Justus For All

The Fourth Rail

Lost in the current debate over Iraq - civil war or sectarian violence, success or failure, increasing troops or strategic redeployment, victory or defeat - is the sea-change occurring in western Iraq. The U.S. military has coaxed a large majority of the Sunnis of Anbar province, perhaps one of the most sympathetic groups to al-Qaeda in the Middle East, to turn on al-Qaeda. The choice wasn’t difficult after the tribes saw what al-Qaeda had to offer – death, torture, Taliban like sharia, humiliation, destruction of commerce. The relationship and intelligence gained form operating in western Iraq will benefit the west during the Long War – if the U.S. doesn’t withdrawal precipitously and leave the Anbar tribes to the predations of al-Qaeda in Iraq.

Read the whole thing, some very interesting developments.

I do think that we often overlook the importance of keeping faith with our allies in Iraq.  If we leave because it is rough, leaving our allies in the lurch, it will be extremely difficult for us to gain anyone’s trust in the future.  Indeed, many of our problems in Iraq are connected to the failure of the first Bush administration to support revolt in the wake of the Gulf War.

If the Iraqi Government asks us to leave, then of course we should, but if they feel that they still need our help, we owe it to those who have put their lives on the line as our urging to stand with them.