NEWS: My EnemyÂ’s Enemy Is My Friend, Iraq Style

POLITICS: My Enemy’s Enemy Is My Friend, Iraq Style

For years we backed Saddam Hussein because he was the enemy of Iran. It worked out great. Hussein killed his own people for years, as we looked the other way. He eventually invaded Kuwait and we had to drive him out. Clinton bombed Iraq repeatedly during his time in the White House and finally, George W. Bush disregarded every Middle East expert when he invaded the country, ending Hussein’s reign of terror and creating a complete disaster for the US. That is usually how the policy “my enemy’s enemy is my friend” ends: In disaster. So, let’s take the policy to the local level!

Ah, you can almost smell the good ending. I honestly donÂ’t see how this could possibly go wrong.

In the short term, Americans fighting alongside men who previously tried to kill them has been successful. US soldiers are encouraged for the first time in months and compare the Baghdad Patriots to the Minutemen of the American Revolution.

This strategy rose out of total desperation. Why else would Americans fight side by side with men who had at one time killed their fellow soldiers? But this is what we can expect out of a war as poorly run as Iraq. The partnership already defies orders by the Prime Minister that “no groups besides the Iraqi and American security forces are allowed to bear arms.” And US soldiers are worried that the Sunnis could suddenly decide to kill them.

If this new collaborative effort between two former enemies is successful and they are able to eliminate al-Qaeda, then they will be able to get back to killing each other. One Sunni leader had this to say:

“For the time being.” Sounds like the perfect arrangement. US soldiers are being cautious.

Good.

sweet jesus... please can you be done with these "incendiary" pieces you keep posting? if you don't realize that anyone in this country (iraq) would shoot at americans for 500 dollars or less, and that, at one time or another, everyone involved has played both sides, then theres no help for the american media. Honestly, it's as though rabble rouser, newsreel spewing media are the biggest problem in this country. thankfully, the iraqis dont read SG news.

this is my first comment on one of your stories, granted, but i read them daily, simply to start my day with the appropriate headache for the situation at hand. i feel it keeps me grounded, so thanks for that. but please, stop. seriously.

What do you mean? How could this possibly go bad?

I am done being shocked or surprised by anything this administration comes up with.

It's almost like they have gone through the entire length of human history and picked out every failed idea to adopt as policy.

Yep, taking sides in a civil war is never a bad idea.

First Amendment dude...

yeah , because statements villianizing all Iraqis like this one aren't at all part of the problem.

Yeah, pretty much...

Wendy was distracting me, what were we ranting about?

Um, yeah, well, whatever, work with the iraqis, civil war, FTR would kill an american for 500 dollars, yadda-yadda blah, blah, blah.

I have to ask this since you all seem to be subject matter experts, how many of you guy's have actually been to Iraq..... Please one of you prove me wrong, I am not the only person here who has been to Iraq, talked face to face with Iraqi's and actually seen the good or bad we are doing there. Hmmmm sounds like we got a lot of people that need to evaluate exactly where their info is coming from.

Me.


Now how about you read a book?

Oh, and these guys.

Yes! Because soooo many of the military posters paint such an honest picture of Iraq here!

Thanks, but I'll take the word of reporters from the Washington Post, or nearly any reporter over someone in the military.

You could, of course, actually draw upon your experiences in Iraq by providing actual examples of how this article's premise may be flawed, or how the situation on the ground might vary from what's being presented in the press, mainstream or otherwise, but then that'd be a whole lot harder than using your military service as a way of telling everyone you apparently disagree with simply to shut the fuck up.

I was there and will be again before the year is over. I think it isn't the best of ideas, but what choice do we have? that Spc altamarino has the right idea, don't ever truly trust them, because they will shoot you in the back once al qaeda is gone. Plus it's not like these sunni dudes will just up and say, "hey US forces, since al qaeda is all gone now, we're going to be fighting with you again". they'll just start shooting.

the main thing I hated about my tour in Iraq was how intolerant it made me towards Iraqis. all of our translators hated the country and would tell us everyday that you can't trust a single person from Iraq (I am aware of the Irony).

so before I rant longer, I say it's not a good idea, but we need ally's where we can get them. Who knows, maybe haj will prove us all wrong and not backstab us once al qaeda is dead in iraq

+1, if you want to keep waving your military service in our faces in defense of posting a response in the CE forums devoid of any logic or factual information, prepare to have it attacked, especially by me.

When I went to Iraq I was a medic, I tended people who generally had been injured by their own people. I have to say these were some of the kindest people I have ever met. Most of the ones I met were poor and had bad living conditions, but it was not due to what we as soldiers were doing vice versa even, I have seen many new buildings built to aid the public in Iraq. Schools hospitals, shit some of their new hospitals are better than the ones I go to back on base. It is not all bad, yes their is a negative aspect, but we are doing a lot of good things over there right now. I think if you guy's went over there and saw the reality you would realise that not only are most political view points on the war slightly skewed but what the media is feeding the public is crap as well. As for the article itself their are only names listed not units that cooperated, an intelligence officer from the battalion, Spc Estevan could be in a unit completely unrelated to this at all. He could be a fobbit, a person who does nothing but sit in the fob all day long, and blowing smoke out his ass. This sounds like I am discrediting alot of the information here, but I think thats because I think the general public are being misled by a political agenda. Finally I am not Pro Bush or Republican, but I do love my job.

So, the media is over reporting the bad news out of Iraq? Wow. Is this the first time you've read or watched American media?

You can claim throwing up buildings is really great, but as long as people are being blown up in the streets and mosques are being bombed, it does not matter.

The place defines the word disaster. You did nothing to counter that idea in your post.

Must be nice to see at the comfort of your own on SG.com and criticize a stragety of a war. Must be nice

What the fuck are you talking about? The First Amendment is one of our (few) protected rights to participate in our democracy and you think people shouldn't utilize it? Pardon me for calling you a total douchebag.

Desperate times. Desperate measures. Although this does look like it will lead down a slippery slope, I think a less orthodox approach to how we fight this war is long over due.

well since we don't work for the department of defense, what exactly would you have us do?

Must be nice to see (sic) at the comfort of your own Bakersfield and criticize a stragety of a war. Pleae be nice.

If you wish to encounter people cheerleading the "stragety" of the Iraq War from the comfort of their own .coms, there are plenty of options available to you.