The Common Ills: Progress?

Sunday, April 23, 2017

Progress?

AFP reports, "An ambush by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) group killed 10 members of the security forces Sunday in western Iraq, where federal and other forces recently ramped up an anti-jihadist offensive."

Day 186 of The Mosul Slog.

ISIS is supposed to be on the run -- but it's attacking the military and attacking the police.

‏Verified account @RudawEnglish

9 Iraqi forces killed, 3 kidnapped by ISIS in Anbar http://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/iraq/230420172 … via @RudawEnglish

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Who's really on the run?

The civilians.

‏ @nfcinereporter

Almost half a million people have fled #Mosul since the start of the operation to push Isis out... 

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Almost half a million people.

And so many of the dislocated are children.

‏Verified account @UNIraq

The race against time for #Mosul’s children - https://medium.com/stories-from-unicef-in-iraq-english/mosul-six-months-fc855f9ebabf … via @UNICEFiraq #Iraq

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Well at least things are going well otherwise in Iraq, right?

Wrong.

Baria Almuddin (ARAB NEWS) reports:

The Al-Hashd Al-Shaabi umbrella movement of mostly Shiite paramilitaries has no intention of demobilizing after [the Islamic State] is defeated. Instead, it is comprehensively expanding its remit. Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan recently described Al-Hashd as a “terrorist organization” and facilitator of “Iran’s Persian expansion policy.”
In universities, Al-Hashd sponsors activities, enlists students and holds military training camps. Institutions have been established in Sunni provinces for recruitment, indoctrination and expansion. Tens of Al-Hashd offices have reportedly been opened in Mosul before this Sunni-majority city has even been liberated. Intelligence headquarters have been set up, and Al-Hashd detention centers — where torture and killings are routine — are no secret.
Shiite religious institutions complain of being besieged by Tehran’s propaganda. Pro-Iran seminaries are awash with funds as thousands of young people are indoctrinated with Tehran-approved theology. There are sustained efforts to ensure that a pro-Iran cleric succeeds Iraqi Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani.
The Hashd Law failed to bring paramilitaries under the government’s command. Instead, this law makes them a permanent legal entity, receiving money and weapons openly from the state and clandestinely from Iran, thus further undermining the regular army. Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi says the right things to the West about demobilizing Al-Hashd, but he has just promised to increase expenditure on these militias.