US confirms it is arming Sunni insurgents, paper to report

[rawstory]

Source: Raw Story

A story slated for Monday's New York Times by veteran Iraq correspondent John Burns will reveal that the U.S. military has confirmed that it is arming Sunni insurgent factions to try to contain al-Qaida in Mesopotamia, RAW STORY has learned.

"With the four-month-old "surge" in American troops showing only modest success in curbing insurgent attacks, American commanders are turning to another strategy they acknowledge is fraught with risk: arming Sunni groups with insurgent links that have promised to fight al-Qaida."

A second story, according to those familiar with the paper, will discuss new terror rules "aimed at regulating licensing and control of small boats and airplanes."

Read more: http://rawstory.com/news/2007/US_confirms_it_arming_Sunni_insurgents_0610.html

[Roon]

1. Oh yeah!! Great idea!!

You talk about throwing fuel on the fire. These people are idiots.

[rocktivity]

2. Is it impeachment yet?

:eyes:
rocknation

[Le Taz Hot]

21. It's off the table.

:argh:

[sakabatou]

3. Keep the war going!

We need the arms dealers more money! :puke:

[Morgana LaFey]

33. Right. GREAT strategy for creting a "forever" WOT.

Reminds me of a great Twain quote:

Sometimes I wonder whether the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on or by imbeciles who really mean it. - Mark Twain

[TomInTib]

4. Well, THIS oughta fix everything.

Why don't we just ask our troops to start shooting themselves?

What idiots.

[Xipe Totec]

5. It's like giving fava beans and chianti to Hannibal Lecter

[Nickster]

6. They just never freaking learn! How many times did they get burned like this in

Afghanistan??

"Hey, we're having a hard time getting weapons and money......hmmmmm. Who could we get high quality weapons, money, and possibly training from?. Hey, America......"

Next thing you know, the heads change their allegiances to Al-Qaeda and there you go, a well stocked insurgency that we get to keep fighting.

[LiberalFighter]

18. Why don't they just require everyone in Iraq to use only spears and knives?

[Vidar]

30. Long as the arms merchants & big oil get their money, all is well.

[darkstar]

7. Whaaa? Just when you think

things can't get anymore unhinged. U.S. confirms--by its own definition--that it is funding terrorism--and/or the civil war--which again, by U.S. definition--that is *not* happening !?!?!?

Thanks BushCo., Inc. You had me contemplating leaving the country; now I've expanded my horizons to the entire planet.

[annabanana]

8. Well THAT ought to put the Sunni's on a bunch of shit lists.

I thought we were supposed to be trying to heal rifts over there. .

jeez what a buncha maroons

[ozone_man]

9. Say what you will, but SH had things under control.

A secular goverment, women had more rights. They get rid of him and wind up heading toward a Shiite theocracy and now they want to change course back to Sunni control?

It's about the oil. The U.S. keeps all sides fighting so they can steal the oil underneath.

[David__77]

10. That is crazy.

Of course al-quada isn't their main enemy, it's the US.

[wageslave71]

11. We're arming the insurgents

who oppose us and the Shia-dominated govt. we established so
they can fight al-qaida who we armed and trained to oppose the
Soviets.  Hmmm, there might be a lesson in that somewhere. 
I'm sure none of the arms we supply will ever be used against
a US soldier.  

[redphish]

12. We armed Bin Laden in the 1980's.

Look how well that worked out for us. How many times to they have to be hit in the head with the clue stick before they actually get one?

[Amonester]

27. The criminal Rs don't care. They'R too busy counting profit$. n/t

[Edweird]

13. So. They finally admit to arming insurgents. They are helping to kill American soldiers.

Sounds treasonous to me.

[KansDem]

32. "Aiding and abetting" the enemy, anyone?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q: What constitutes "aiding and abetting?"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A: Aiding and abetting is a theory of criminal liability. You can be guilty of a crime either as a principal perpetrator or as an aider and abettor.

Aiding and abetting applies to someone who assists in or facilitates the doing of a crime. To be held accountable as an aider and abettor, you must know of the criminal objective and do something to make it succeed. For example, if you drive your friend to a meeting where you know your friend is going to buy drugs, you may be an aider and abettor in the drug transaction.

The key here is knowledge. While the level of participation of the aider and abettor may be relatively minor, the prosecution must show more than presence in a vehicle carrying drugs or association with conspirators known to be involved in a crime.

In other words, mere presence at the scene of a crime, even with guilty knowledge that a crime is being committed, isn't enough to make you liable for the crime itself, unless and until you do something to help the crime succeed.

Under federal law, the punishment for someone who aids and abets a crime is the same as the punishment for the person who principally committed the crime. In some states, the punishment may be less.

Criminal Lawyers

[Barrett808]

37. But the weapons have serial numbers -- and our new proxy army has biometric IDs

Nothing could possibly go wrong!

[JDPriestly]

14. Escalation anyone?

When things get worse and worse, the argument will be that we can't leave because things are getting worse and will get even worse after we have left. This is the worst news yet!

[SayWhatYo]

15. Oh yeah, this going to bite us in the ass...

You'd think they would have learned from nearly every other time in the past, arming your enemies so they can fight your other enemies is not a good thing... I mean, unless there is some more diplomatic shit going on in the background that ultimatly gets the Iraqi Sunnis in charge and the US out, then this is going to end up bad.

