Expert on Iraq: 'We're In a Civil War'

[sabra]

http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/print?id=1689688

Expert on Iraq: 'We're In a Civil War'
U.S. Officials Deny Violence Has Risen to That Level, but ABC News Analysts See a 'Serious Lack of Realism'

BAGHDAD, March 5, 2006 — - As Pentagon generals offered optimistic assessments that the sectarian violence in Iraq had dissipated this weekend, other military experts told ABC News that Sunni and Shiite groups in Iraq already are engaged in a civil war, and that the Iraqi government and U.S. military had better accept that fact and adapt accordingly.

"We're in a civil war now; it's just that not everybody's joined in," said retired Army Maj. Gen. William L. Nash, a former military commander in Bosnia-Herzegovina. "The failure to understand that the civil war is already taking place, just not necessarily at the maximum level, means that our counter measures are inadequate and therefore dangerous to our long-term interest.

"It's our failure to understand reality that has caused us to be late throughout this experience of the last three years in Iraq," added Nash, who is an ABC News consultant.

Anthony Cordesman, the Arleigh A. Burke chair in strategy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told ABC News, "If you talk to U.S. intelligence officers and military people privately, they'd say we've been involved in low level civil war with very slowly increasing intensity since the transfer of power in June 2004."

[libodem]

1. Finally an honest assessment

[lovuian]

2. Finally the truth comes out!!!

I can't believe the different words

"on the brink"
Could happen
probably will happen

Finally reality its here!!!

[noahmijo]

3. There was ALWAYS a civil war in Iraq

You don't need to be an expert to know this-just a little informed of the nearly thousand year between Sunnis and Shiites.

In Iraq when Saddam was in power via torture and murder he told both groups "Listen up I run things around here bricks don't fall in this neighborhood unless I'm throwing them you will understand this"

So now with him on the war is free to rage on. Period.

LET FREEDOM RING!!!! ::sarcasm::

[stillcool]

4. wow...I've read the responses....

so many experts here, agree with the ABC expert. How depressing...we have a long way to go.
http://www.dahrjamailiraq.com/hard_news/archives/newscommentary/000369.php#more
http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com/

[Warren Stupidity]

5. As the central government stalemate continues

and the warfare between sunni and shia escalates, expect the kurds to move as well. But never mind that failure, we are working on a whole new failure in Iran.

[LynnTheDem]

6. "our failure to understand reality"

What the fuck is with the "our", kemosabe.

[Hissyspit]

7. Civil War W/ Occupation

[radfringe]

8. the spin is coming

...."it's not a civil war, it's a sectarian conflict..."

[physioex]

9. Leave it to Karl Rove......

He will find a way to twist the facts....

[truthisfreedom]

10. remember when they vehemently denied that it was "guerrilla war?"

remember when they said it would cost a maximum of $80 Billion and the "oil will pay for it?"

remember when the president wasn't the head of a giant sickening mafia?

[speedingbullet]

11. We Are at War and They Are Not

This administration sure has some interesting definitions. They president gets to spy on us because 'we are at war.' Iraqis are blowing each other up and there is no civil war.

[Ilsa]

12. Hey Sabra, you have the printable page link listed in your OP.

I have found that these pages tend to disappear faster than the article themselves. Do you still have the article link? It might be nice to have that one available.

Great find. I'm going to post it at another site.

NEVERMIND! Here is the article link at World News Tonight:
http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/IraqCoverage/story?id=1689688&page=1

[Roland99]

13. And the beginning stages to a genocide are underway

A civil war doesn't have to mean all-out fighting between various factions. The insurgency has long been fought by a minority in Iraq and will continue to be so but it also doesn't mean they are engaging in civil war and what almost amounts to genocide.

[Clara T]

14. "Military" Expert

that is. And the American public looks askance as the mighty Wurlitzer spins and spins and....



What convenient propaganda. It's now imperative for an eternal occupation to make sure that "Civil War" doesn't spiral out of control, huh? That's what keeps the psycopaths at the Pentagon happy.