In 2003, the justification for the US invasion of Iraq centered around a lot of bogus allegations. Among them were claims that Saddam Hussein’s Ba’athist government, a relatively secular militaristic government, was secretly in bed with al-Qaeda. The claims were false, at the time.
12+ years later, those allegations have become something of a self-fulfilling prophesy, as the war and the excesses of the ‘de-Ba’athification’ campaign that followed ended up driving Sunni Arabs in the old Iraqi military out, and the persecution that followed eventually drove them into bed with ISIS.
While ISIS’ political leadership remains mostly religious leaders who were with them from back in the days when they were al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI), the establishment of the caliphate as a proper nation-state has produced a separate ISIS military leadership. A new army looking for commanders and a bunch of seasoned commanders looking for a purpose after being shut out of the new Iraqi military, it was inevitable they’d find each other.
The big question though is whether this could’ve been avoided. The US decided early on during the Iraqi occupation to destroy the military and then create a new one out of whole cloth. This left them desperate to train up a new military while the Shi’ite political leadership did its best to freeze out anyone even tangentially related to the old guard.
In many ways this is why the Iraqi military has been so ineffective, as it is full of relative newcomers and militia cast-offs, hastily trained and armed and sent to fight forces with much more experience. Now, to make matters worse, those enemies are commanded by the actual career military men who the US was so eager to ditch.
Corruption breeds corruption, surely and the legacy of our greed driven war economy will be, that during the rise and fall of Empire USA it did more irreversible damage then the combine total of all the other Empires that came before it.
The U.S. is too stupid and greedy to be an empire.
All of those mistreated by the US now come together under the banner of "IS." Shouldn't be a surprise. Except that these idiots are mostly killing regular folk. That can't be what the Ba’athists are about.
If the US had not invaded Iraq ISIS's caliph, Bagdadi, would probably be a colonel in the Baathist army.
"Well, Ollie, this is another fine mess you have gotten me into!"
These Ba’thist from Iraq, Syria has its own Ba’thist, are not of the top level military and gov officials of Saddams time as.the only ones of them not alive are by now retired with lucrative pensions provided for their turming to treason .
US effectively killed tortured and broke the
will of any loyalist, and kiddnapped their wives and children to make them surrender, Saddam was not only one publicly executed.
Most of Iraq’s top military and civil authorities at time of invasion had already been bought and sold; As was the top general in the province where US first invaded to setup a port who for a reward was granted govenor of province under US rule. HE told all his troops to park vehicles
by road throw away uniforms and go home.
Thry did but air and arty crews of US callednthem concentrated enemy forces and blew them all to hell.
Then as columns advanced with tank and every tank and bobble headed gun toter looking for trigger time eiinfantry just shot at them in fear as they passed.
Those military who ran or just quit thinking US was gonna bring big PX and pay well to screw fallen women got fooled andbUS shot up anything that had more than three adults.
THe Shias.under Irans admonitions by head mullahs tell flocks to not resist and those in military and remember they had no militias at time of invasion.
The head Shia in Iraq told Sadi to not resist then coveniently left for France.
When US gained airport they had over 1500 indivifuals with their familys all headed for the Witness protection program.
What you have are disgusted turncoats of
military and civl logistical clerks and adminidtrators thrown out of work by turncoats, or US would not pay no matter how much booty they kissed.
Now given a real chance to fight they will do so and if they kill a few funded lackey’s and then dome US collatrtal damaged oh well.
Then again they have no nation about half was givrn to Kurds, and they look at the
sychophants that say they are Iraq government but are no more than the dregs left over from war.working for foreign financial interest and against own nation and people, why not target them with by joining ISIS or others.
Revengeb not the easy money of pu**y footing us where when cops, Corp and gov kills your kid you and lawyers get feel good money.Lots of moneys not the mere 500 US
gave and stll gives collaterall damaged.
US State and its military mercs have the character of dogs in heat they come sniffing around, then screw you, and you
are supposed to feel gratefull.
Maybe some Iraqi feel its time for some payback , would only be Human emotion.