U.S. counts on Iraqis to rebuff Iran 'meddling'

[sabra]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N14270227.htm

U.S. counts on Iraqis to rebuff Iran 'meddling'


WASHINGTON, Dec 14 (Reuters) - Washington worries that what it sees as Iranian "meddling" could seriously undermine U.S. goals in Iraq but the Bush administration seems to be putting its faith in Iraqis to contain and manage the problem.

In the runup to Thursday's parliamentary election in Iraq, a crucial watershed in what the United States hopes will be country's democratic transition, the role of neighboring Iran has loomed large.

"Iran continues to meddle in Iraqi affairs and to support violence in Iraqi society," Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice charged in a speech on Tuesday at the Heritage Foundation think tank, which is closely allied with the administration.

But she said she was confident that Iraqis would never "trade the tyranny of Saddam Hussein for the tyranny of the mullahs in Iran."

[tularetom]

1. Am I wrong or is the problem

that "Iraqis" don't think of themselves as "Iraqis". They believe they are Sunnis or Shiites or Kurds first and maybe Iraqis second if at all. Iraq is a fake country created by the British government as a defense against the turks after WWI. There is no sense of country there andhence no incentive among the population to hold the country together.

[400Years]

4. these middle east countries were drawn up around 1917

by the british empire so I don't think they have much allegience to nationalism anyway.

[dusmcj]

8. wrong - we went in to destroy those who think of themselves as Iraqis

those capable of thinking in the vocabulary of nation states, and advocating for the Iraqi nation and its interests, were the enemies we invaded the country to destroy. Iraq was one of the secular socialist republics that grew from native nationalism to replace colonial administrations when the West retrenched after WWII. The current administration and its lackeys saw them as their prime enemy, since just as Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam and countless other nationalists in postcolonial regions, they prioritized their people's interest before kissing the ass of international power players. In the Rockefeller/Captains of Industry/Great Powers tradition, this is a capital sin, and our Doober, being a scion of the captains of Industry, did his Daddies' bidding and slugged the arrogant brown who told them to fuck themselves. There are those demographic groupings in Iraq who have swallowed the postmodern poison of tribal affiliation, and in particular rejection of the nationalist impulse and the nation state. There are those who have not. The latter is who we are in Iraq to destroy. (Hence our attempted marginalization of the Sunnis, etc.)

[Judi Lynn]

2. Bush should stop meddling in everyone else's life.

It appears the only people not vulnerable to having _Bush severely deteriorate their lives are among the very few who have stolen enough power and wealth to gain his protection.

[David Zephyr]

9. Ha! That's why I like you so much, Judi Lynn.

Bingo.

[dusmcj]

3. more amateurish wannabe empire boy bullshit

we fart in church and then we expect the parson to speak against it. The PNAC douchebags and their lackeys like Condi treat empire as a parlor game; Mr. Feith's hobby (!) was the study of British misadventures on the Northwest Frontier (Afgh. & Pak). The revolution is not a fucking tea party, and it _won't_ be televised. Doober lackeys wanted to play, but then want to back off when the opposition responds in kind. That's not how it works, dorks. You play empire games, expect the other parties in the room to respond in kind. You're failing in one of your prime missions, to asses and characterize potential threats to US security - there's a whole host of barefoot amateurs who are currently crowing "if Amrikans can have nukuler vepons, ve can too". Get with the program kiddies, and don't act surprised when the opposition reminds you that you don't get to rule by divine right. Frankly, you're fucking stupid.

[Barrett808]

5. On the contrary: I expect Iran-backed candidates to win big...

...to solidify Iran's influence in Baghdad.

[wtmusic]

6. Iraq? What Iraq? That's western Iran

or will be shortly.

[sabra]

7. indeed. I like to think of it as Iran jr.

peace.

[David Zephyr]

11. Yep. It really already is.

Bush is just looking for an opportunity that Iran affords him to be able to pull out "with honor" and declare victory, have a ticker-tape parade as the former artificial territory called "Iraq" spills into a bloody war with the Saudis funding the Sunni and the Iranians funding the Shi'a.

[High Plains]

10. Iraqis count on IEDs, RPGs to Rebuff US Meddling n/t