Sunni Distrust Fuels Tension in Iraq's Heartland

Strategic Insights -

Tension in Iraq's heartland is increasing due to Sunni distrust of Shi'ite and Kurdish militias. In the city of Balad, 50 miles northwest of Baghdad, Sunni residents' hostility has prevented a unit of Kurdish troops from leaving their base. The 700-strong Kurdish Iraqi army battalion, originally from the northern city of Sulaimaniyah, was deployed to Balad to bolster a single Shi'ite battalion mustered from local residents.

Key Takeaways:

  • Sunni residents in Balad have resisted the presence of the Kurdish battalion, with some even protesting outside the base.
  • The battalion is composed mostly of former Kurdish peshmerga militia, who have a long history of fighting against the Iraqi army and its Sunni-led forces.
  • The peshmerga's role mirrors the situation in southern Iraq, where radical Shi'ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's Mahdi Army operates alongside Shi'ite Iraqi army units.
  • Iraqi army Gen. Anwar Dolani has stated that his sole allegiance is to Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, a Kurd, highlighting the sectarian divisions within the army.
  • The US has begun to transfer responsibility for many cities to Iraqi forces, leading to increased attacks by Sunni insurgents and disaffected locals.
  • Stephen Biddle from the Council on Foreign Relations has warned that training Iraqi security forces makes civil war more likely and potentially bloodier, as Sunnis remain on the sidelines.
  • The Kurdish battalion's presence in Balad has been met with resistance from the local Sunni population, with commanders afraid to let the soldiers leave their base.

Statistics:

  • 700 - The number of Kurdish Iraqi army soldiers in the battalion deployed to Balad.
  • 50 miles - The distance between Balad and Baghdad.
  • 2 - The number of US battalions currently patrolling the Balad area, having dropped from three last year.
  • 1991 - The year Saddam Hussein's Sunni-led Iraqi army was defeated by the peshmerga militia in northern Iraq.

Sources:

  • The Washington Times - David Axe, "Sunni Distrust Fuels Tension in Iraq's Heartland"
  • Foreign Affairs magazine - Stephen Biddle, "Iraq's Sunnis and the National Army"
  • Washington Times photo captions - David Axe, "Marine Sgt. Erik Morrow", "Maj. Nash Wainwright", "1st Lt. Brian Feldmayer"