MSNBC (Hirsh) on Iraq's new Gov't: inoffensive but weak individuals

[sabra]

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/12920385/site/newsweek/

Washington’s New Watchword: Containment

As Iraq’s weak new government takes shape, the Bush administration’s best hope is for a non-bloodbath.


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In Iraq, U.S. officials say they are pleased with the forcefulness and straight talk of the new prime minister, Nuri al-Maliki, especially compared to his mumble-mouthed predecessor, Ibrahim Jaafari. But every meager step forward in Iraq comes at the price of horrible bloodshed and months of indecision. According to U.S. officials, Maliki failed to fill the critical defense and interior ministry posts over the weekend because every well-known candidate was deemed too sectarian or too associated with militias. As a result, whoever is chosen, it is becoming clear that Maliki’s government will likely become a government of nobodies—in other words, inoffensive but weak individuals.

That in turn means the sectarian groups—Shia, Sunni and Kurdish—will become even more influential, as will the powerful provincial governors who approve police trainees for the troubled national force. So the very best that can be hoped for in Iraq, probably for many years to come, will be a non-bloodbath, a low-level civil war that doesn’t get worse than the current cycle of insurgent killings and Shiite death-squad reprisals. This is bad, but it could be much worse. Containment, says one Army officer involved in training in Iraq, is at least "doable." He adds: "The only real question is: How do we keep Iraq from becoming a permissive environment for terrorists."

The U.S. military is already gearing up for this outcome, but not for “victory” any longer. It is consolidating to several “superbases” in hopes that its continued presence will prevent Iraq from succumbing to full-flown civil war and turning into a failed state. Pentagon strategists admit they have not figured out how to move to superbases, as a way of reducing the pressure—and casualties—inflicted on the U.S. Army, while at the same time remaining embedded with Iraqi police and military units. It is a circle no one has squared. But consolidation plans are moving ahead as a default position, and U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad has talked frankly about containing the spillover from Iraq’s chaos in the region.

[The_Casual_Observer]

1. Appointing people to those cabinet positions is a death sentence

for the appointees and their families. No wonder they are taking their time.