From The Jaws of Victory--Iraq Goes South

The US has achieved its necessary minimum strategic goal in Iraq: That of "not-losing." This fact, of course, is not the same as "winning," particularly if "victory" is defined as it was so many years ago by the Bush/Cheney administration and the legion of neocon ninnies within it.

Back in the hype filled days surrounding the unforgettable "Mission Accomplished!" moment, We the People were assured not only that Saddam Hussein was a very icky-poo person (undeniable) but also (stand by for the hallucinatory) that Iraq would emerge from this great exercise in regime change as a totally modern, completely Western country complete with honest, pluralistic, secular democracy; an efficient, non-corrupt judiciary; a free market economy; human rights for all; and shopping malls filled with Chinese products. (Oh, yes, and the war would be paid for by the grateful Iraqis from their boundless oil revenues.)

Many, if not all the halcyon promises were made by the brigade of neocons who, in turn, based their roseate views on those of Ahmed Chalabi. This particular Iraqi exile was as loved by his neocon sponsors and disciples as he was both loathed and distrusted by most of the Iraqi expat community. Not to put too fine a point on the matter, Chalabi was (and is) a corrupt, personally ambitious man utterly lacking in scruples. The man also has been a highly effective and committed tool of Iranian policy.

Chalabi's capacity to inflict grievous harm on the Iraqi body politic was evident at the very beginning of the US invasion. No sooner had the statues of Saddam fallen than Chalabi was placed in charge of the "de-Baathification" process. In conjunction with awesomely ill-advised actions of the American viceroy, Jerry Bremer, Chalabi's efforts at removing all traces of Baathist Party influence upon the transitional government assured the fulmination of armed, sectarian conflict.

It took years and many, many lives for the US and its partners to suppress the resulting multi-party insurgency. While the shooting, bombing, killing and dying occupied front page status, Ahmed Chalabi and his partner in let's-destroy-Iraq-for-Iran movement, Ali al-Lami, faded into the woodwork.

With the success of the surge and the coming of what passes for peace in the country, Chalabi and his fellow traveller(s) have popped back to center stage. Their task now as it was before is to execute Iranian policy. The job now, as before, is to stimulate conflict between Shia and Sunni by barring effective Sunni participation in the electoral process.

Using the unelected Justice and Accountability Council as their instrument, the Tehran Quislings moved to block five hundred Sunni candidates from the upcoming parliamentary elections. The pretense was (big surprise coming) that these men were Baathists.

As a way of reigniting sectarian violence this move was better than dozens of suicide bombers attacking Shia pilgrims. Thus, it fit Tehran's needs perfectly.

The US is aware of the actual dynamics at work. General Ray Odierno stated at a recent press conference that Chalabi, al-Lami, and company were "clearly influenced by Iran." He also noted that the terrible twosome regularly meet with a high ranking officer of the al-Quds force, a component of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps tasked with out-of-country operations.

Ambassador Christopher Hill when asked about the general's remarks, replied, "I am in one hundred percent agreement with General Odierno." That pretty much says it all.

The actions of Chalabi, al-Lami, and company have put the next election for president and parliament alike at risk, great risk. Certainly the best political hope of Iraq for a stable, predominantly secular and pluralistic government headed by Iyad Allawi has been severely, even fatally eroded by the efforts of the Tehran puppets.

So far the Obama administration has been nearly as silent about the state of play in Iraq as the once mighty neocon ninnies. While the silence of the neocons is readily comprehensible (who likes to be reminded of how they were played for the fool) that of the administration is not so easy to understand.

It is not in American interests for Iraq to fall into another round of bloody chaos. Nor is it in US interests for Iraq to come even closer to the Iranian orbit. Both eventualities would be injurious to stability in the Persian Gulf region and emboldening to the Iranian government. The actualization of either potential would erode US status and influence throughout the Mideast and have negative effects on our policy in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Admittedly the US has very little leverage on the councils of state in Baghdad. But, that does not mean the administration serves American interests well by limiting itself to proforma expressions of moral support. Rather the Obama-ites should, no, must use all means available to it in order to impress upon the Iraqi government that its acceptance of the Chalabi/Lami coup d'etat constitutes the signing of a death warrant upon the state.

There is no need for the US--even the current administration--to hand Iran another victory, particularly a victory which renders the loss of thousands of American lives nugatory. Rather than standing back with bowed head and folded arms as Iran wins through the acts of Iraqi traitors, the Obama administration must --for its own honor if nothing else--fight tooth and nail on the side of democracy in Iraq.