GU: US: Iraq failing to tackle death squads

[grytpype]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,1883854,00.html

The new news here is that the US/Iraqi effort to clear Baghdad has focused on attacking Sunni strongholds, the Shiite militia-controlled areas are "no-go" but are the source of a lot of the violence.

The Shiites basically have impunity from the US/Iraqi forces, and are expected to be reigned in by the Government. Which is perhaps natural to expect, because Sadr is part of the Government. Unless you realize there is a civil war going on and the fighting is part of Sadr's strategy as much as his seeming incorporation into the Government. And by going after the Sunnis, we are only helping Sadr's side of the civil war.

Quite a goddamn mess over there.

US: Iraq failing to tackle death squads

Peter Beaumont in Baghdad
Friday September 29, 2006
The Guardian

Senior US officials have accused the new Iraqi government - which they previously championed - of failing to deal with the scourge of sectarian death squads, which are dragging the country into civil war.

Fresh figures published yesterday show that more than 250,000 Iraqis have been displaced by the sectarian violence since February. The details emerged in a week which, say US officials, has seen the highest number of suicide bombings recorded - half of them aimed at US-led forces.

...

Other senior US officials have begun warning that if the Iraqi government does not take a lead in disarming the militias, the US military might have to do so.

Despite a massive military effort in Baghdad to clear no-go areas of militants, much of the effort has focused on strongholds of Sunni fighters, and has so far had no impact on the slaughter. Instead, a record 7,000 Iraqis have died in the last two months alone. To add to US gloom it was revealed yesterday that the Bush administration is spending $2bn (£1bn) a week on the campaign in Iraq.

...

According to US officers interviewed by the Guardian, the decision not to confront the major source of the death squads was supported initially by the US because of fears of a full-scale battle with the militia in Sadr City.

"We are talking Berlin in '45 or Stalingrad," said one officer. "That is the conundrum. There is an unwillingness to tackle the problem head-on, but also a recognition that if we don't tackle the militias, death squad activities can only grow."

...

Stalingrad!

[The_Casual_Observer]

1. A little torture & wiretapping ought to do the trick. Nothing to worry abo

anymore.

[ninkasi]

2. Our near-sighted policies

and absolute refusal to proceed according to reality is what will defeat us in the end. Bush, Cheney, and the rest base their decisions as though they were the overpaid, and incompetent CEO's idea of what a ruthless victory should look like. That is because here, in the U.S., they are rewarded for incompetence, and praised for brutal tactics which would embarrass Genghis Kahn. They end up far wealthier, and more cushioned from reality, than any regime in history could hope for.

They need to be legally, and forcefully, be voted out of office. Things I might be able to endure just for myself, I am not willing to subject my loved ones, or your loved ones to. We absolutely must stay together, and not let petty quarrels come between us and the truth. It has come to this, then, that we must use every legal tactic we can, to save America from the ones in power who would gladly give our freedom, and liberty, to others.

We are far better than this, and I pray that the blindfolds come off, and our fellow citizens see clearly, and without obstruction the challenges we now face.NGU.

[grytpype]

3. k