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Loose Canons
WikiLeaks Attacks!
Confirming the problems inherent with the nation-building strategy we pursued in Iraq and are still pursuing in Afghanistan.
Last Friday the WikiLeaks organization again published previously classified Defense Department documents. WikiLeaks claims it is the most massive publication of classified documents in U.S. military history.
Its founder, Julian Assange, in answer to questions about the operation of his organization, reportedly told a reporter, “I’m too busy ending two wars.”
Not long ago, Assange leaked tens of thousands of secret reports on Afghanistan that were supposed to prove America’s failure there. This time 391,382 “war logs” — raw reports from the Iraq war — are claimed to prove that innocent Iraqis were murdered, that there was torture of prisoners by forces of the post-Saddam government, and that there were vastly more deaths in the Iraq conflict than were previously documented.
The documents were created from January 1, 2004 to December 31, 2009. And they encompass the most significant period of the post-invasion occupation, which began with the February 2006 bombing of the Shiite Samarra mosque, igniting the worst period of Sunni-Shea violence.
A few key dates are worth remembering. The invasion began on March 19, 2003, and on April 19, Saddam’s regime vacated Baghdad. In April, the decision was made to not transfer sovereignty back to Iraqis for an indefinite period. Gen. Jay Garner was initially put in charge of Iraq “reconstruction” in April and he was replaced in May by the “Coalition Provisional Authority” under Amb. L. Paul Bremer. On June 28, 2004, sovereignty was returned to an Iraqi government under Shiite Iyad al- Allawi as prime minister and Sunni president Ghazi al-Yawar. But that government and its successors to this day have been unable to govern Iraq.
Beginning with the transfer of sovereignty, the occupation continued under the framework of nation-building. But with a sovereign national authority, Iraqi government forces could and did operate as they chose, running prisons and interrogating prisoners without American supervision.
And at the same time, U.S. and Coalition forces were trying to maintain security and operate militarily against the insurgents. Gen. David Petraeus’s “surge” began in 2007 and reinforced the counterinsurgency strategy he had begun earlier in a few Iraqi provinces.
Several news organizations, including apparently the New York Times, Britain’s Guardian newspaper, and al-Jazeera, were given advance access to the documents. From their reporting, and from my own scant review of just a few of the documents, they appear to illustrate the inherent — and forseeable — problems with the nation-building strategy we pursued in Iraq and are still pursuing in Afghanistan.
The Guardian headlines report torture, murders, and war crimes. It reports, “US authorities failed to investigate hundreds of reports of abuse, torture, rape and even murder by Iraqi police and soldiers whose conduct appears to be systematic and normally unpunished.” In an occupation, we would have the obligation to investigate and punish such crimes. But from the moment the Iraqis resumed sovereignty over their own nation, any moral obligation we had was abrogated by the Iraqis’ authority over their own affairs.
The New York Times — in extensive Sunday coverage — returns to a familiar narrative of indiscriminate killing by U.S. security contractors. (“Contractors Added to War’s Chaos.”)
The security contractor issue is another result of the occupation-cum-nation-building strategy. As Gen. Hugh Shelton, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, said in a CNN interview yesterday, we simply didn’t have enough troops to provide security for all the other government agencies attempting to build Iraq. Neither the CIA nor the State Department, both of which have been heavily engaged in Iraq, could have attempted to operate in Iraq without contractor-provided security.
The Times spins it back to 2004 when four
Blackwater employees were killed in an ambush. It
writes,
“Even now — with many
contractors discredited for unjustified shootings and a lack of
accountability amply described in the documents — the military
cannot do without them. There are more contractors
over all [sic] than actual members of the military serving in
the worsening war in Afghanistan.”
(My search of the WikiLeaks website repeatedly returned “no results” when I searched for the name “Blackwater,” the firm that was involved in a series of famous incidents. A few Blackwater employees have been punished but the vast majority served effectively and with honor. On any number of occasions, according to my sources, Blackwater “little bird” helicopters braved ground fire to perform emergency medevac pickups without getting paid for them.)
