I’m one of those who didn’t agree with the ISG’s conclusions, especially those that suggested making Israel the sacrificial animal in hopes of placating the ravening Islamic hordes. I’m wondering, though, whether the ISG didn’t end up having its uses. This is so because its recommendations opened up an abyss, such as an Iraq in free-fall when, as the ISG recommended, the American’s pull out. I therefore don’t think it’s a coincidence that the top Shiite cleric, Grand AyatollahAli al-Sistani, is giving up his demand for government for a Shiia controlled government and beginning to talk coalition:
Iraq’s most venerated Shiite cleric has tentatively approved an American-backed coalition of Shiite, Sunni Arab and Kurdish parties that aims to isolate extremists, particularly the powerful Shiite militia leader Moktada al-Sadr, Iraqi and Western officials say.Since the fall of Saddam Hussein the cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, has been the spiritual custodian of Shiite political dominance in Iraq, corralling the fractious Shiite parties into an alliance to rule the country.
But Ayatollah Sistani has grown increasingly distressed as the Shiite-led government has proved incapable of taming the violence and improving public services, Shiite officials say. He now appears to be backing away from his demand that the Shiite bloc play the dominant political role and that it hold together at all costs, Iraqi and Western officials say.
As the effective arbiter of a Shiite role in the planned coalition, the ayatollah is considered critical to the Iraqi and American effort.
American officials have been told by intermediaries that Ayatollah Sistani “has blessed the idea of forming a moderate front,” according to a senior American official. “We wouldn’t have gotten this far without his support.”
I also think it was the report that gave the President a reality check, and got him off his tuchus and into more decisive action; namely, placing more, not fewer, troops in Iraq.
Sometimes it’s useful to get a kick in the pants.
Incidentally, for a kick in the everything, check out this on-the-money Jerry Zucker video attacking the ISQ:
Filed under: Iraq
Interesting take on the ISG, Bookworm. Your upbeat outlook is heartening.
I think the post election timing may also be useful. Had Bush attempted changes before the election, they would have been shot down in the campaigning. The report gives cover to folks like Steny Hoyer and other Dems who take national defense a bit more seriously than the Huffington Post wing.
It gives Sistani a taste of his own medicine really. After all, Sistani was the one who told the US, “hey, if you don’t like my Shia one block one government path, you can go over there and deal with Sadr if you don’t like me so much”.
Now Sistani is looking at Baker and the Demos and thinking “okay, Bush and the Sunnis I may not like, but I’m not too sure I want to deal with the Demos and the Baker’s Dozen boys”.
Hi BW!
Just wanted to drop in and say Merry Christmas!
Take care,
-Jack