Iraq's council chief: U.S. is at fault

The Philadelphia Inquirer ^ | Tue, Apr. 27, 2004 | By Louis Meixler, Associated Press

[happygrl]

His words show the tension between the U.S. and the U.S.-appointed governing board.

BAGHDAD - The current president of the Iraqi Governing Council said yesterday that the United States had only itself to blame for the military deadlock at Najaf and Fallujah because it allowed its troops to change from "an army of liberation" to "an army of occupation."

In an interview, Massoud Barzani said the United States faced a dilemma: It must not be soft in the besieged cities and give insurgents "the impression that they have the upper hand," but it also must make sure civilians are not harmed if military force is used.

The comments from a close U.S. ally in Iraq signal the dissatisfaction between the United States and top Iraqi politicians. Barzani supported the U.S. war effort, and members of his militia fought alongside U.S. soldiers in northern Iraq.

For more than a decade during Saddam Hussein's rule, Barzani's Kurdistan Democratic Party and another Kurdish party controlled an autonomous area protected by U.S. warplanes. Barzani's forces continue to dominate parts of northern Iraq, a region that has been largely stable and quiet.

Barzani, who holds the council's rotating presidency for April, spoke in one of the marble-tiled rooms of a building once used by Hussein's Ministry of Military Industry, now the offices of the U.S.-appointed Governing Council.

Some members on the council - seen by many Iraqis as tainted for their close association with the United States - have complained that U.S. commanders have been heavy-handed in Fallujah and launched military action without consulting them.

U.S. soldiers surround Fallujah and Najaf, unable to force fighters to disarm and fearful that assaulting the cities would lead to many casualties on both sides.

If the United States takes military action, Barzani said, it must make a "clear distinction between civilians and terrorist elements."

But Barzani also cautioned that "at the same time, no impression can be given to the terrorists that they will be negotiated with or they are seeing any chance that they will win at the end of the day."

When asked what he would do to resolve the sieges of Fallujah and Najaf, Barzani became animated, gesturing rapidly as he spoke and raising his soft voice.

"If it were me, I wouldn't have allowed it to come to this by making earlier mistakes," he said.

"What was a mistake is, they were liberators," Barzani said. But the U.S. Army turned into "an army of occupation," he added.

After Hussein was ousted last year, "an interim government could have immediately been set up," he said. "... Sovereignty would be in the hands of the Iraqis, and the Iraqis would be in the forefront of affairs."

The Iraqi army should not have been disbanded quickly but instead restructured, he said.

Those revamped Iraqi forces could have controlled Iraqi cities with U.S. forces backing them up and not patrolling inside cities, Barzani added.

"Certain problems could have been avoided had it been done in a better manner," he said.

[happygrl]

"If it were me, I wouldn't have allowed it to come to this by making earlier mistakes," he said.

If it were up to you, Saddam would still be in power, and you'd be under his boot.

Direct your dicomfort at those who are responsible for these outrages, YOUR FELLOW IRAQIS.

[goldstategop]

Massaoud Barzani is a Kurd and he's right, we made a lot of mistakes. We've turned from liberators into an army of occupation. But now that our prestige is engaged, he's also correct that we cannot afford to hand our enemies in Iraq a victory. Let's hope we're going to do a better job than we've done so far.

[onedoug]

We should have made made war on Iraq instead of on Saddam.

[jolie560]

..."...make sure civilians are not harmed."...

Any civilian with a brain would be way far away from the area of the fight.

[vbmoneyspender]

What were all of these mistakes that were made?

[rj45mis]

Don't you just love these arm chair quarterbacks. My God, if I'd have known Microsoft would have become the world leader in software, I'd have mortgaged everything I own and bought its stock. It's easy to sit back in judgment after the fact, but the truth be told, we couldn't trust the former regime elements to take charge. That would have been a worse option. We need to take out some large population centers to let them know we aren't messing around and let the chips fall where they may. Otherwise, we are in for a long haul over there.