The Washington Post reports that Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki fears that the WikiLeaks documents will provide ammunition to his opponents in his seven-month standoff with Iyad Allawi after the inconclusive March election. Maliki fears human rights investigators will blame him for what Iraqi security forces have done. But Iyad Allawi was prime minister from 2004 to 2005. If blame there be, and there will be much, it must be shared. Nevertheless, the WikiLeaks revelations will only add to the political chaos that is Iraq today.
The Post goes along with the WikiLeaks claim that the new documents show “…that U.S. soldiers killed at least 700 Iraqi civilians in situations where troops felt threatened.”
About the Author
Jed Babbin served as a Deputy Undersecretary of Defense under George H.W. Bush. He is the author of several bestselling books including Inside the Asylum and In the Words of Our Enemies. You can follow him on Twitter @jedbabbin.
Letter to the Editor View all comments (49) | Leave a comment
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Tim*| 10.25.10 @ 6:36AM
I'll Be Right Back. I Gotta Take A WikiLeak .
Mike| 10.25.10 @ 8:14PM
Why does everyone assume this data is true on face value? I would challenge this. Julian Assange is probably a publicity seeker more than a Whistle Blower. If this guy did steal our countries secret data then I long for the days when the CIA would have ended his whistle blowing the same way the KGB would have ended theres.
LJM| 10.29.10 @ 12:59PM
Well, that's certainly an evil position to hold. Un-American, too! But isn't that what all freedom-loving Americans wish for? The days when the CIA was like the KGB.
David| 10.28.10 @ 1:26PM
I don't understand how classified documents can be exposed and the person exposing them is not guilty of treason
Jay| 10.29.10 @ 7:16PM
Because his not an american citizen. very simple.
jay| 10.29.10 @ 7:18PM
*he's* not his
Bill Hussein O'Stalin| 10.25.10 @ 6:46AM
Julian Assange is simply another terrorist acting in a different manner. What we should see is a wanted poster offering 5 million for him, dead or alive.
wvobiwan| 10.25.10 @ 11:25PM
My sentiments exactly. Assange is 'ending two wars'?! I wonder how he's doing that, seems to me he's EXTENDING them. Causing more death and bloodshed of our soldiers and innocent Iraqis who only want to live free in their own country. Assange is a clear enemy of the US state in a time a war - military tribunal followed by execution is fine with me.
Bruce | 10.26.10 @ 9:07PM
I'd do it for nothing as an act of patriotism. That scumbag needs killin'.
Ret. Marine| 10.25.10 @ 7:17AM
Maybe this report, when fully analyzed, will help us in the future to prevent another incident of "Nation building". We have no business doing any of it. If the people of Iraq, Afghanistan, and future countries mired in their own troubles cannot see to it for the sake and safety of their own people, then its their problem to build and pay for their own damn way in this life.
It has always troubled me, (mainly because the demonrat party is allowed to lie continuously about facts that most is know to be contrary to empirical evidences,) that the leftward leaning liars of the media and gubmint so-called leaders are done strictly for political purposes, and in fact serve to no one's purpose but for the political mileage, that they will continue to lie just for the advantage and ensuing policy changes here. I read some of the main reports of this this past weekend, many of the items, which I already knew were lies coming out of the mouths of the demonrat party membership, were out and in the open. Yes there were WMD's in Iraq, not just a few mind you, but hundreds of sites were in fact found, these sites where the UN told us were destroyed by Maddas, Saddam , no there were not millions of Iraqi's killed by our troops, not even close to the number and in fact many were killed by their own gubmint for political purposes, but hey if the demonrat party says it was so, well it must be so-right, no, wrong. True to the saying, how do you know when a demonrat is lying, if their mouth opens, it just confirms your suspicion.
