Political Correctness Hampering Iraqi Army?

This article about an Iraqi army sergeant is very revealing, both as to the difficulties they encounter with sectarian politics, and the use of the media to pressure the Iraqi army by the different sects.

“We need to give the Americans back all the authority over the Iraqi Army like before.”

Concerns abound that Iraq’s Defence Ministry is being manipulated to serve the interests of powerful Sunni and Shia political parties. A decision by the US military to hand over full control of Iraq’s Army to a Government plagued by sectarian interests, could well spell its ruin.

The sergeant, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he fears that his criticism of the Government’s handling of the military could get him fired or killed, is one of several officers who complained to The Times of government threats against army units that have led raids against Sunni and Shia armed groups.

Senior US military officers have also expressed concern over campaigns to remove defence officials and commanders considered to be tough on government-linked militias.

The sergeant, dressed in a US Army shirt, bemoaned the intensifying government pressure. He feels that the Americans have taught his men to be a professional, non-sectarian force and political parties are undermining them.

“If we detain Sunni terrorists, many of the Sunnis working for the Government will keep pushing us and our battalion commanders and ask us why you do that. Sometimes they will make a complaint against us. If we do the same thing in Sadr City, they (Shia officials) will make an announcement on television that we are doing the wrong thing and killing innocent people.”

He recalled two instances where high-profile raids against a suspected armed group led to requests from within the Defence Ministry to transfer a key officer. The sergeant was afraid things would only get worse as the Iraqi Government takes more power.

He thinks that putting the army back under American control would alleviate the problem. I wish I could be as sure.

Also of note, he plans to leave Iraq if the US withdraws.

Yet in his years with the Iraqi Army he has learnt one simple lesson: once the US military pulls back in Iraq, he should leave the country if he wants to survive. “As soon as it happens, I will quit my job and live outside Iraq,” the sergeant told The Times.

...A colleague concurred, shaking his head at the partisan situation. “Each party is fighting to make his party first in a ministry. All people are just fighting for their own interests. If the coalition forces withdraw, all the people really working closely with the coalition forces, will leave because we will all be targets.” Between them, the two soldiers have had 50 colleagues killed in the past three years and another 10 troops kidnapped by the al-Mahdi Army.

I've noticed that the biggest problem for the third world seems to be the lack of honorable men willing to serve for the good of their societies. It's understandable why they would want to leave when they find themselves severely out-numbered and in fear for their lives, and that is why it's so important that we not abandon them, even if it means staying for a very long time. How else can we expect anyone to take on the sort of risk it entails to reform a corrupt, failing society in a decent manner if we bail on these guys.

One thing the world is not short of is corrupt, failing societies.

It's not just honorable people we'd be abandoning, it's honor itself.