Do you think the insurgency in Iraq will finally calm down? (Baathists)

[Ignacio Upton]

Saddam's former second in command is asking Baathist insurgents to end their fight, and this seems to be building on the policy of ending de-Baathification by Maliki. With Saddam out of the picture, despite anger and violence amongst the Sunnis, I think that the Baathist element of the insurgency may die down (think of how the White Army during the Russian Civil War was demoralized by the execution of the Czar and the royal family, and how the helped the Bolsheviks.) However, it doesn't mean the end of the insurgency, because the Baathists aren't the only element of it, as Al Qaida and the radical Shiite groups are still a problem. However, if we can get trained and experienced former Baathist insurgents to fight on our side, then by proxy we may be able to drive out Al Qaida. This can only be done with a Murtha-like model of giving backup support to the Iraqis themselves. We can't directly crush the insurgency, but the Iraqis can (think of tribesmen who are pissed off at Al Qaida plus former Baathists joining the government.) Hopefully this will mean withdrawing some troops and getting the fuck out.


http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/world/4317317.html