi army and police units and through Iraqi efforts to recruit a police and army force that better reflects the sectarian makeup of Diyala, which is about 55 percent Sunni, 30 percent Shiite and 15 percent Kurd.

Currently the Iraqi security forces in Diyala are predominantly Shiite, Sutherland said.

more:http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061215/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_iraq_22

[madrchsod]

1. the utter stupidity or arrogance of the neocons

in their belief that they could somehow bludgeon the tribal and religious leaders into submission is the root failure of this conflict. the average iraqi`s allegiance is to their to the tribal or the their religious leaders not to a central government. the question that will not be answered for years is whether the iraqi people will ever accept a strong central government , whether iraq will exist as a united country, or split into separate states.
it will be up to the iraqi people to decide what form of government or country they want not an upstart empire thousands of miles away

[maxsolomon]

2. there are no do-overs

but i think power, water, sewage, and a jobs program right from the start - anyone who wants to work will be paid well - rather than outsourcing fucking everything possible - would have bought SOME good will from the populace & the tribal system. imagine if there'd been a competent plan - like one a democrat would come up with, for instance.

but its over. its too late. our treasury is emptied. the upper & middle class are exiled, the sunni/shia divide is cemented, partition is the best possible option, and only after a civil war to ethnically cleanse bagdhad & the center of iraq.

we should start negotiating with turkey over an independent kurdistan.

[independentpiney]

3. How do you think negotiations with Turkey over Kurdistan will go?

I don't see Turkey accepting an independent Kurdistan without massive multinational pressure on them. Having an independent Iraqi Kurd state next to them is inevitably going to fire up an independence movement in the 11 neighboring Kurdish provinces of Turkey.

[maxsolomon]

4. not well but Kurdistan is inevitable.

bush stuck his hand in a hornet's nest.