After Tikrit: What to Do With Iraq’s Shia Popular Mobilization Units

Foreign Affairs ^ | March 16, 2015 | Michael Knights

[BeauBo]

Iraq, in short, could be experiencing what Lebanon did decades ago as Hezbollah fighters took the Bekaa Valley. In this case, the land in question is Mesopotamia and the forces are PMUs, but the result will be the same: a swath of land in which the government is gradually ceding ground to powerful paramilitary factions with strong terrorist connections.

[BeauBo]

Iran's allies are consolidating territory in Iraq during this conflict with ISIS.

The article points out how the Iranian-backed Badr organization is controlling Diyala province, and expanding their territory, ethnically cleansing Sunnis.

Will Iraq be able to put the Shiite militias back in the box, after ISIS is expelled?

[Zuben Elgenubi]

imo, Iran is in the driver’s seat in this operation.

[SunkenCiv]

Iraq, in short, could be experiencing what Lebanon did decades ago as Hezbollah fighters took the Bekaa Valley.

And what are their FR nicks?

[SunkenCiv]

Here are the recent Tikrit topics. The source of the story seems to have a bearing on whether or not ISIS has been driven from the town, and this goes back into 2014.

• After Tikrit: What to Do With Iraq's Shia Popular Mobilization Units
• Iraqi offensive for Tikrit stalls as casualties mount
• Kurds report more chlorine attacks, Iraq pauses Tikrit offensive
• Iranian Weapons Pour Into Embattled Tikrit
• Iran's Latest Tactic Against Islamic State -- Send in the Battle Buggies
• Iraq Tikrit Offensive Stalls: Now calling for American air strikes
• The U.S. has no real options if the Shiites decide to go on a killing spree against Sunnis in Tikrit
• Iraqi offensive to dislodge Islamic State from Tikrit appears to stall
• Shiite victory in Tikrit over ISIS would cement Iran's influence in Iraq
• Iraqi forces enter ISIS-held Tikrit after 10-day drive
• In Battle Against ISIS, Iraqi Forces Retake Town Near Tikrit [With significant Iranian help]
• Iraq expected to retake Tikrit within days
• Iranian-backed Shiite militias lead Iraq's fight to retake Tikrit
• Horrific video claims to show a nine-year-old 'ISIS supporter' being executed by Shia militia
• Iranian-backed Shiite militias lead Iraq's fight to retake Tikrit
• Dempsey Says Iranian Hand in Iraq Could Turn out Well
• Tikrit ISIS Battle: Top Iranian Commander On Iraq Frontlines Of Crucial Offensive [truncated]
• IRAQ'S ATTACK AGAINST ISIS CATCHES U.S. ‘BY SURPRISE'
• Is the Iraqi operation to retake Tikrit really an Iranian operation?
• Iraqi offensive to retake Tikrit underway
• Islamic State seize 100 Iraqi tribesmen before battle for Tikrit
• ISIS Turns to Chemical Weapons As It Loses Ground in Iraq
• Iraqi forces 'advance against IS fighters'[BATTLE FOR TIKRIT]
• Iraqi forces battle to drive jihadists from Saddam's home town
• Iraqi forces retake Tikrit base
• Islamic State overruns Camp Speicher, routs Iraqi forces
• Iraqi army retreats from Tikrit after assault stalls
• Iraq army retakes Saddam's birthplace; Ayatollah Al-Sistani laments political mess
• Tikrit rebels 'push back Iraq army'
• Iraq army 'routs Isis rebels' in offensive on Tikrit
• Iraq launches offensive on ISIS in Tikrit, Mosul
• Iraqi troops air assault into Tikrit
• Iran Deploys Quds Forces To Support Iraqi Troops, Helps Retake Most Of Tikrit
• Iran Deploys Quds Forces To Support Iraqi Troops, Helps Retake Most Of Tikrit
• WSJ: Iranian Forces Reportedly Help Iraqi Army Retake Tikrit
• U.S. Embassy Prepares for Possible Evacuation as Militants Take Control in Iraq
• Al-Qaeda rebels take Tikrit, force 500,000 to flee Mosul
• Iraq crisis: Militants 'seize Tikrit' after taking Mosul (Next up? Place your bets!)

[Forward the Light Brigade]

What is next? The March on Mosul! Maybe they could ask for Egyptian Help—and let Saudi Arabia foot the bill for the Egyptian armored columns. Maybe Russia can help—the Iraqis will not get any help from Wimp-Boy Obama and his clown cabal in the White House.

[SunkenCiv]

What’s next is, Zero sends no more troops, even as window-dressing; Iran gets sucked into a third quagmire (Lebanon, then Syrian, now Iraq), and the $700 million month Zero, Plugs, Lurch, and the rest of the criminal gang gives Iran for pretending to negotiate — surely a bigger deal than ‘Iran-Contra’ — is ignored of course by the Partisan Media Shills. After Zero leaves office, Iran’s mullahcracy remains in power until the day Israel wipes them off the map with nuke-tipped Jericho II missiles, and before that day they complain about what a con and liar he was to them.

[BlackVeil]

When I look at Iraq now, I feel that Sadaam Hussein was quite right to be such a hard man, and crack down on any sign of dissent or militias.

[BeauBo]

I understand what you are saying about the need for a strong hand against these many bad guys, but Sadaam was a sociopathic mass murderer who modeled himself on Stalin, Hitler and Al Capone (according to Sadaam himself).

Everyone in the region has to deal with extremist movements and hostile neighbors (even Israel), but Sadaam was a monster.