The writer has a master’s degree in conflict-resolution from the Monterey Institute of International Studies in California and blogs at
http://coffeeshopdiplomat.wordpress.co
Iraq became engulfed in civil war immediately after the withdrawal of the American forces in December 2011. Now ISIS is heading for Baghdad while live-tweeting amputations and conducting public crucifixions on its way. ISIS’ attack on Mosul was so brutal that soldiers in the Iraqi army shed their uniforms and fled. The terror group is now in control of Mosul’s airport, military base and other crucial infrastructure. ISIS was able to loot $425 million from Mosul’s central bank in addition to millions from various other banks during the attack, possibly making them one of the wealthiest terrorist groups in existence. The fighting has also resulted in 500,000 civilians fleeing and the release of thousands of prisoners, along with ‘mass beheadings’.
This sudden unravelling of Iraq has raised serious concerns about the ability of the US-trained Iraqi security forces and also exposed the powerlessness of the government. These developments shouldn’t come as a surprise to many, since one of the first steps undertaken by the US government after the invasion was to dissolve Iraq’s military along with the defence and information ministries. That led to hundreds of thousands of troops suddenly out of a job. The end result being that many of these skilled officers of Saddam Hussein’s military are now active members of ISIS. Hence, this group is more cohesive and experienced at fighting than Iraq’s current military.
Iraq’s government appears unable to halt ISIS’s gains and this doesn’t bode well for their brief period of rule. As militants creep closer to Baghdad, the UN Security Council held talks last week to discuss the crisis. Iraq’s prime minister, Nouri alMaliki, has called for US strikes by drones or manned aircraft. President Obama stated that they were “looking at all the options” though the White House later clarified that boots on ground was not on the table. During the invasion of Iraq, the US troops peaked at 166,300. However, much of the American public was intentionally misled into supporting the 2003 Iraq invasion, and with over 4,500 US soldiers dead in that conflict, there is no support for returning to the region. Americans were so opposed to interfering in Syria that one congressman said the ratio of calls to his office was 488 to two against an attack that was being considered last year.
Without intervention from another country to rescue their nation, the responsibility falls on the reigning Iraqi military and government. If recent developments are any indication, they don’t appear to be up to the challenge as Iraqi forces are choosing to abandon their posts when faced with ISIS forces. The unstable post-war situation there also leaves us with an obvious question. Will Afghanistan suffer a similar fate once the US forces withdraw? After billions of dollars lost to corruption, ethnic divisions, a ragged Afghan Army hurriedly put together, and the loss of key provinces to the Taliban, it appears Afghanistan is already headed towards a similar destiny.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 16th, 2014.
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COMMENTS (18)
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@Banarsi Brobdingnagian: If you are hard of hearing.....is it my fault ?
@Parvez: If you disagree, come out say it clear and loud. Don't vacillate. Stand firm. Don't be like a mouse. Speak your piece.
Rubbish. Iraq disintegration has been long/painful and the result of Maliki systematically destroying the Sunni coalition developed by the American's - the coalition which was largely responsible for kicking Al Qaeda out of Iraq. Sunni/Shia animosity pre-dated the American's and Maliki is the guy who has abused his position and has excited Sunni rebellion. It's time for Muslim's to step up to the plate and take ownership of the sectarian violence - time for Saudi Arabia and Iran to quit using others for their proxy wars.
@Motiwala..who is helping Asad and Nouri alMaliki...Iran and hisbullah..
@Thomas Tarrants: Very right........and who supported the rebels in Syria ?
I am sure I will be corrected if I am wrong, from Libya, Syria, Egypt , Iraq and other places like Somalia, Afghanistan and Pakistan one thing common in all is religion. It may just be a coincidence, the real reason could be west med ling in muslim world. the question is why do muslim world and muslims fall for the evil tricks of evil west. Strange.
Ahh yes blaming the US will solve all your problems. Muslim intellectuals and leaders have nothing else to offer their public.
