Iraqi Officials Blame Al-Qaeda/Ba’ath Alliance for Recent Attacks
For more information on recent attacks, Jane Arraf’s, Hamza Hendawi’s, and Nancy Youssef’s accounts are worth reading.
In a related story, Agence France Presse is reporting that former loyalists of Saddam Hussein’s regime are using Islamic language and Islamic groups as cover for their aims:
Fugitive henchmen of Saddam Hussein have adopted the cover of influential Muslim mystic groups to pose a real threat to stability in ethnically divided northern Iraq, Iraqi and U.S. commanders say.
AdvertisementThe so-called Sufi orders have a large historical following in the disputed oil-rich region, and commanders say that the exploitation by Saddam loyalists of the orders’ extensive network of lodges holds more dangers than al-Qaeda.
“They have a pretty significant long-term potential to be a threat to the powers that be,” said Major Chuck Assadourian, the intelligence chief of the U.S. Army’s 2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, who is based outside the oil city of Kirkuk.
Known as the Army of the Followers of the Naqshbandiya Order, or JRTN from its Arabic acronym, the insurgent group operates under the cover of the order’s many lodges across Kirkuk and neighbouring provinces, and counts Saddam’s fugitive number two Izzat Ibrahim al-Duri among its leaders.
In the coming weeks there will be greater Iraqi and U.S. understanding of the status of Ba’ath party loyalists, their possible involvement in recent attacks, and the status of their reportedly decreasing presence in Syria and Iraq.
Whether or not recent attacks can be blamed on an al-Qaeda/Ba’ath alliance, which is at this point certainly debatable, it is the responsibility of the Iraqi government to provide evidence of such cooperation, as false allegations of al-Qaeda cooperation with former Ba’athists undermines credible evidence of such cooperation and damages a fragile public trust in government officials.
How much of this is simply Maliki looking to strengthen his hand before the elections? That’s what his restrictions on the US military are about. Everyone knows he’s highly political. Alas the fly in the ointment is Kemal, the Kurd. One could argue though, that the Kurds also benefit from blame being put on the Sunnis. Cultural lenses are key here. Power struggles and who benefits from things.
I think they should hire Tom Ridge to issue false terror warnings right before the election to garner votes.
But aren’t the Ba’athists secular and Al-Qaeda religious? Isn’t it true that they would never work together, in concert, because of this? Isn’t that what the smart-set eggheads told us the past decade? I’m confused.
This terrorism wouldn’t have gone on as long as it has if the Iraqis had more tolerant attitudes toward each other. Terrrorism requires local support. Iraq is a horribly corrupt backwater full of horribly bigoted people.
On the other hand, if Al-Quaida and the Baathists were working together for years under Hussein’t nose (if not his support) and if the terrorists were trained at the feet of the Republican Guard (which was trained by the KGB), then what looks like Al-Quaida would, by definition look like Baath!
Maybe those early 90′s intelligence assessments of all the world’s intelligence services weren’t so far off base after all! Hmmm?
CUE TROLLS!
Between the al Qaeda admission on the attack….
http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2009/08/al_qaeda_takes_credi_1.php
and the Ba’athists in custody and/or blamed…
http://www.thememriblog.org/blog_personal/en/19472.htm
it looks like the Iraqis are convinced this was a joint al Qaeda – Ba’ath operation. It’s worth noting that this attack was on the anniversary of a joint attack they did on a U.N. faciltiy very early in the war when the media was also saying Ba’ath and al Qaeda “couldn’t” cooperate.
“I think they should hire Tom Ridge to issue false terror warnings right before the election to garner votes.”
OMG is that what they do that for?! OMG! You should run for office tom, cuz its obvious not everyone’s as smart as you is! Pleaz safe us from all this manipulate!