Anatomy of a Conflict

I find the drumbeat mantra from Administration apologists for staying in Iraq so that we can "win the war" to be very confusing. How are they defining the conditions of victory? When will they agree to say, "mission accomplished!" in Iraq?

In Iraq we have at least four separate conflicts:

1. Shia vs Sunni - ongoing religious conflict like Protestants vs Catholics in N. Ireland but worse. To some extent this is also a class war in Iraq as the Shia have been out of power for sometime.
   
2. Al Qaeda vs US - Al Qaeda did not exist in Iraq before we removed Sadaam.
   
3. Al Qaeda vs other Moslem sects - Al Qaeda leadership are radical right wing religious Wahabi sect Sunni. Most other Moslem sects are considered almost as bad as the US infidel by these people.
4. Kurds vs Iraq government - This is a minority ethnic group without a country of their own. Mostly in Northern Iraq and Turkey. They would like independence if not possible then they would like to be self ruling. Their nationalists in Turkey are making problems for the US and the Iraq National government. Kurds were gassed by Sadaam. We supported Sudaam after those attacks. But they like us even though we left them in a difficult position after Desert Storm.

Our forces in Iraq have been attacked by Sunni, Shia, and Al Qaeda. Only Al Qeada attacked us before our invasion of Iraq. However, they were not in Iraq prior to our invasion. Their religious Wahabi beliefs are in opposition to Sadaam's Sunni based Baathist party. Their main leadership is not in Iraq but somewhere in Afghanistan/Pakistan.

Shia and Sunni attacks on our troops are generated by two motives. Sometimes nationalistic feelings against a foreign invader but most often we are attacked because we are between them and their religious foes.

Please note that Gen Petraeus' strategy has been to enlist Sunni's support against Al Qaeda by arming their militias in exchange for a cease fire against both Shia and US forces. And to relax pressure on Shia militias in exchange for a cease fire against both Sunni and US forces. Up until two weeks ago this was working well. US trained Iraq government forces began to try and re-establish control in the Basra area which has been under tacit control of Shia militias for sometime. The Shiite militias have responded by launching attacks in Bagdhad against US forces and Iraqi Government facilities in retaliation. Al Qaeda is not involved in these attacks. Sunni are not involved.

Once again I ask that all those calling for us to stay on in Iraq to please define this victory you are asking for. Who is the enemy? Where are their leaders? How will we know when we have won? How does our being in Iraq stop terrorists from coming here, especially as those that planned the 9/11 attacks are not in Iraq?

I have five grandsons. To me this war is not worth one of their lives and I grieve for every life that has been lost there. This is not a political spin game you are asking us to continue. It means the life and death of some of our young people. Yes there will be conflict between Sunni and Shia and probably Kurds when we leave but that conflict will occur whenever we leave, be it 6 months or 6 years from now.v