On The Brink Of Civil War, The Iraqis Are Proud Of Their Army

Ralph Peters has a new article about Iraq's army. And, Rick Ballard has some thoughts and historical perspective, over at YARGB:


Forty-seven battalions drawn from all 10 of Iraq's army divisions took part in an operation that, above all, aimed at reassuring the public. The effort worked - from the luxury districts to the slums, the Iraqis were proud of their army.

As a result of its nationwide success, the Iraqi army gained tremendously in confidence. Its morale soared.

After all the lies and exaggerations splashed in your direction, the truth is that we're seeing a new, competent, patriotic military emerge. The media may cling to its image of earlier failures, but last week was a great Iraqi success.

The article is here.

I remember reports questioning the disbanding (which was actually a collapse) of Iraq's armed forces soon after the invasion in the spring of '03. It was my contention then and remains so now that in order for the Iraqi military to function as a force for national unity it had to start anew. Keeping the cadres of non-coms and the officer corps from the old structure would never gain the confidence of either the leadership or the citizenry.

To read "the Iraqis were proud of their army" as anything but a message of great hope for solution of Iraq's ongoing terrorist campaign would be foolish. The fact that units were drawn from all ten divisions is by itself evidence of unifying strength.

"Not one unit had sectarian difficulties," he stressed. "Not one. And when we canceled all leaves after the mosque bombing - we expected trouble, of course - our soldiers returned promptly to their units. Now it is as you see for yourself: Iraqis are proud of their own soldiers."

Sounds like a tough place to start a civil war. Lest we forget - 50% of the US officer corps resigned at the time of secession and signed up on the other side. Now that's a civil war.