The Republicans could easily win the next election: All they would need to do is focus on Iraq, specifically President Obama’s decision to withdraw and hand the country to Iran, its militias and anti-American forces.
It seems that given the anti-American nature of Iraq’s Arab population, nothing was built during America’s presence in Iraq. This is simply because they either did not believe in America, did not take them seriously or hated the United States and just wanted to fool them into believing that they were listening.
Just a few days after President Obama declared that Iraq was stable and secure, a real crisis is prevailing both politically and in terms of security. The main reason for this is the very first issue that everyone in the new Iraq seems to be working on – the trust between the Shia and the Sunnis, which today amounts to zero.
The working relationship between the two has always been a problem and it seems that it will continue for some time.
It’s clear from what we’re seeing these days that US efforts to mend the relationship between the two has proven futile. Both sides tried to use the United States for their own agenda while the US thought that they were building a nation.
In listening to the Kurds as well, it seems the US hasn’t done much to create a true and sustainable relationship between the Kurds and the Arabs. It seems that its indecisiveness has sent the wrong messages to both people.
The country won’t only be an arena of conflict between the local communities, but it also runs the risk of being an arena for regional conflicts between the Shia and Sunnis, and between Iran and the USA.
As a result, the US presence seems to have created many problems for the people of Iraq and their neighbours, especially American allies. The irony is that the only countries that have better relations with the Iraqi state are those which are the enemies of the US. Those closest to Iraq today are Iran and Syria. Iraq today is practically a regional pariah.
The initial signs of the post-America Iraq are emerging. Already, the Sunni-Shia conflict is resuming between the Iraqiya and the National Alliance bloc.
Amid all of this, the Kurds need to position themselves very carefully. They need to be cautious not to slip into an Arab-Kurdish conflict.
It’s quite clear clear that the mistrust between the two groups has never changed. Since the new Iraq was born, the two have become true enemies. The last three years of Obama does not seem to have changed that.
The behavior of Iraq’s ruling parties clearly shows that the withdrawal has created a golden opportunity for them to secure their power. The Kurds as well should do whatever they want — or can — to shape a new reality.
Obama can not come back to Iraq, and if he is it will be a fiasco. Either way, the Republicans have a good case to argue against President Obama’s judgment on Iraq.