[antiimperialist]

16. Piss off the majority Shia: Great idea!

Not.

When you thought Bush couldn't come up with a worse strategy...
oh boy.

[havocmom]

17. bush junta supplying arms that are killing US troops

Time to drag his ass before a tribunal?

[sutz12]

19. Iraq-nam, Iraq-Contra....what will he do for the tri-fecta? nt

[Ganja Ninja]

20. At this point I would only be surprised if they weren't.

About all you have to do is ask "What's the stupidest most counter-productive thing they could do?" and you can bet they are spending billions on it.
:wtf:

[Massachusetts]

22. “The enemy of my enemy is my friend.”

"arming Sunni groups with insurgent links that have promised to fight al-Qaida."

- A new American interpretation.

[Javaman]

23. This is just like Afghanistan in the 80's, only difference is...

it's out in the open.

That's the thing with moron* he has no concept of finesse.

he's* as obvious as a turd on the living room rug.

[Sapere aude]

24. Oh please don't throw me in that briar patch!

[Doctor_J]

25. Just when you think you know how fucked up things really are

along comes Smirky to astound you yet again.

Please, let this nightmare end today

[Grandrose]

26. Smart move....NOT!!!

I guess Saddam gets the last laugh at the Bush/Cheney cabal!:eyes: :kick:

[libodem]

28. Please tell me this isn't true

It can't be any more absurd.

[pinkpops]

29. AMNESTY for Sunis. AMNESTY AMNESTY

[wreckhead]

31. I thought Lieberman ..

...was on about attacking Iran for arming Iraqi insurgent groups? :shrug:

Heads spinning yet? :silly:

[ohio2007]

34. Gotta be cheaper than arming Blackwater

if you can't beat them....pay them



.....
"We hate al-Qaeda, but at the same time we don't like the Americans," said Emad Jasem, 23, from the Soufiya district, north of Ramadi. Although they were cooperating with U.S. troops because of "overlapping interests," he said, "no one should jump to the conclusion that we are on the side of the Americans and support them. Our loyalty is to our community and our city."
....




http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/10/AR2007061001453_pf.html

[bamacrat]

35. Unfuckingbelievable..

We will never learn from the past will we, we are creating the next wave of people we will have to fight in the future.

[Amonester]

36. Kick this one for the evening crowd (and send it to Keith O.) - eom

[mr1956]

38. Just plain stupid!

NY TIMES: U.S. Arming Sunnis in Iraq to Battle Old Qaeda Allies

Published: June 11, 2007

BAGHDAD, June 10 — With the four-month-old increase in American troops showing only modest success in curbing insurgent attacks, American commanders are turning to another strategy that they acknowledge is fraught with risk: arming Sunni Arab groups that have promised to fight militants linked with Al Qaeda who have been their allies in the past.
American commanders say they have successfully tested the strategy in Anbar Province west of Baghdad and have held talks with Sunni groups in at least four areas of central and north-central Iraq where the insurgency has been strong. In some cases, the American commanders say, the Sunni groups are suspected of involvement in past attacks on American troops or of having links to such groups. Some of these groups, they say, have been provided, usually through Iraqi military units allied with the Americans, with arms, ammunition, cash, fuel and supplies.


http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/11/world/middleeast/11iraq.html

[Supersedeas]

39. Al-Caca is Sunni...are they trying to contain the Majority Shiites??

[Az_lefty]

40. and these are the same guy's who are now blowing up bridges...

FUBAR !!!!!!!

[reprobate]

41. Once again Bush cowtows to his Saudi masters.

Remember a few months ago when the Saudis threatened to arm and support the Sunnis unless we did?

Will that's what this is all about.

His master said jump so he asked 'how hi?'.

[Raejeanowl]

42. I'm Having a Deja Vu Attack

Ah, yes, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Didn't we try something like this out unsuccessfully against the Iranians some years ago by arming a young scoundrel named Saddam? And we learned...?

[Up2Late]

43. The Daily Show just covered this. GREAT! Now everyone knows!

How did I miss this lunacy?

Anyone have a link to the NY Time story?:banghead: :crazy:

Oh wait, Here's it is!

U.S. Arming Sunnis in Iraq to Battle Old Qaeda Allies

By JOHN F. BURNS and ALISSA J. RUBIN
Published: June 11, 2007

Correction Appended

BAGHDAD, June 10 — With the four-month-old increase in American troops showing only modest success in curbing insurgent attacks, American commanders are turning to another strategy that they acknowledge is fraught with risk: arming Sunni Arab groups that have promised to fight militants linked with Al Qaeda who have been their allies in the past.

American commanders say they have successfully tested the strategy in Anbar Province west of Baghdad and have held talks with Sunni groups in at least four areas of central and north-central Iraq where the insurgency has been strong. In some cases, the American commanders say, the Sunni groups are suspected of involvement in past attacks on American troops or of having links to such groups. Some of these groups, they say, have been provided, usually through Iraqi military units allied with the Americans, with arms, ammunition, cash, fuel and supplies.

<http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/11/world/middleeast/11iraq.html?_r=1&oref=slogin>
(more at link)