Page 43 - January Febuary 2016 Issue
P. 43
Setting the Record Straight on Iraq and the Islamic State
Jihad in the Land of the Two Rivers; Agreement (SFA), and Security Agreement
Tanzeem Qa’idat al Jihad Bilad al Raaidaini; (SOFA). President Bush was basically caught
Tanzim Qa’idat al-Jihad i Bilad al-Raidayn; between a rock and a hard place and had to
The al-Zarqawi network; The Islamic State sign whatever the Iraqi parliament provided
of Iraq and the Levant; The Islamic State to him; otherwise our troops would have to be
of Iraq and al-Sham; The Islamic State of out of Iraq by December 31, 2008, which was
Iraq and Syria; The Islamic Caliphate; The completely impossible.
Islamic Caliphate State; The Islamic State
of Iraq and Greater Syria; The Monotheism The SOFA, as it was written, required US forces
and Jihad Group; The Organization Base to withdraw from Iraqi cities by June 30, 2009
of Jihad Country of the Two Rivers; The and for all U.S. forces to be out by December
Organization Base of Jihad Mesopotamia; 31, 2011. It called for warrants to be issued
The Organization of Jihad’s Base in the for searches that were not related to combat;
Country of the Two Rivers; Unity and Holy required criminal charges to be assessed for any
Struggle; Unity and Holy War; Unity and prisoner held more than 24 hours; and stated
Jihad Group. U.S. contractors working for U.S. forces would
be subject to Iraqi criminal law.
It was June 29, 2014 (the irst day of
Ramadan) when an Islamic caliphate was It was thought that with time, the United States
proclaimed for the area the Islamic State would be able to amend the treaty and leave
now controls and their name was changed a certain number of troops in country, but
to Dawla al-Islamiya, or the Islamic State. the Republic of Iraq had total control of the
The methods incorporated by this group situation and no changes could be negotiated
are no different than they were back in without approval. Needless to say the Iraqi’s had
2005 when they were irst declared a absolutely no desire to keep us in country any
terrorist organization. Their expansion, the longer, so would not agree to anything other than
announcement of an Islamic caliphate and the minor changes. A decision they quite possibly
name change are the only differences. may be regretting.
Many politicians and pundits have It wouldn’t have made any difference if we left
determined the reason the Islamic State has a 100 troops in Iraq, or 100,000 because sooner
expanded is due to the fact a residual force or later the day was going to come when U.S.
was not left in Iraq, and of course they blame troops would leave and the Iraqi’s would have to
President Obama, which is also incorrect. fend for themselves and they simply are not, and
will not be able to do that, due to the extreme
On December 31, 2008 the United Nations divisions within the country.
Security Council Mandate would have
expired which was the legal basis for the No matter how you personally feel about the
United States having forces in Iraq. On war in Iraq, the fact is we made a gross error in
December 14, 2008 President George W. attacking Iraq without just cause [there were no
Bush signed both the Strategic Framework
43
Jihad in the Land of the Two Rivers; Agreement (SFA), and Security Agreement
Tanzeem Qa’idat al Jihad Bilad al Raaidaini; (SOFA). President Bush was basically caught
Tanzim Qa’idat al-Jihad i Bilad al-Raidayn; between a rock and a hard place and had to
The al-Zarqawi network; The Islamic State sign whatever the Iraqi parliament provided
of Iraq and the Levant; The Islamic State to him; otherwise our troops would have to be
of Iraq and al-Sham; The Islamic State of out of Iraq by December 31, 2008, which was
Iraq and Syria; The Islamic Caliphate; The completely impossible.
Islamic Caliphate State; The Islamic State
of Iraq and Greater Syria; The Monotheism The SOFA, as it was written, required US forces
and Jihad Group; The Organization Base to withdraw from Iraqi cities by June 30, 2009
of Jihad Country of the Two Rivers; The and for all U.S. forces to be out by December
Organization Base of Jihad Mesopotamia; 31, 2011. It called for warrants to be issued
The Organization of Jihad’s Base in the for searches that were not related to combat;
Country of the Two Rivers; Unity and Holy required criminal charges to be assessed for any
Struggle; Unity and Holy War; Unity and prisoner held more than 24 hours; and stated
Jihad Group. U.S. contractors working for U.S. forces would
be subject to Iraqi criminal law.
It was June 29, 2014 (the irst day of
Ramadan) when an Islamic caliphate was It was thought that with time, the United States
proclaimed for the area the Islamic State would be able to amend the treaty and leave
now controls and their name was changed a certain number of troops in country, but
to Dawla al-Islamiya, or the Islamic State. the Republic of Iraq had total control of the
The methods incorporated by this group situation and no changes could be negotiated
are no different than they were back in without approval. Needless to say the Iraqi’s had
2005 when they were irst declared a absolutely no desire to keep us in country any
terrorist organization. Their expansion, the longer, so would not agree to anything other than
announcement of an Islamic caliphate and the minor changes. A decision they quite possibly
name change are the only differences. may be regretting.
Many politicians and pundits have It wouldn’t have made any difference if we left
determined the reason the Islamic State has a 100 troops in Iraq, or 100,000 because sooner
expanded is due to the fact a residual force or later the day was going to come when U.S.
was not left in Iraq, and of course they blame troops would leave and the Iraqi’s would have to
President Obama, which is also incorrect. fend for themselves and they simply are not, and
will not be able to do that, due to the extreme
On December 31, 2008 the United Nations divisions within the country.
Security Council Mandate would have
expired which was the legal basis for the No matter how you personally feel about the
United States having forces in Iraq. On war in Iraq, the fact is we made a gross error in
December 14, 2008 President George W. attacking Iraq without just cause [there were no
Bush signed both the Strategic Framework
43