I am tired of being treated by the entire world as though We the People of these United States are walking around with a sign attached to our backs stating " go ahead and kick me, because we know we will have to lie about it later"
Nov-2 can not come soon enough for this old Devil Dog. I believe we must shut this so-called government of the crooks down indefinitely until all investigations leading to the current occupant in the district of corruption are investigated for the treason they have been so blatant of.
Redstateboy| 10.25.10 @ 9:27AM
just my opinion but I believe the soldier that gave this information to these people should receive the Death Penalty if convicted.
RCV| 10.25.10 @ 1:36PM
An opinion I share.
wvobiwan| 10.25.10 @ 11:27PM
And me.
cwew| 10.26.10 @ 9:18AM
Call it what it is: Treason.
An offense punishable by death.
KyMouse| 10.25.10 @ 9:30AM
Assange has chosen to be an enemy of our country. He and whoever is giving him information that puts our people (and our allies) in danger should be stopped, one way or another.
Dai Alanye | 10.25.10 @ 10:56AM
"The Saudi government-controlled Arab News is ahead of the American media."
We need to keep in mind who is backing the enemy in Iraq and Afghanistan, and act to weaken or overthrow them. First Iran, of course, but also Syria, Pakistan and--yes--Saudi Arabia. With the possible exception of Pakistan none of these have anything like representative government, nor are any our friends.
I suggest we start by recognizing a government in exile for Iran.
Texas Mom 2012| 10.25.10 @ 11:25AM
What is missing from this discussion is the fact that civilian deaths have still been far smaller since Saddam Hussein was toppled than they had been since the first Gulf War. Hussein slaughtered far more of his people per year than have been killed since he was removed from power. I think that is a valid point that must be included in any discussion of Iraq civilian casualties. It is part of the context, no matter how much we regret each civilian death, that there are far more Iraqis alive than would have been if we had allowed Hussein to continue his regime. He never abided by his commitments in the treaty he signed after the first Gulf War. He continued to fire at our planes, something like 700 scuds in the year leading up to the second war. He perverted the oils for food program, diverting funds intended to help his people with food and medicine to his own coffers. And the UN and some of our 'Allies' helped him in this endeavor...
Again, more Iraqis are alive today than would have been if we had not tackled the Hussein regime. He was directly killing his civilians and indirectly killing them through the theft of the Oil for Food funds.
craig| 10.25.10 @ 2:17PM
I agree, the people of Iraq are better off now. My marine infantry son, after participating in the 2003 invasion of Iraq, told me of finding jars full of human fingers in buildings they searched.
Jonathon| 10.28.10 @ 1:51PM
That's nice you think the people of Iraq are better off now. Unfortunately numerous studies and surveys have indicated that the people of Iraq do not agree with you.
Anthony| 10.25.10 @ 2:34PM
I'd like to see some of Assange's body parts in jars.
The left will destroy America if not stopped.
Too many Tims| 10.25.10 @ 2:45PM
Take up the White Man's burden--
The savage wars of peace--
Fill full the mouth of Famine
And bid the sickness cease;
And when your goal is nearest
The end for others sought,
Watch sloth and heathen Folly
Bring all your hopes to nought.
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/Kipling.html
PattyMor| 10.25.10 @ 3:26PM
It seems to me that if the current government did not want these documents published, they could infect or jam the Wiki-Leaks web site. To me, they are just like another NYT outlet to publish our state secrets. I think the government wants this stuff published, to embarass our country, George Bush, and Republicans in general.
jrjr| 10.25.10 @ 5:05PM
PattyMor --- right on target. The Messiah would like to see the end of the two wars and that would please his most leftists. But hopefully our nation-building and save-the-world will cease. There are far too many opponents in the world for us to overcome. Billions of muuslimmms, China, Russia, and complacency of the Euros are far too many enemies -- with no money. But the world will remember Obama for the Afghanistan war - his and the Dimos war - and not that of Bushie. Obama's drone war is doomed to failure. You cannot tell from the air whether the people on the ground are teens, good guys, pregnant gals, grand parents, etc. Imagine trying to drone bomb only those who shave only on Tuesday night.
rongordo | 10.25.10 @ 3:56PM
My guess is that wikileaks is connected to Soros, and that all this has more to do with World politics than "ending two wars." Once Barrack is no longer POTUS, we'll see him, along with his wife and all these crab people, trying to run things from the Communist/Muslim UN coalition.
