Why no roadblocks in Baghdad? Where’s our GI?

No one knows the many unseen pressures that compelled U.S. forces yesterday to take down the checkpoints they had set up in hopes of finding a missing American soldier in Baghdad.

This was in the Sadr City section of Baghdad, which our Marines and soldiers had cordoned off for eight days during their search for Ahmed Qusai al-Taei, the U.S. soldier of Iraqi descent who disappeared Oct. 23. (U.S. troops also were hunting for Abu Deraa, a death squad leader.)

It appears Moqtada al-Sadr, leader of the outlaw Shiite militia “Mahdi Army,” wanted those roadblocks removed, and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki bowed to Sadr’s wishes.

Who’s in control? Maliki made a big deal of decreeing that U.S. forces should remove the checkpoints. The question is, why? And why is Sadr not yet in jail?

As Andrew Sullivan observes today:

The U.S. military does not have a tradition of abandoning its own soldiers to foreign militias, or of taking orders from foreign governments. No commander-in-chief who actually walks the walk, rather than swaggering the swagger, would acquiesce to such a thing. The soldier appears to be of Iraqi descent who is married to an Iraqi woman. Who authorized abandoning him to the enemy? Who is really giving the orders to the U.S. military in Iraq?

Disturbing element. Fascist Sunni Arabs have been the principal obstacle to peace in Iraq, but Sadr’s thugs are evidence that the Shiites also are having trouble accepting the rule of law.

Meanwhile, where’s GI Taei?

Frank Warner

Comments

[benjoya]

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki bowed to Sadr’s wishes.

and we bowed to maliki's wishes in turn, so it's not like we gave in to terrorists. no, not at all.

[jj mollo]

Before the kidnapping of their soldiers, the Israelis would respond to provocations by shelling Hezb'allah positions. The HB would call the Lebanese government, the Lebanese government would call the Israeli government, and the shelling would stop.

This was a strategic decision. When you want to help a partner grow strong, you have to give it areas of responsibility and honor its wishes -- even if it means tactical embarrassment.

[Frank Warner]

Ben, take a look at how JJ examines things. Concise, but also thoughtful.

Please don’t oversimplify. There is a balancing act going on in Iraq. That nation has a democratically elected government, and we have to respect that. On the other hand, Americans are risking lives trying to make this democracy work. The Iraqis have to respect that.

The question is, why does Maliki bend so easily to Sadr? Given Sadr’s excesses, why wouldn’t Maliki want to arrest Sadr and put down the Mahdi Army? Would that move be too explosive right now? Is Maliki waiting for a better moment? When?

Of course it’s not so simple as, “we gave in to terrorists.” Think deeply and you might discover something that frees millions from war and repression. Shallow thinking will only get us stuck in Iraq.