More Reasons For Doubt
I’m more discouraged than I have been for some time about Iraq, because I don’t know what you can do when you have a democratically elected government that refuses to take the steps necessary for, not only its own security, but that of the U.S. mission:
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki lashed out at the United States Wednesday, saying his popularly elected government would not bend to U.S.-imposed benchmarks and timelines and criticizing a U.S. and Iraqi military operation in a Shiite slum of Baghdad that left at least five people dead and 20 wounded.
Maliki’s comments came a day after U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad said the prime minister had agreed to timelines for accomplishing several critical goals, including developing plans to deal with militias, amend the constitution and equitably distribute Iraq’s oil revenues.
“I affirm that this government represents the will of the people and no one has the right to impose a timetable on it,” Maliki said Wednesday at a nationally televised news conference. “The Americans have the right to review their policies, but we do not believe in a timetables.”
With less than two weeks to go before critical midterm elections in the United States, Maliki accused U.S. officials of election-year grandstanding, saying that deadlines were not logical and were “the result of elections taking place right now that do not involve us.”
The Prime Minister had better watch his big fat mouth: the elections taking place right now most certainly do involve Iraq, and he’s about to find out what the support of America means if Charlie Rangel gets his way. I’m not big on Americans dying to prop up a government that insults us. This is a perfect way to doom your country.
If the Prime Minister keeps up this attitude, more and more people will be inclined to say to hell with him and his country. That would be a shame, because the ordinary Iraqis have suffered enough, and the escalation of the civil war that would greet a U.S. pullout would only add to their woes. For that reason, and that reason alone, I’m doing my best to ignore the buffoonish cowardice of the Prime Minister (yes, cowardice – if he wasn’t in Sadr’s pocket, we could end this damn death squad b.s. – or at least drastically reduce it).
Congratulations, Mr. Prime Minister: you’re pissing off the biggest supporters of the war…
Sadr has a murder warrent out for him. Why don’t they just whack the fool.
Regarding Maliki: have you considered that some of this is grandstanding to gain support among the Iraqis and to generate feelings of pride and independence? As an Army Officer serving in Iraq, I have learned a lot about the Arabic culture that I didn’t understand before, and while Maliki’s comments are offensive in some ways, I also wonder if they aren’t calculated? Arabic communication patterns often involve making grandiose statements suggesting a non-existent ideal, or the way something “should” be, even if the follow through never comes. In other words, Maliki’s comments show independence, even if he really doesn’t mean it, and may have in fact already agreed to the timetable. A good read on this matter is “The Arab Mind,” by Raphael Patai.
The Iraqis here know that we are needed, and they understand the impact we are having. Yet there are is a sense of pride in their nation (as we all have) and the need to stand up and show legitimacy. The irony is that their independence is being shown by stating that we have to stay and can’t have a timetable!
The situation is much better here than the media might portray.
Chris, excellent points…and I do understand (and had considered) that al-Maliki might have to make a brave show of face in public while swallowing his pride in private. I hope he also understands, however, that he needs to be careful about showing up Bush so close to the midterms, because as I stated in the post, the election does, in fact, have quite a bit to do with him…
Thanks for the comments…and God bless you for your service…