Iraq internal situation & politics

sheytanelkebir wrote:the war in iraq is a 3-way conflict between sunnis (predominantly arab), kurds and shias. Last year when the sunni arabs rose up to kick out the shia iraqi government, the sunni arab and kurdish soldiers in northern iraq all "switched sides" in unison and whilst ISIS expanded (using the "former" iraqi soldiers) ... the kurds also expanded... it was the "ribentropp-molotov" agreement between kurds and sunni-arabs to "carve out" their states and achieve territorial maximalism for both sides.

That "kicked off" conveniently when the final results of the Iraqi National Elections were released by the Electoral Commission which showed Nuri Al Maliki as having the largest number of seats... It meant that the sunni and kurdish parties who didn't want him in for another term put into action their "plan B" and tried to overthrow the regime in Baghdad.

What happened then...

instead of the "tribal revolutionaries" (isis in disguise as it was then) taking Baghdad and overthrowing the regime there... the shia clergy (sistani) put out a fatwa to raise a new shia army... and that's how the "popular mobilisation force" came about out of the blue, made up of former shia-militias as well as ordinary civilians joining up. That stopped the "tribal revolutionaries" and "kurds" in their step just on the western outskirts of Baghdad near Abu Ghraib...

and since last october the popular mobilisation has become the backbone of "iraq" forces... and spawned loyal sunni arab units as well as christian and yazidi and shabaki units.

A "showdown" with the Kurds was inevitable as now its jockeying for territory... like I wrote... there are three warring parties. always understand and view the conflict from that perspective in order to have a clear understanding of what's happening there. Attempting to view the conflict as a "two actor" war would inevitably confuse matters and throw up many many contradictions. But viewed as a natural three way war its pretty clear.

George1 wrote:
in today context, are there sunnis who fight against Baghdad government separately from ISIS? or all shuni population areas in north have been absorbed by ISIS?

sheytanelkebir wrote:the war in iraq is a 3-way conflict between sunnis (predominantly arab), kurds and shias. Last year when the sunni arabs rose up to kick out the shia iraqi government, the sunni arab and kurdish soldiers in northern iraq all "switched sides" in unison and whilst ISIS expanded (using the "former" iraqi soldiers) ... the kurds also expanded... it was the "ribentropp-molotov" agreement between kurds and sunni-arabs to "carve out" their states and achieve territorial maximalism for both sides.

That "kicked off" conveniently when the final results of the Iraqi National Elections were released by the Electoral Commission which showed Nuri Al Maliki as having the largest number of seats... It meant that the sunni and kurdish parties who didn't want him in for another term put into action their "plan B" and tried to overthrow the regime in Baghdad.

What happened then...

instead of the "tribal revolutionaries" (isis in disguise as it was then) taking Baghdad and overthrowing the regime there... the shia clergy (sistani) put out a fatwa to raise a new shia army... and that's how the "popular mobilisation force" came about out of the blue, made up of former shia-militias as well as ordinary civilians joining up. That stopped the "tribal revolutionaries" and "kurds" in their step just on the western outskirts of Baghdad near Abu Ghraib...

and since last october the popular mobilisation has become the backbone of "iraq" forces... and spawned loyal sunni arab units as well as christian and yazidi and shabaki units.

A "showdown" with the Kurds was inevitable as now its jockeying for territory... like I wrote... there are three warring parties. always understand and view the conflict from that perspective in order to have a clear understanding of what's happening there. Attempting to view the conflict as a "two actor" war would inevitably confuse matters and throw up many many contradictions. But viewed as a natural three way war its pretty clear.

George1 wrote:Unfortunately we have clashes between Shiite fighters and Kurds also..

Hundreds Recruited to Shiite Militia Set to Fight Against Kurds in Iraq

Iraqi anti-ISIL Shiite militia and Kurdish forces have been in constant confrontation. This month, the stand-off turned violent. Local media reports that Shiite Kurds are taking part in the Shiite militia in this sharp conflict among anti-Jihadi ranks.

The Iran-backed Hashd al-Shaabi Shiite militia has recruited some 5,000 fighters in its ranks in recent months, including approximately 1,800 Shiite Kurds, who may take part in clashes with mainly Sunni Kurdish forces of Peshmerga, an anonymous local military official told the Kurdish Rudaw news outlet.

“They have an entire brigade for the Kurdish recruits in Khanaqeen, fully armed and funded,” he was quoted as saying by Rudaw. “Even the commander of the brigade is a Shiite Kurd.”

