Tom Ricks has the details:
U.S. forces in Iraq are striking a variety of "handshake agreements" with Iraqi insurgents and militia groups, sometimes resulting in the release of fighters detained for attacking coalition forces, U.S. military officials said in several recent interviews....
"Our engagement efforts with groups who were once adversaries is about getting them to point their weapons at al-Qaeda and other extremists," Army Lt. Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, the No. 2 U.S. commander in Iraq, said in a briefing yesterday, offering the most extensive public comments on the subject thus far. "We are ready and willing to engage with key leaders of any groups opposing AQI [al-Qaeda in Iraq] or other extremist groups." He said that U.S. forces have reached deals with a variety of groups, both Sunni and Shiite, "throughout Iraq," citing Baghdad, the provinces of Anbar and Diyala, the towns of Taji and Iskandariyah, the Arab Jabour region, and southern Iraq.
Willing to engage with key leaders, eh? Great! Then all we have to do to ally ourselves with Iran--and thereby preclude another war--is to get them into the fight against AQI. Simple right? American-style diplomacy!
We've played this silly and destructive game before. Remember our support for the 'freedom fighters' who opposed the Soviets in Afghanistan. They then just changed their names to Taliban and al Queda when the Soviets withdrew with their tails between their legs.
We are completely incapable of choosing which goon squads to support since we can't look beyond tomorrow. Pakistan is likely to be the latest 'ally' to turn to the dark side.
Posted by: JimPortlandOR | July 20, 2007 at 01:44 PM