U.S. to Iraq: Curb Use of Shiite Militias

[Eugene]

U.S. to Iraq: Curb Use of Shiite Militias


Thursday November 17, 2005 8:31 PM

AP Photo BAG105

By ROBERT H. REID

Associated Press Writer

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - The United States warned Iraqi officials Thursday
against allowing Shiite militias a role in the security services
following allegations of torture of Sunni Arabs by the Shiite-led
Interior Ministry. The official in charge of the ministry said torture
claims were exaggerated.

Sectarian rhetoric sharpened four days after U.S. troops found up to
173 malnourished detainees - some showing signs of torture - in an
Interior Ministry building in the capital's Jadriyah district. Most
were believed to be Sunni Arabs, the main group in the insurgency.

<snip>

The government denies the militia allegations.

Last May, however, officials confirmed that a Shiite militia
affiliated with Jabr's party helped capture five men wanted in a fatal
car bombing in east Baghdad. Another Shiite militia took part in a
joint raid with police last month southeast of the capital in which
about 20 people were killed.

The U.S. statement seemed designed to reassure the Sunni Arab minority
that the Americans are keen to defend their interests at a time when
Washington is encouraging a big Sunni Arab turnout in the Dec. 15
election - hoping that will help take the steam out of the insurgency.

<snip>

Full article: http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-5422373,00.html

[Alpharetta]

1. Oh ha. Lip service

#1) The White House LOVES the idea of religious militias. They'd LOVE them here in the US too.

#2) The White House knows the religious militias are better organized and capable of policing than the Iraqi army. That's because the militia have better screening of personnel and are less likely to be infiltrated by saboteurs and spies. For now, they need the militia to keep law and order because no other group can.

#3) In the long run, the US will be fighting against the Shiite militia if those groups are too closely aligned with Iran's clerics. So it's a temporary truce which allows #2 above.

[Barrett808]

3. Well, given that the "Iraqi army" is largely composed of militias...

...of various sorts (esp. Kurdish Peshmerga), this edict has to be viewed with skepticism.

[Az_lefty]

2. Look, either curb your malitias or we're going home!

There, that should shake'em up.

[Romigi]

4. Half the fucking army already is militia

I've read that nearly half the army and most of the police force in the South are all Shia militiamen of various shapes and forms. In fact, they arrested 2 British intelligence officers in Basra recently and turned them over to Shia militiamen for questioning. Goes to show you what's going on over there and who's really in charge.

[Tempest]

5. It's too late for Bush to put that genie back in the bottle

Reap what you sow, Miserable Failure.