Lieutenant Colonel Gian Gentile, who commanded 8-10 Cavalry armored reconnaissance squadron for three years (including a deployment to Baghdad in 2006) until his posting last year to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, hammers out an idea that began on the Small Wars Council in this Army Times piece titled What Lies Beneath.
Reports from Iraq are showing that the war-torn country might finally be on the road to some mix of local and national reconciliation. The recent reduction in violence suggests this might be the case and Iraq's bleeding may have been stopped.
Yet deals cut with our former Sunni-insurgent enemies to stop fighting us and become our allies against al-Qaida, along with the hope of compromise between the different factions in Iraq and the Iraqi government, may be taking our eyes off the fundamental issue that has yet to be resolved: Who will hold absolute power in Iraq, Shiites or Sunnis?
Comments
LTC Gentile, the historical comparison to the US Civil War experience has its limitations. The Shia-Sunni divide in Iraq has a far longer and more complex history. The influence of Iran on the Iraqi Shia bulge is undeniable, and it has been contentious for centuries. It is ethnocentric to point to reference points in United States history, as a rough guide to this current Middle East conflict. Doing so can also undermine attempts at prediction and control, necessary components to any successful military occupation.