Intermittent clashes between the Popular Mobilization Units, as Hashd al-Shaabi’s name is translated, and the Peshmerga flared up on November 12 at a Kurdish checkpoint in Tuz Khurmatu, a multi-ethnic town lying on the main highway between Baghdad and Kirkuk. The clashes lasted for at least three days and reportedly claimed lives of 21 persons on both sides, including civilians, and multiple arrests. The stand-off is complicated by active engagement of civilians.

“Violence in Khurmatu has resulted in the death and wounding of 21 people, including seven Kurds and others from Arabs and Turkmens of the city,” Jabar Yawar, chief of staff of the Peshmerga ministry, told Rudaw last week.

Analysts point to the rivalry over control of territories across Iraq and historical Sunni-Shiite contradictions as possible reasons for violent confrontation. While Peshmerga represents mostly Sunni Kurds, Hashd al-Shaabi recruits Arabs, Turkmens and Shiite Kurds to its ranks.

The town of Tuz Khurmatu’s disputed status was to be decided after a referendum, being continuously postponed since 2007. Earlier this fall, the Peshmerga forces and Shiite militias entered the city to take it under joint control during an ISIL offensive west of Kirkuk.

Local Islamic clergy has raised its voices to urge Peshmerga and Hashd al-Shaabi to stop the clashes and ease tensions and concentrate on fighting the common enemy, ISIL, instead.

“All hands should join and unite their energy to fight the real terrorists and the war should not be diverted from its course,” a major Shiite cleric Abdul-Mahdi said in a sermon in Karbala, as cited by Rudaw.

Read more: http://sputniknews.com/military/20151123/1030557592/shiite-militia-vs-peshmerga.html#ixzz3sIVgRAx2

George1 wrote: sheytan what are the recent developments there after turkish invasion? how is that received from various sides there? (shiites, shunis and kurds)

sheytanelkebir wrote:

George1 wrote: sheytan what are the recent developments there after turkish invasion? how is that received from various sides there? (shiites, shunis and kurds)

KDP kurds and anti government sunnis are pro turk
non kdp kurds and shias and pro government sunnis and christians etc... are anti turk

DerWolf wrote:

sheytanelkebir wrote:

George1 wrote: sheytan what are the recent developments there after turkish invasion? how is that received from various sides there? (shiites, shunis and kurds)

KDP kurds and anti government sunnis are pro turk
non kdp kurds and shias and pro government sunnis and christians etc... are anti turk

Have the turkish army retreated from Iraq, some days ago this come up in the media?

higurashihougi wrote:Seems like the West are determined to dump Erdogan et al.

https://www.rt.com/news/326172-us-turkey-troops-iraq/

The US has urged Turkey to withdraw its “unauthorized” military forces from northern Iraq, calling on Ankara to respect the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

US Vice President Joe Biden has spoken to Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi regarding Turkey’s troop deployments.

“The Vice President reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to Iraqi sovereignty and territorial integrity and called on Turkey to do the same by withdrawing any military forces from Iraqi territory that have not been authorized by the Iraqi government,” the White House said in a statement.

The call between Biden and al-Abadi came two days after the Vice President’s talk with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.

Stressing Washington’s commitment to close cooperation with both Iraq and Turkey in the fight against Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL), Biden urged Ankara to continue its dialogue with Baghdad.

“The Vice President reiterated that any foreign military presence in Iraq must be with the full consent of the Iraq government,” read a statement from the White House on December 14.

Erk wrote:

higurashihougi wrote:Seems like the West are determined to dump Erdogan et al.

https://www.rt.com/news/326172-us-turkey-troops-iraq/

The US has urged Turkey to withdraw its “unauthorized” military forces from northern Iraq, calling on Ankara to respect the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

US Vice President Joe Biden has spoken to Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi regarding Turkey’s troop deployments.

“The Vice President reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to Iraqi sovereignty and territorial integrity and called on Turkey to do the same by withdrawing any military forces from Iraqi territory that have not been authorized by the Iraqi government,” the White House said in a statement.

The call between Biden and al-Abadi came two days after the Vice President’s talk with Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.

Stressing Washington’s commitment to close cooperation with both Iraq and Turkey in the fight against Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL), Biden urged Ankara to continue its dialogue with Baghdad.

“The Vice President reiterated that any foreign military presence in Iraq must be with the full consent of the Iraq government,” read a statement from the White House on December 14.

Or it's a feint whilst they build up to something.