Comments on: The Enemies Within The Iraqi Army http://donklephant.com/2007/08/15/the-enemies-within-the-iraqi-army/ Big Teeth. Huge Ass. Surprisingly Reasonable. Fri, 05 Dec 2008 10:49:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: TerenceC http://donklephant.com/2007/08/15/the-enemies-within-the-iraqi-army/#comment-395152 TerenceC Sat, 29 Mar 2008 23:34:28 +0000 http://donklephant.com/2007/08/15/the-enemies-within-the-iraqi-army/#comment-395152 Here here! Here here!

]]> By: Justin Gardner http://donklephant.com/2007/08/15/the-enemies-within-the-iraqi-army/#comment-380662 Justin Gardner Thu, 16 Aug 2007 01:15:16 +0000 http://donklephant.com/2007/08/15/the-enemies-within-the-iraqi-army/#comment-380662 Point well taken. I share your "enthusiasm." Point well taken. I share your “enthusiasm.”

]]> By: mw http://donklephant.com/2007/08/15/the-enemies-within-the-iraqi-army/#comment-380632 mw Wed, 15 Aug 2007 20:03:00 +0000 http://donklephant.com/2007/08/15/the-enemies-within-the-iraqi-army/#comment-380632 Screwed up link to <a href ="http://donklephant.com/2007/05/14/end-state-the-face-of-victory-in-iraq/" rel="nofollow">"Face of Victory on Iraq."</a> ... and at <href ="http://westanddivided.blogspot.com/2007/05/end-game-face-of-victory-in-iraq.html">DWSUWF.</href> Screwed up link to “Face of Victory on Iraq.”

… and at
DWSUWF. ]]> By: mw http://donklephant.com/2007/08/15/the-enemies-within-the-iraqi-army/#comment-380631 mw Wed, 15 Aug 2007 19:54:53 +0000 http://donklephant.com/2007/08/15/the-enemies-within-the-iraqi-army/#comment-380631 Justin, You make an assumption in your title, that the "Mahdi Army" is "the Enemy". Now - we don't like the Mahdi Army, and we don't like their leader Moqtada Al-Sadr, but - They are not "Al Queda". They are not Baathists or Sadaamites. They are not the people we went into Iraq to fight. In fact, they are the very Iraqi's, the exact oppressed Religious sect that we presumably went in to Iraq offer the gift of freedom at the point of a gun. The Mahdi Army and Moqtada Al Sadr have overwhelming support in the largest majority in Iraq - The Shia. They voted and Maliki only formed a government with their support. This is exactly the point I was trying to make in my post <i href="http://donklephant.com/2007/05/14/end-state-the-face-of-victory-in-iraq/">"The Face of Victory in Iraq"</i>. I am beginning to suspect that this is the exact reason why Bush is so intransigent. The natural leadership in Iraq when we leave is Al Sadr and his followers, including those Iraqi's in the Mahdi Army, which is actually in the process of becoming the Iraqi Army. Bush just wants this transition to happen on the next President's watch. They just don't want to have to explain what victory actually looks like. My fellow Americans - let us celebrate! We have victory in Iraq! The people we freed from Saddam's yoke are now in the Army and waiting for us to leave so they can take formally over the government. Declare victory! Our job is done - lets get the hell out. Justin,
You make an assumption in your title, that the “Mahdi Army” is “the Enemy”.

Now - we don’t like the Mahdi Army, and we don’t like their leader Moqtada Al-Sadr, but - They are not “Al Queda”. They are not Baathists or Sadaamites. They are not the people we went into Iraq to fight. In fact, they are the very Iraqi’s, the exact oppressed Religious sect that we presumably went in to Iraq offer the gift of freedom at the point of a gun. The Mahdi Army and Moqtada Al Sadr have overwhelming support in the largest majority in Iraq - The Shia. They voted and Maliki only formed a government with their support. This is exactly the point I was trying to make in my post “The Face of Victory in Iraq”.

I am beginning to suspect that this is the exact reason why Bush is so intransigent. The natural leadership in Iraq when we leave is Al Sadr and his followers, including those Iraqi’s in the Mahdi Army, which is actually in the process of becoming the Iraqi Army. Bush just wants this transition to happen on the next President’s watch. They just don’t want to have to explain what victory actually looks like.

My fellow Americans - let us celebrate! We have victory in Iraq! The people we freed from Saddam’s yoke are now in the Army and waiting for us to leave so they can take formally over the government. Declare victory! Our job is done - lets get the hell out.

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