Thursday, January 31, 2008
Anbar Awakening: A Play in 3(?) Acts
ACT I
Sunni Tribal Sheikhs: Death to America!
American Military: Would you please stop fighting us and start fighting Al Qaeda for us?
Sunni Tribal Sheikhs: What's in it for me?
American Military: Stability, a chance to be a part of the new Iraqi government, political leverage to empower the Sunnis.
Sunni Tribal Sheikhs: What about money?
American Military: Lots.
Sunni Tribal Sheikhs: Sounds good, but what we're really concerned about is making sure that Maliki doesn't screw us.
American Military: Oh yeah, you'll get your security, and, Maliki, yeah, that guy's great, isn't he?
Sunni Tribal Sheikhs: Um, no. He screws us, and we're out.
American Military: Security is awesome.
ACT II
American Military: Isn't it great how peaceful things are in Anbar these days? We did such a great job! Aren't we just the best?
Chicken Hawks: Isn't it great how peaceful things are in Anbar these days? Bush did such a great job! All those naysayers were wrong! Iraq is basically free these days, it'll be smooth sailing from here on out!
Naysayers: Didn't they say something about "political participation" or something?
Chicken Hawks (with fingers in their ears): Nyahh, nyahh I can't hear you!
Maliki Government: Symbolic, largely meaningless gesture.
Sunni Tribal Sheikhs: The Maliki government is the worst government on Earth. If we don't have real political participation in three months, the deal is off.
On the next episode of Anbar Awakening: will the American Military listen? Will the Tribal Sheikhs follow through? Will the Chicken Hawks notice?
Stay tuned....
http://www.forret.com/tools/trackback.asp?title=Anbar Awakening: A Play in 3(?) Acts&blog_name=Decline and Fall&url=http://www.declineandfall.net/2008/01/anbar-awakening-play-in-3-acts.html
Sunni Tribal Sheikhs: Death to America!
American Military: Would you please stop fighting us and start fighting Al Qaeda for us?
Sunni Tribal Sheikhs: What's in it for me?
American Military: Stability, a chance to be a part of the new Iraqi government, political leverage to empower the Sunnis.
Sunni Tribal Sheikhs: What about money?
American Military: Lots.
Sunni Tribal Sheikhs: Sounds good, but what we're really concerned about is making sure that Maliki doesn't screw us.
American Military: Oh yeah, you'll get your security, and, Maliki, yeah, that guy's great, isn't he?
Sunni Tribal Sheikhs: Um, no. He screws us, and we're out.
American Military: Security is awesome.
ACT II
American Military: Isn't it great how peaceful things are in Anbar these days? We did such a great job! Aren't we just the best?
Chicken Hawks: Isn't it great how peaceful things are in Anbar these days? Bush did such a great job! All those naysayers were wrong! Iraq is basically free these days, it'll be smooth sailing from here on out!
Naysayers: Didn't they say something about "political participation" or something?
Chicken Hawks (with fingers in their ears): Nyahh, nyahh I can't hear you!
Maliki Government: Symbolic, largely meaningless gesture.
Sunni Tribal Sheikhs: The Maliki government is the worst government on Earth. If we don't have real political participation in three months, the deal is off.
On the next episode of Anbar Awakening: will the American Military listen? Will the Tribal Sheikhs follow through? Will the Chicken Hawks notice?
Stay tuned....
Labels: Iraq
