US can’t solve Iraq’s internal problems

During the past 10 or so years we, the U.S., have spent billions of dollars in weapons and untold amounts of manpower and energy equipping and training the Iraqi military to become militarily self sufficient. Now, we find them unable to fulfill this promise and need our help again to equip and train them.

The last few times that they were faced with the enemy, the Iraqi soldiers deserted and turned over their weapons to the Islamic State, providing them with valuable U.S. weapons to use to conquer vast areas of Iraq and Syria and launch their caliphate.

The hatred between the Muslim Shiites and Sunnis is historical and deep-seated. The animosity between the Shiite-controlled government and its Sunni minority is equally deep. The government has made no effort to be inclusive; hence the divide has not been breached. The enemy of the Iraqi government is both external, Islamic State, and internal, the disgruntled Iraqi Sunnis.

Now the Iraqis want more weapons and training; and we, considering the possible political takeover of Iraq’s government by Iran, are obliging — to the point that we are adding U.S. personnel. We are on a slippery slope, if we keep adding more weapons and personnel to this lost cause, it won’t be long before they ask us to again fight their war for them.

Let us recognize that the problem in Iraq is the Iraqis. Only they can and should solve this problem. It’s time to face reality, we must use all means to forestall Iran’s influence and persuade the Iraqi government to bridge their internal divide, or our training will be wasted and our weaponry will be used against us.