Looks like there's hope for Iraq to be able to defend itself after all.....

By Sinan Salaheddin / Associated Press

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Influential Sunni Muslim clerics who once condemned Iraqi security force members as traitors made a surprise turnaround Friday and encouraged citizens to join the nascent police and army.

If heeded, the announcement could strengthen the image of the officers and soldiers trying to take over the fight against the Sunni-led insurgency.

Still, it wasn't a full-fledged endorsement. The edict, endorsed by a group of 64 Sunni clerics and scholars, instructed enlistees to refrain from helping foreign troops against their own countrymen.

Ahmed Abdul Ghafour al-Samarrai, a cleric in the Association of Muslim Scholars, read the edict during a sermon at a major Sunni mosque in Baghdad. He said it was necessary for Sunnis to join the security forces to prevent Iraqi police and army from falling into "the hands of those who have caused chaos, destruction and violated the sanctities."

It seemed to be a recognition by the Sunni minority, which dominated under former dictator Saddam Hussein, that Iraq's interim government is slowly retaking control of the nation and paving the way for a U.S. withdrawal.

http://www.detnews.com/2005/nation/0504/02/natio-136913.htm

First I saw that article. Here are a couple more;

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=43619

http://www.sanluisobispo.com/mld/sanluisobispo/news/world/11296605.htm

Looks like there's hope for Iraq to be able to defend itself after all I'd have to say Iraq has done quite a good job of defending itself. Defeating the worlds military super power with trucks and AK's is quite impressive.

I dont think they've defeated us, we are after all, still there helping the iraqi government get on its feet.

Wishful thinking maybe?

I'm thinking this could be a bad thing. If the Sunni infiltrate the police and army and carry out terrorist attacks from within the Iraqi defense, there will be hell to pay trying to get Iraq on the road to a democracy. Time will tell though.

The bit of good news is that SOME of the Iraqis seem willing to turn terrorists in, I hope that with a strengthening Iraq police as well as economy the citizens of Iraq will grab at the chance of a better life rather than religious warfare and tyrants.

Oh, and guerilla, the U.S. has won against the Iraqi army and it seems to be winning the battle for the hearts of the Iraqi people, dammit.

Originally posted by 500lbguerilla
I'd have to say Iraq has done quite a good job of defending itself. Defeating the worlds military super power with trucks and AK's is quite impressive.

sure, they defeated us. Thats why we have PX's set up all over their country

The Us does not control the roads. The US is still fighting "Operation Iraqi Liberation." Just because your 'great leader' proclaims something is such doesnt make it so.

Thats why theres over 60 attacks on the crusaders everyday.

We have not beaten them, We cannot beat them. Vietnam taught these jackasses nothing.

Did an of you hear about the mock wargames that were held before the invasion. The guy controling the opposition used a few suicide bombers to sink the entire US fleet. The militray stopped the exercise "refloated" the ships then commanded them to continue. The opposition quit since they were playing unfairly. He demostrated a relatively unarmed and unsophisticated military could defeat one that spends more than all its allis and enemies combined. Thats what was proven in Vietnam and its whast being proven in Iraq.

Darth - You didnt seems very concerned when the US was actively hiring old Ba'athists. The US government said they dont care if they hire back the same violent fucks Saddam used.

when we want info on the latest anarchist book fairs and Ward Churchill seminars we will ask you, lets leave leave the military exercise AAR's and who controls roads in Iraq to the experts, because your break down on the great naval battles of Operation Iraqi Freedom leave a lot to be desired

Wow, what a completely fuckin useless post. But I guess that about all youre good for around here Trav.

A useless post is one where we hear about how the Iraqi insurgents sunk the "US fleet". WTF does that have to do with anyhting? "in war games iraqi insurgents were able to sink the US fleet with suiciide bombers" ya, thats relevant :rolleyes: I guess when we start patrolling baghdad with missle cruisers and submarines then we will have a real problem on our hands

Just because you can blow up stuff and kill people doesn't mean you are winning. Quite the contrary, these would be best classified as despiration tactics. The kamikazi idea is only used if it is the last option available.

Guerilla,

Did you ever read Jack Broughton's book "Going Downtown?" I doubt you did, Mr Broughton was an ardent patriot who did his duty no matter how stupid those in the Whitehouse were at the time.

Anyway, Mr Broughton flew F-105 Thunderchiefs (I'll call them Thuds from here on out) on mission to North Vietnam, he flew a lot of them. Anyway, Mr Broughton's account was very,very interesting as to exactly what went on in the Vietnam War, especially when conducted under LBJs Administration. Did North Vietnam have the most sophisticated anti-aircraft batteries at the time of the Vietnam war? Yes they did, Mr Broughton watched them being built and was forbidden to attack those installations. Were the getting tons and tons and tons of supplies through their port of Haiphong to prosecute their war? Yes, and the Thuds weren't allowed to attack the port while a nuetral ship was docked, the gooners went ahead and WELDED a nuetral ship at their dock to make sure the Haiphong harbor wasn't attacked. Did the North Vietnamese have capable fighters able to harass and destroy American Aircraft? Yes, and the airfield they operated out of could not be destroyed. Then there were the "tactics" and weapons used to try and fight the North Vietnamese. Such as a "surprise" strike somewhere up North where the Thuds were required to fly the exact same course at the exact same speed at the exact same time some half dozen times BEFORE actually attacking the target they were supposed to attack. Or using weapons like napalm to destroy dirt roads. Napalm destroys by burning, and dirt roads just don't burn all that well. I kid you not. Read this book and you'll want to charge LBJ and that ASSHOLE McNamara with treason.

OH, did I mention the little itty bitty tiny fact that the LBJ Administration didn't even bother to try and find out if the Chinese would get involved in Vietnam if the U.S. invaded North Vietnam? It's called a National Intelligence estimate, and it was never done to "know the enemy."

So basically, our Air Force and Navy were sent to bomb the trees in North Vietnam, our soldiers on the ground were forbidden to go up north and kick the tar out of Ho Chi Minh (the China Card, didn't want China involved) nor were our soldiers allowed to go into Cambodia and Loas to root out the VC and the NVA and in SPITE of all that the U.S. was winning the war. It was the peace protests that finally killed the Vietnam thing.

Want to run this bilge by me again that the U.S. can't win a war that it actually FIGHTS?

Dammit.

Originally posted by Darth Be'lal
the U.S. has won against the Iraqi army and it seems to be winning the battle for the hearts of the Iraqi people, dammit.

What have you read or seen that supports such a conclusion??

Just curious.

Freethinker,

Amir Taheri, for one.