Former Obama aide points blame at Maliki

[mystery-ak]

http://thehill.com/policy/international/209418-former-obama-aide-points-blame-at-maliki

Former Obama aide points blame at Maliki

By Kyle Balluck - 06/15/14 12:37 PM EDT

Former Obama National Security Adviser Tom Donilon on Sunday placed the blame for chaos in Iraq squarely at the feet of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

Donilon, who left the administration last summer, said on CBS’s “Face the Nation” that Maliki didn’t follow through on a number of promises.

“He's failed to really integrate the Sunni political leadership into the government,” Donilon said. “He's engaged in really kind of putting together as sectarian and authoritarian state. And we're seeing the results of that at this point.”

Donilon also pointed to a “complete breakdown” on the border between Syria and Iraq and the infusion of foreign fighters for the rise of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria  (ISIS).

Donilon dismissed the argument that the U.S. should have tried harder to reach a Status of Forces Agreement allowing American troops to remain in Iraq.

“Our president, our military leadership are not going to allow armed forces to operate in an environment like that, anywhere in the world, without having the appropriate protection,” he said. “And that wasn't forthcoming. And, indeed, the politics in Iraq at that point wouldn't allow it to be forthcoming, is my own personal judgment.”

Donilon said the U.S. should provide intelligence, material, advice and planners to Baghdad. He added that air strikes are not a panacea, and would have to be done in coordination with actions on the ground.

He said any direct military action he would recommend would be contingent upon the Iraqi government taking steps toward an inclusive government.

[Chieftain]

Donilon was the problem with the National Security Team during the first term.  In truth, Obama walked away from the SOFA because it gave him the opportunity to "end the war" by pulling all US troops out of Iraq.

Malaki played a big role, but it was Obama who failed to insist that the SOFA be agreed to.

[truth_seeker]

All partisanship aside, can we reasonably expect the US to overcome 1400 years of shia-sunni conflict, just because we think it is a good idea?

If people in muslim lands and countries want peace, let them earn and maintain peace by themselves.

Our costly efforts now spanning decades, should have taught us the futility of believing these people are capable of modern civilization.

In that regard it is worthwhile to go back to the days after 9-11-2001 and read what leading experts were speaking and writing about.

It should be noted that almost every place in the world where muslims reside, there is trouble of some kind. In Russia muslims killed school children, for example. In Australia, they seek to live by sharia violence.

Let them kill each other. That is what they do. It is worthwhile to read "Caravans" by James Michener, which details the centuries old, continuous strife in Afghanistan.

[Chieftain]

All partisanship aside, can we reasonably expect the US to overcome 1400 years of shia-sunni conflict, just because we think it is a good idea?

If people in muslim lands and countries want peace, let them earn and maintain peace by themselves.

Our costly efforts now spanning decades, should have taught us the futility of believing these people are capable of modern civilization.

In that regard it is worthwhile to go back to the days after 9-11-2001 and read what leading experts were speaking and writing about.

It should be noted that almost every place in the world where muslims reside, there is trouble of some kind. In Russia muslims killed school children, for example. In Australia, they seek to live by sharia violence.

Let them kill each other. That is what they do. It is worthwhile to read "Caravans" by James Michener, which details the centuries old, continuous strife in Afghanistan.

The only problem with that is these guys refuse to stick to killing one another and eventually start coming after all infidels, which everyone except them, are.  Not to mention that we are talking about some of the most partisan religious extremists in the world, and they are not about to put it aside...