[KellyAdmirer]

Barzani's lips move, and he says nothing. "I would have done it better," "distinguish between the civilians and the fighters," "don't negotiate with terrorists" - are these cliches supposed to be sage or something?

[mrustow]

This guy is so full of it, it's coming out of his ears. He is Mr. Perfect, who is justifiably upset that we are not as perfect as he is. He would have instituted Iraqi sovereignty the day after Saddam was toppled, and would thereby have avoided all the problems we're facing? He would not have engaged in any military de-Baathification? He says we must storm Falluja, but without killing a single civilian? Whatever he's smoking, I want some.

[Smartass]

I don't care if Massoud Barzani is a Kurd, a Byrd, or a
turd. When he goes public and picked up by the Anti
U.S. media AP, he then needs to be dumped!

[mrustow]

Don't you just love these arm chair quarterbacks. My God, if I'd have known Microsoft would have become the world leader in software, I'd have mortgaged everything I own and bought its stock.

In another interview, Massoud Barzani said, "If I had been an American 20 years ago and had any money, I would have mortgaged my home and invested every penny I had in Microsoft stock."

I hear Barzani is also able to retroactively predict yesterday's weather, with 100 percent accuracy.

[a_Turk]

Like I said in March 2003: The governing council should have been lined up and shot.

[happygrl]

What was it that gave you this insight at that time ?

Seriously, you saw this coming ?

[a_Turk]

Anyone over there who jumps at the chance to run the place, who sneaks around "advising" the big dog, who acts all tough when under the protection of some heavy cannot be trusted for he has no honor and should be shot.

You've been conned. Used and abused, like some young kid..

[happygrl]

he has no honor

I think you've hit on something there.

Who knows ?
There may be some such shooting in the future. There may be a lot of it. I think Daniel Pipes may be onto where this is heading: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1125177/posts

[a_Turk]

Last fall the Turks were ready with parliamentary vote, mobilized and all to send 10,000 of their finest into the triangle. Barzani protested it. So here you are. I'm gonna agree that you screwed the pooch dealing with horse thieves.

[caisson71]

When we're the only ones doing ANYTHING, it's easy to be accused of making mistakes. Barzani needs to take up a rifle and show us how to acheive democracy in Iraq "peacefully", without supporting him for the rest of his life. He needs a trip to the shed.

[happygrl]

Turks were ready with parliamentary vote, mobilized and all to send 10,000 of their finest into the triangle.

The Turks live in the neighborhood.

They have an interest in seeing that the local scum are irradicated. We should have let them do the honors.

[Warlord David]

"What were all of these mistakes that were made?"

Geeeeeezzzzzz. Let count a few of them.

1. Putting a lawyer in charge is one big mistake. They make fine negotiators but are terrible leaders with NO sense at all.

2. Not bombing a hand full of mosques when we first roll in, and especially since the terrorist have made it their home, refusing to bomb those mosque.

3. Putting Islamic leaders in charge of the temporary government. The idiots that though this one up should be shot in the head. It bet it had to be a lawyer, right?

4.Not going thru, in breaking the Islamic clergy hold on the people of Iraq. The clergy threaten retaliation and the US leaders(lawyers) run for cover. What a bunch of idiots, whips, who are sleeping with muslim leaders who are traitors. And taking advantage. And the US leaders(lawyers) leading this bag of mix nuts and bolts, can not see it.

There more, alot more!!!!!!!!!!!!!! When Bush fails in Iraq. The whole muslim middle east nations will laugh themselves in to the night. The US may have the technology but are to stupid to know how to us it. And to stupid to know how to create a democracy.

5. The UN is another case of idiots who's own interest in this is money only.

[vbmoneyspender]

And your prescriptions completely contradict what Barzani is saying, which is that we have acted too harshly as occupiers. Seems we have a set of people saying we have acted too harshly and another set of people saying the exact opposite. Sounds to me like there is a bunch of people out there who have caught the 20/20 hindsight flu.