Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

n2doc

(47,953 posts)
Tue Jun 24, 2014, 09:41 AM Jun 2014

Remember how Bushco shut out the Ba'athists in the Iraq Government? They're back......with ISIL

A prominent Iraqi pollster says the nation may be moving toward rule not by the militant Islamic fighters who have swept up territory the last two weeks, but by their allies-of-convenience—a coalition led by former Ba’athist forces ousted by US troops 11 years ago.

Munqith Dagher, who conducts Iraqi polls for Gallup International and his own firm, told Quartz that he based his conclusions on interviews with tribal leaders in Sunni areas of the country and a telephone survey conducted June 19-21 in the city of Mosul, which fell to the insurgents on June 10.

If accurate, Dagher’s findings coincide with the direction of events in Afghanistan, where the Taliban are resurgent, and suggest that the groups overthrown in both Baghdad and Kabul following 9/11 may be headed toward positions of prominent political influence.

Numerous reports from Iraq—such as this one (paywall)—have detailed the role of former loyalists of Saddam Hussein alongside tribal groupings in the uprising that is tearing apart the country. The thrust of the reports is that the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIL) has been so successful not principally because of its own prowess, but because of its alliance with seasoned officers and troops from Saddam’s disbanded army, in addition to profound Sunni discontent with Baghdad (both the Ba’athists and the militants are predominantly Sunni).

The Ba’athist influence could come to the fore if prime minister Nuri al-Maliki is pushed out of power or elects to share it. The US has recently been expressing its growing discontent with Maliki, who has favored fellow Shias and shut Sunnis out of government. Speaking on a visit to Washington, Dagher said that the Ba’athists would be extremely well-placed politically in an Iraqi government reconfigured (paywall) to be more balanced and halt the country’s apparent hurtle toward partition into three sectarian states.


more

http://qz.com/225356/saddam-husseins-baathists-may-be-winning-back-political-influence-in-iraq/

1 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Remember how Bushco shut out the Ba'athists in the Iraq Government? They're back......with ISIL (Original Post) n2doc Jun 2014 OP
De-Ba'athification of Iraq was one very, very bad decision. nt Mnemosyne Jun 2014 #1
Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Remember how Bushco shut ...