A PLEA The leaflet, dropped by helicopter, urges Basra residents to welcome government forces who are battling militiamen for control.
This 'strategy' to win over the citizens of an area worked successfully in Afghanistan. It was before the initial invasion when the 'military intelligence' units were on the ground first. As a matter of fact, the Afghan citizens responded so positively to this type of 'outreach' that they provided donkeys to the USA military to assist them in the mountainous terrain. In the beginning of the Afghanistan invasion it was the Pashtun that greeted the USA military.
There are a lot more 'players' (which is a crude word to describe people struggling with control of their own culture) in Iraq. The 'leaflet' is a joke. It won't be well received. This is NOT Afghanistan and that seems to be a huge incompetency Bush's military can't seem to come to terms with in regard to 'war vs. diplomacy.'
As a matter of fact, the opposition movement to the Maliki 'death initative' is 'creating' a coalition of militias. The strength of the opposition is growing.
FACTBOX-Main players in Iraq's Basra (click here)
...* SADR MOVEMENT:-- Sadr loyalists are widely seen as the most influential group on the streets of Basra. Sadr's political movement and Mehdi Army militia have popular support. -- The Sadrists recently signed a truce with other major Shi'ite parties, agreeing that militia members would not carry guns openly as long as security forces do not target them.-- Unlike the Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council, Sadr opposes the idea of federalism for the south.-- The militia has kept a low profile since Sadr called a ceasefire last August and extended it last month.-- But gunbattles in Baghdad and the southern city of Kut last week have raised fears that it may be unravelling at a time when the U.S. military is withdrawing 20,000 troops.*
SUPREME ISLAMIC IRAQI COUNCIL:-- The Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council (SIIC) has a strong following in Basra and, like the Sadrists, has built up support by running charities to help the poor.-- The party, engaged in a power struggle with Sadr's followers across much of the south, joined Sadr in opposing the governor of Basra, who belongs to the smaller Shi'ite Fadhila Party.-- The Supreme Council favours the creation of a large federal region with wide autonomy that would include the nine southern mainly Shi'ite provinces.*
* FADHILA PARTY:-- The Fadhila Party is a small Shi'ite Islamist party which has little clout in other parts of the country but controls the position of governor in Basra. Fadhila is believed to have influence in the Southern Oil Company, which through exports from Basra supplies nearly all of the government's funds.-- The party's spiritual leader is Sheikh Mohammed al-Yaqoubi, a student of Moqtada al-Sadr's father, a connection that has heightened rivalry between the groups.-- Fadhila, fearful of plans for a Shi'ite super-region which might be controlled from the holy city of Najaf, favours autonomy for Basra.
I find it fascinating that the 'Sadr' folks were developing their own ideas to promote a more 'democratic' region. The Sheikh mentioned above was a student of Moktada. Yet, he is alive and well and favoring an autonomous region for Basra. THAT is democracy at work. He was/is developing his own political opinions and seeking elections to foster those opinions in leadership.
This is typical of the Sistani Shia of Iraq. They love each other enough to form militias that are loyal to their own concepts of culture and faith. They foster intelligence and wrap it in loyalty. I think they are incredible people and all the Iraqi government wants now is to kill them. I don't think so. They must be left to their own attempts at government and the formation of political parties. The existance of militias is a reality in Iraq. They have grown out of need and fear. The fears of the Sistani Shia are real, even today. The role of the USA in Iraq needs to be to work through peaceful initiatives WITH the leaders of these political parties, seeking answers that bring about change and stabilize the region.
McCain states he will bring war to Iraq for 100 years. That is a 'war crimes' violation to the will of the people that have lived in southern Iraq for millenium. The Iraqi 'process' to secure their country might take another 100 years, but, through diplomacy and initiatives that identify their strengths to govern themselves, NOT through death of their people and destruction of their culture.
