GAO deems 8 Iraqi provinces unstable (only 3 out of 18 are stable)

[Robbien]

The assertion by the U.S. military and the Bush administration that Iraq's problems are limited to four provinces can be traced back to then-Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, who put forth that argument in a press conference with President Bush in September 2004. "Out of these 18 provinces, 14 to 15 are completely safe, there are no problems," Allawi said.

. . .

According to the U.S. Embassy/Multinational Force Iraq National Coordination Team's Provincial Stability Assessment generated in March, just three of Iraq's provinces are stable, and all of them are in so-called Kurdistan in northern Iraq.

Eight provinces are considered moderately stable, all of them south of Baghdad in heavily Shi'ite areas. Moderate provinces are considered those that have a functioning government but still have areas of concern, including sectarian militias; an economy that is slowly developing but still suffer from high unemployment; and a security situation that is under control "but where conditions exist that could quickly lead to instability."

Six provinces - Ninevah, Tamim, Salah ah Din, Diyala, Baghdad and Basrah - are in "serious" condition. Their provincial governments are not fully formed or not capable off serving the needs of the populace; economic development is stagnant and unemployment is high; and the security situation is marked by routine insurgent activity, assassination and extremism.

Anbar province, the vast Sunni area west of Baghdad that comprises Ramadi, Fallujah, Haditha, and al Qaim, is in "critical" condition. The government is not functioning, the economy does not have an infrastructure or the government leadership to develop it, and it is a significant contributor to instability, and there are high levels of insurgent activity, assassinations and extremism.

more:
http://www.wpherald.com/storyview.php?StoryID=20060425-024320-7448r

[marmar]

1. There's the media being all negative on Iraq again...

Not highlighting the 3 provinces where complete chaos hasn't broken out....yet.

:sarcasm:

[Roland99]

2. Perfect imagery for * to act as God creating order out of chaos.

[Spazito]

3. Well, it looks like the three 'stable' provinces may not stay that

way, given this article:

Shiite Militias Move Into Oil-Rich Kirkuk, Even as Kurds Dig In
Control of Iraqi City Has Long Been in Dispute

Hundreds of Shiite Muslim militiamen have deployed in recent weeks to this restive city -- widely considered the most likely flash point for an Iraqi civil war -- vowing to fight any attempt to shift control over Kirkuk to the Kurdish-governed north, according to U.S. commanders and diplomats, local police and politicians.

The Mahdi Army, led by firebrand cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, has sent at least two companies, each with about 120 fighters, according to Thomas Wise, political counselor for the U.S. Embassy's Kirkuk regional office, which has been tracking militia activity.

In a meeting here last week, Sadr's representative in the city, Abdul Karim Khalifa, told U.S. officials that more armed loyalists were on the way and that as many as 7,000 to 10,000 Shiite residents were prepared to fight alongside the Mahdi Army if called upon. Legions more Shiite militiamen would push north from Baghdad's Sadr City slum, he said, according to Wise.

"His message was essentially that any idea of Kirkuk going to the Kurds will mean a fight," Wise said. "He said that their policy here was different from in other places, that they are not going to attack coalition forces because their only enemy here is the Kurds."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/20...

DU thread discussing this:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2245721

[Robbien]

4. In addition, with the Turks amassing their troops at the Iraqi border

to "watch" the Kurds in Iraq, yes you are right. Those last three stable areas will join the other 15 and travel together on BushCo's road to democracy.