@Sexton Blake: If you had bothered to pay closer attention to the Syrian civil war, ISIS poured into Syria last year from Iraq, gained considerable strength over the last several months, and then are coming back into Iraq in greater, stronger numbers. ISIS didn't just appear out of nowhere.
@Sexton Blake: My words exactly
@Sexton Blake: I don't think you're alone in thinking as you do..........the ground reality definately points in that direction.
@Arindom: Dear Arindon, There is nothing speculative about the US invading Iraq and killing about half a million people. There is nothing speculative about the US/UK/France carpet bombing Libya and destroying the best economy in Africa, there is nothing speculative about the US providing and equipping mercenaries to destroy Syria, there is nothing speculative about the US providing several billion dollars to overthrow a democratic government in the Ukraine, there is nothing speculative about the US invading and overthrowing the Afghanistan Government, there is nothing speculative about the US invading over twenty countries since WWII, with an untold number of deaths, there is nothing speculative about the US telling lies such as Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, which Americans are still looking for, it does not require a great deal of speculation to think that the US is creating mischief in Iraq once again as well as other countries. I normally do not go into specifics, because ET quite often does not print me if I do. However, if they do the few facts I have mentioned may help you.
@Anjaan: Dear Anjaan, You are quite right. Not a bit of blind speculation in your missive. All we have to consider is what is in it for America, and who is pressing US buttons. I would say there is very little in it for the American people, much for corporate interests, and I will leave it to others to work out who is obviously pressing the buttons.
Isis is a group of sunni extremist militatnts, says the lady author from California. A sterio type political statement from the country which invaded the country twice by Bush versus senior and Bush junior, broke up the fabric of unity in two, shia and sunni. Mr sadam Hussain wasd replaced by Mr alMaliki, whose time is now up. The resistance was originaly financed and suported by the Obamas & co(US; UK and France) to destabilise Syria, which has now turned into a force with its own dynamics moving across the middle east vacuum areas. The USA ghost aircraft carriers are returning rto the middle east for the pleasure of its defense minister to say adio to the meditrenian sea before going to the scrap yard.
Rex Minor
The Americans have managed to achieve their decades long objective of destabilizing the entire Muslim world in the Middle East and Africa ... all in the name of addressing the security threats to the US ... but it is not clear what the US security interests in the region are and how the US mainland is threatened by the Muslim extremists from these regions ... what is obvious however is that the US Saudi nexus is engaged a deadly re engineering of power equation in the entire Muslim world, in which Pakistan is also an important piece ...
So what are you trying to say other than speculating blindly?
@Parvez: Dear Parvez, I agree with what you said. However, to expand it a little, the current donnybrook is taking an unusual turn. A well equipped military group (ISIS) has appeared out of nowhere. Other well equipped groups appeared, took over Libya, severely damaged Syria and now ISIS appears well on its way to creating turmoil in Iraq. It appears to be a slam dunk operation to keep the entire Middle-Eastern countries fighting each other, and one wonders if the same external party, or parties have planned the whole thing without having to put government boots on the ground. If I am right, it is a good strategy. A reasonably low cost operation and no future unfunded liabilities. I have not thought the whole through yet, but one wonders where all the various groups in Afghanistan and Pakistan are getting their equipment from, and is there a plot to keep the whole of the Muslim world in disarray? It may not sound logical as a theory, but is there any logic in the West fighting continual wars over the last 13 years? The Western leaders either have to be idiots or there is an agenda
No, ISIS wants to forge a State from Baghdad through northern Syria all the way to the Mediterranean.Sea. [Not Syrian border] They are the same, who eat the livers of dead Syrian and Iraqi soldiers. They are financed by Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States. Only Qatar refuses to bankroll them. Abject failure by the author to mention all this.. Nobody had high expectations from the ridiculous Iraqi Army. Stitched together in a hurry. Expected to fight a rabid force like ISIS. This is only a preview. A repeat is already in the making in Afghanistan.