Sunni Bloc to Rejoin Iraqi Cabinet

by: Chris LeJeune

Fri Apr 25, 2008 at 14:00:23 PM EDT


The New York Times is reporting that Iraq's largest Sunni bloc, the Iraqi Islamic Party, may be returning to the Iraqi government.  It seems they are encouraged by a number of recent factors at play within Iraq.  The first, of course, being the recent crackdown on Shia militias.  Secondly, an amnesty law was recently passed that has allowed for the release of many Sunnis from Iraqi detention facilities.  Maliki, Iraq's Prime Minister is claiming the return of this Sunni bloc as a political victory.

But, my question is this: Is this a victory for America?  The Iraqi Islamic Party grew out of the Muslim Brotherhood.  They acknowledge strong ties to the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood through political and intellectual alliances.  They control 44 (out of 275) seats in the Iraqi parliament.  They promote good relations with Saudi Arabia, but refuse all diplomatic relations with Israel.  In November of 2004, the Iraqi Islamic Party withdrew from the Iraqi government, temporarily, in protest over the US attack in Fallujah.  During their election platform of 2005, they considered Saddam as a national hero, and they opposed de-Baathification.

So this leaves me with many questions still.  Is this a political victory for Iraq?  Is this a victory for the coalition?  Will this create a stronger, more unified Iraq?    
Chris LeJeune :: Sunni Bloc to Rejoin Iraqi Cabinet
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Sunni Bloc to Rejoin Iraqi Cabinet | 7 comments
Divide and conquer? (0.00 / 0)
The Iraqi government seemed to disintegrate last year, and I've taken to calling it the "Maliki Green Zone government."  If Maliki regains the Sunni part of his cabinet, I'm sure the Bush administration will call it a step forward.  The word "victory" is a stretch these days even for Bush.

We've been told that the ham-handed attempt to crack down on the Sadrists was entirely Maliki's idea, and (because he is in no way whatsoever a US puppet) that he didn't even bother to inform the Americans before the fact.

I wonder about the official story, because the ill-advised attack on Basra happened just after visits by VP Dick Cheney and Senator John McCain.  Preparations for the Basra operation were heralded ten days in advance by the IHT.  Most of all, Maliki couldn't possibly have thought his Iraqi security forces could take on the Mahdi Army without help from the US and UK.

The absolute clincher is the way the Bush administration was so well prepared to spin the attacks on Sadrists as a plus for reconciliation, because supposedly the Sunnis would now be happy.  Was there a quid pro quo?  Nobody in the media has raised the possibility as far as I know.

Based on what I can find out, most Iraqis concluded long ago that the US was engaged in a divide-and-conquer strategy.  This looks like more of the same.  

They (0.00 / 0)
had Zarqawi ties too at one point. In fact, some sources say that it was the IIP who invited Zarqawi in in the first place. That said, the Muslim Brotherhood is alot more dangerous than al Sadr and or the Badr corps in my book.
When car bombs.... (0.00 / 0)
...were found parked in the garage of the IIPs spokesman, Adnan Dulaimi, that definitely drove up some levels of concern.  It's still a mystery what that was all about (happened last December).  
[ Parent ]
Maybe (0.00 / 0)
he was involved with AQI or Ansar al Sunnah and our government crushed the story, so not to piss off potential allies against Iran. Then again, I would hope we have learned not to work with Wahhabi jihadists already. Afghanistan, Bosnia?
[ Parent ]
The IIP... (0.00 / 0)
...is returning their ministers to the government, and ultimately it will be good since most of Iraq's Sunnis still see the Maliki government as part of an Iranian conspiracy to marginalize them.  Once the Government of Iraq gets the trust of many of these prominent Sunni sheikhs, they will be less inclined to conduct resistance and more inclined to kick out foreign terrorists.  But politics is only one piece of the puzzle, what the Sunni provinces really need is jobs and reconstruction.
And, the Sunnis really need (0.00 / 0)
an equitable, and constitutionally protected, share of the oil revenues...otherwise there will be no Sunnis "buy-in" to the political process to find a power-sharing arrangement that will keep Iraq united (if that is still possible). And, that's how trust will be engendered and allowed to build over time...in my not-so-humble opinion. :-)
[ Parent ]
Then (0.00 / 0)
again, I am still concerned that the IIP may be an active part of the foreign terrorist problem, rather than solution. Some real bad guys come out of the Muslim Brotherhood, Zawahiri and much of the top al Qaeda people, even AQI's leader possibly. I would much rather deal with the tribal sheikhs and the "former"
Baathists personally.
Sunni Bloc to Rejoin Iraqi Cabinet | 7 comments
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