BAGHDAD — Amid growing tensions between U.S. officials and Iraq’s pro-Iranian Shiite political parties, America’s ambassador warned Monday that unless Iraq’s factions unite to form a non-sectarian government free from ties to militias, the U.S. will withdraw funding for the nation’s security forces.
The warning came on a day of bloodshed that underscored the dangers of the deepening political stalemate that has taken hold since Iraqis voted in December for their first permanent government since the fall of former dictator Saddam Hussein.
In case you don’t know what sectarianism is, it’s where Shia and Sunnis fight each other for power. This is an underlying reason why American troops are still in Iraq. We could have left already if there was a stronger sense of nationalism and less bickering between religious sects and the various aspirants to power.
Anyhow, the U.S. has warned Iraq that it needs to focus on pulling together instead of tearing apart. And that’s a good thing.
In the ambassador’s own words:
AMB. KHALILZAD: Well, as I said in my opening statement, that sectarianism and ethnic conflict is the fundamental problem in Iraq.
Iraq is going through a period of state and nation building. The insurgency and the terror that is part of the scene is a reflection of this conflict along the lines that I described, and also taking advantage of it, particularly terror. And to overcome this, there is a need for a government of national unity. That’s the difference between what exists now and the next government, that it’ll bring the key forces together. Iraqis say they would like to have the key forces from different sects and ethnic groups coming together to form this government.
And two is that the ministries work to implement a national unity program that has been agreed to. And also, as I have said repeatedly, that the ministers, particularly Security ministers, have to be people who are non-sectarian, who are broadly acceptable, who do not represent or have ties to militias. This is the singlemost important issue that Iraq faces — forming a national unity government that meets the criteria that I described.
And — and when Iraq succeeds in establishing such a government, it will take a giant step in the right direction, and it will put the country on the right trajectory, and I think it will assist substantially in dealing with the issue of the insurgency. It will be difficult to do. It’s going to take time. Compromises have to be made. But I see that as a solution, and we’ll work with the Iraqis to — to achieve that.
As far as our forces are concerned, I have said that we do not plan to have permanent bases here. We have started to reduce our forces already. Two brigades — a reduction of two brigades have already been announced. I see a set of circumstances developing that would allow for continuing reduction, a significant reduction in the size of U.S. forces here in the coming months.
Full text of the ambassador’s recent comments to the press here.