Continuing Operations in Western Iraq

I was threw a few Mainstream Media (MSM) stories at you yesterday to deliberately show a contrast between what major media outlets are reporting as "facts," versus what is actually happening. I wouldn't gratuitously bash the media without offering any alternatives, would I?

Looking at further operations in Western Iraq, the media is still presenting the argument that the Sunnis, even though they voted, are still strongly opposed to future Iraq as proposed by the Shiite and Kurdish dominated government. This is true as their seems to be a large portion of Sunnis who voted "No" on the referrendum.

However, does this necessarily imply an irrevocable schism that will inevitably lead to civil war? Categorically, and ironically, the answer is "No." To look at what the Sunnis say, versus what they are actually doing is very important. Of course, politically, their language is going to be very strong as they are using the implied threat of civil war, which no major sect wants, for further leverage. But, what are the Sunnis actually doing behind the scenes? Are they demonstrating cooperation, or are they entrenching their positions and preparing for an all out fight? Strategypage reports this:

In Anbar Province, the large desert region of western Iraq that borders Syria, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia, the government has apparently reached an agreement with several of the Sunni tribes to form a “Desert Protection Force.” The DPF will be recruited from tribal militias, who have an intimate knowledge of the desert, and the traditional – as in thousands of years – smuggling routes into the adjacent regions. Although it can be viewed as a bribe to the tribal leaders to keep their people in line, the initiative may yield important benefits in the future, since it links local tribal fortunes to the success of the new government.

If the Sunnis were preparing for an all out fight, it is rather dubious that they would be negotiating and cooperating with the current government. Bribes make Americans turn their collective nose (rightfully so, as I don't enjoy this kind of behavior in my government), but this is custom in the Arab world. The Sunnis know that they are in a tenuous and unstable position, so the current government greased their palms to induce some cooperation, and they took it. This is not the mass behavior that one would expect from a group preparing for an all out fight.

Additionally, on a follow-up from yesterday's story that claimed that U.S. airstrikes killed 20 civilians along with 70 terrorists, Strategypage continues:

Another interesting demonstration of how everyone tries to spin the news there way, Yesterday, the U.S. announced that air strikes killed about 70 hostile gunmen in and around Ramadi. In one case, a crowd of armed men were observed planting a roadside bomb, at the site of the successful use of such a bomb last week. In other cases, tips came in about the location of houses where gunmen were gathering. The terrorists and anti-government forces immediately declared that the smart bombs blew up women and children, and that the Americans are heartless war-criminals and butchers. What was not reported, and is no secret, is the sharp detail visible via the airborne cameras used to scope out these targets before the bombs are dropped. Many clips of these videos have gotten out, and it's pretty clear in them who is a young guy carrying weapons, and who are women and children, or unarmed men just standing around. There's also the usual failure to find all the dead bodies, or people with appropriate injuries in local hospitals, to back up the massacre claims. But the Big Lie gets play every time. Too good to pass up by many news outlets, especially those who believe, in their gut, that Saddam should have been left alone, and still be in power.

Yep. If these news outlets truly looked in their gut, they would find enough yellow to produce Crayola crayons for the next millenium.

UPDATE: Bill Roggio has an excellent post that details his suggestions to ensure the success of this “Desert Protection Force”:

Co-opting local tribes to provide for border security is a reasonable solution if the proper checks can be put into place to ensure there are performing their duties as advertised. First and foremost, the Coalition should embed personnel into the proposed Desert Protection Force, and U.S. Special Operations operators are ideal for this mission. Air, artillery and quick reaction forces should be placed nearby to provide superior firepower when needed. Financial incentives should be established, and reward offered for foreigners and Baathists caught moving across the border. Payment should be withheld from units that fail in the mission, and severe punishments for those who double cross the Iraqi government and aide the insurgents.