It looks like business as usual is returning to Iraq.
The great “surge” strategy of General Petraeus was essentially based on two things: 1) allowing ethnic cleansing to proceed in many Baghdad neighborhoods and Iraqi towns before securing them, and 2) putting former Sunni insurgents on Uncle Sam’s payroll.
Now we’re pulling out and the Sunnis are off the payroll. What’s left is what has always been there: deep distrust of the Shi’ites by the Sunnis and deep indifference by the Shi’ites about reintegrating the Sunnis.
Gorilla concludes: “Civil war is the result we could have had by withdrawing 5 years ago. Or the result we’ll have 5 years from now.”
Tags: Iraq