Haditha Complicates Iraq Situation

Middle East experts Anthony Cordesman and Juan Cole make some useful comments in an article from the Christian Science Monitor on Iraq and the complications arising out of the Haditha incident; here's the first three paragraphs:

The Abu Ghraib prison scandal was a contentious topic when Iyad Allawi became Iraq's interim prime minister in June 2004. But Mr. Allawi, appointed by the occupying power, resisted domestic pressure to conduct an Iraqi investigation.

Now, amid charges of violence by US troops against Iraqi civilians, including an alleged massacre in the Sunni village of Haditha, elected Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is showing no such reticence. A critic of the US occupation before taking office, he has charged that such violence by coalition forces is a "daily phenomenon" and "a terrible crime," and demanded that the US turn over to Iraqis information on the Haditha case.

Mr. Maliki's tough stance suggests a new assertion of sovereignty by the Iraqi government, something that actually works to the US's favor. But the allegations, coming as the new government tries to demonstrate control, are likely to complicate both US-Iraq relations and Maliki's task of leading the Iraqi people.

If Maliki gets too tough with the US, he could find himself not receiving the help he needs. If he is not tough enough with the US, Iraqis may not back him and his government may fall. I don't know if Maliki is the right man for the job or not but the last thing Iraq needs is more instability.