The U.S. and Russia Are Wrangling Over the Iraqi Sphere of Influence (Video)
http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/the_us_and_russia_wrangle_over_the_iraqi
_sphere_of_influence_20151027/
Posted on Oct 27, 2015
By Juan Cole
This post originally ran on Truthdig contributor Juan Cole's website.
Iraqi Prime Minister Haydar al-Abadi is alleged to be under "enormous
pressure" from Shiite militiamen and hardliners to seek Russian airstrikes
on Daesh (ISIS, ISIL) targets. On Oct. 1, he had announced that such
Russian intervention in his country would be welcome.
On Wednesday, the largest bloc in parliament, the Shiite Da'wa Party from
which al-Abadi springs, sent a letter to the Prime Minister asking for
Russian intervention.
He has established a joint intelligence center in Baghdad where reports are
shared among Iraq, Iran, Russia and Syria.
But this week the new chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Marine Gen.
Joseph Dunford, visited Iraq and said he got assurances from PM al-Abadi
that Russia would not fly missions against Daesh on Iraqi soil.
He said that there had been "angst" in the Pentagon when al-Abadi mentioned
this possibility.
The United States, he said, "can't have a relationship right now with Russia
in the context of Iraq." Dunford told the reporters accompanying him to
Iraq, "I said it would make it very difficult for us to be able to provide
the kind of support that you need if the Russians were here conducting
operations as well. We can't conduct operations if the Russians were
operating in Iraq right now."
Since many countries are flying missions against Daesh in Iraq, including
Britain, France, Australia, Jordan, Morocco, Belgium, Denmark and the
Netherlands, it is a little hard to understand why Russia could not also do
so without fear of friendly fire. Is the US in Iraq unwilling to share with
Moscow the "identify friend or foe" codes that would keep Russian planes
safe from such an attack?
In any case, the Iraqi press and parliament think that Gen. Dunford is being
far too categorical in the way he describes Baghdad's pledge. The Shiite
militias, such as the Badr Corps and Asa'ib Ahl al-Haqq, intend to go on
lobbying for Russian intervention. And, Parliament will take up the matter
later this month.
From the point of view of the Shiite militias and politicians, the US air
strikes have been way too leisurely. For the most part they seem to aim at
containment of Daesh rather than rollback. The Shiite militias have been
watching the extensive air strikes by Russia on rebel targets, with
increasing envy. They want that kind of action.
My guess is that the Obama administration hasn't wanted to roll back Daesh
quite yet, precisely because it would be the Badr Corps and similar hard
line pro-Iran Shiite militias that would conduct the attack on Mosul. And
that configuration would enrage the Sunni Iraqis further. The US is
reaching out to Sunni tribal chieftains and wants to delay the taking of
Mosul until there are enough such Sunnis and they can be positioned as the
leading edge of the attack.
In contrast, the Shiite militias want to go, now.
The US desire to keep Russia out is likely in part a declaration of an old
19th-century style "Sphere of Influence." Spheres of influence are
exclusive. It was one such sphere that drew Britain into WW I. London
proclaimed that Belgium was in its sphere of influence. When the German
army invaded France through Belgium, that brought Britain into the war. But
why?
And this anecdote suggests why the US may be unwise to try to claim Iraq as
a sphere of influence in this way.
http://www.truthdig.com/ http://www.truthdig.com/
The U.S. and Russia Are Wrangling Over the Iraqi Sphere of Influence (Video)
http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/the_us_and_russia_wrangle_over_the_iraqi
_sphere_of_influence_20151027/
Posted on Oct 27, 2015
By Juan Cole
This post originally ran on Truthdig contributor Juan Cole's website.
Iraqi Prime Minister Haydar al-Abadi is alleged to be under "enormous
pressure" from Shiite militiamen and hardliners to seek Russian airstrikes
on Daesh (ISIS, ISIL) targets. On Oct. 1, he had announced that such Russian
intervention in his country would be welcome.
On Wednesday, the largest bloc in parliament, the Shiite Da'wa Party from
which al-Abadi springs, sent a letter to the Prime Minister asking for
Russian intervention.
He has established a joint intelligence center in Baghdad where reports are
shared among Iraq, Iran, Russia and Syria.
But this week the new chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Marine Gen.
Joseph Dunford, visited Iraq and said he got assurances from PM al-Abadi
that Russia would not fly missions against Daesh on Iraqi soil.
He said that there had been "angst" in the Pentagon when al-Abadi mentioned
this possibility.
The United States, he said, "can't have a relationship right now with Russia
in the context of Iraq." Dunford told the reporters accompanying him to
Iraq, "I said it would make it very difficult for us to be able to provide
the kind of support that you need if the Russians were here conducting
operations as well. We can't conduct operations if the Russians were
operating in Iraq right now."
Since many countries are flying missions against Daesh in Iraq, including
Britain, France, Australia, Jordan, Morocco, Belgium, Denmark and the
Netherlands, it is a little hard to understand why Russia could not also do
so without fear of friendly fire. Is the US in Iraq unwilling to share with
Moscow the "identify friend or foe" codes that would keep Russian planes
safe from such an attack?
In any case, the Iraqi press and parliament think that Gen. Dunford is being
far too categorical in the way he describes Baghdad's pledge. The Shiite
militias, such as the Badr Corps and Asa'ib Ahl al-Haqq, intend to go on
lobbying for Russian intervention. And, Parliament will take up the matter
later this month.
From the point of view of the Shiite militias and politicians, the US air
strikes have been way too leisurely. For the most part they seem to aim at
containment of Daesh rather than rollback. The Shiite militias have been
watching the extensive air strikes by Russia on rebel targets, with
increasing envy. They want that kind of action.
My guess is that the Obama administration hasn't wanted to roll back Daesh
quite yet, precisely because it would be the Badr Corps and similar hard
line pro-Iran Shiite militias that would conduct the attack on Mosul. And
that configuration would enrage the Sunni Iraqis further. The US is reaching
out to Sunni tribal chieftains and wants to delay the taking of Mosul until
there are enough such Sunnis and they can be positioned as the leading edge
of the attack.
In contrast, the Shiite militias want to go, now.
The US desire to keep Russia out is likely in part a declaration of an old
19th-century style "Sphere of Influence." Spheres of influence are
exclusive. It was one such sphere that drew Britain into WW I. London
proclaimed that Belgium was in its sphere of influence. When the German army
invaded France through Belgium, that brought Britain into the war. But why?
And this anecdote suggests why the US may be unwise to try to claim Iraq as
a sphere of influence in this way.
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