Major Variola| 10.25.10 @ 4:56PM
To think he can stop the mil-industrial complex is delusional. Americans won't care --there's no draft.
In fact, they have started constructing Nam-like war memorials before the wars are lost. See northwoodmemorial.com, the Irvine Long War memorial. Space for 8000 names, over half filled at completion in 2010, but it will be updated yearly with the name of new dead from Iraq and AfPak.
Anyway wikileaks is just a few technologies that are not going away, so get used to anonymous irrevocable publication.
And as Gen. Washington said, beware of foreign entanglements.
wvobiwan| 10.25.10 @ 11:34PM
So just stand by while millions are killed thru tyranny, terrorism, and socialism? GW said beware, not 'stick your head in the sand like a coward'. GW also didn't realize back then that true, functioning Democracies don't make war on each other. Today he would have echoed calls for the spread of democracy. And I won't get used to traitors, I will urge the death penalty for them.
Will| 10.25.10 @ 5:35PM
I saw Pete Hoekstra on the news recently, and he was asked about this outrage. He eluded to someone (or possibly multiple parties) within the Pentagon leaking this information out. I'd have to agree with PattyMor that this activity has been sanctioned by someone/something in power from on high. Those responsible deserve the firing squad or the rope. It may take years to uncover the source, but well worth the effort and making a terrible example of them.
ACynic| 10.25.10 @ 8:09PM
Note that useful idiots like Julian Assange are strangely silent when it comes to revealing the mass murders and exterminations perpetrated by Saddam Hussein, Kim Jong, etc. He is silent when Castro tosses journalists in jail and murders cubans trying to escape. Useful idiots remain silent when mass murder and torture are committed by communists and other assorted left wing progressives. Let's hope this communist rat winds up a prisoner of some muslim fanatics and they cut off his head - very slowly - with a rusty butcher knife and this action is posted on youtube for all to see.
Jonathon| 10.28.10 @ 1:55PM
How do you know Assange is silent when others commit atrocities? I'm willing to bet you don't know anything about Assange that you haven't read in the American Spectator. For all you know he was an outspoken critic of Saddam Hussein even back in the days when George Bush was defending his murderous actions on the Senate floor.
albert constantine jr.| 10.25.10 @ 11:28PM
With respect to Mr. Assange and Wikileaks, I wish whoever coined the phrase "don't kill the messenger" should reconsider their policy.
Bob Menzies| 10.26.10 @ 12:10AM
Killing Mr. Assange may or may not be a good thing, but killing neocons would be of benefit to the whole world (especially America).
When did Mr. Assange lie his country into unwinnable war/s?
The neocons suckered Bush jnr and the people at large; stupid Obama has only made things worse.
Mr Assange may be a lot of things but he didn't betray America - Americans did, so do something about it or continue suffering the consequences.
victor| 10.26.10 @ 2:48AM
One useful idiot defending another.
Bob Menzies| 10.26.10 @ 7:57AM
"...the neocons, the nation-builders of record, have it entirely wrong. We cannot win the war by fighting the enemy's proxies or in spending blood and treasure trying to create democracies in the Muslim world." - Jed Babbin
The useful idiots are those Jed so acurately described as being "entirely wrong".
Of course they have been of absolutely no use to America but very useful indeed to America's biggest competitor and creditor - China.
Sadly lad you haven't been paying attention to the main game - but one doubts whether you could comprehend what the main game really is.
Useful idiots all of us, but Sun Tzu knew that a long time ago.
Zeraph1973| 10.26.10 @ 1:54PM
The neocons are to blame? Not the United Nations (which also had intelligence of WMD in Iraq), not the terrorists who found refuge there, not governments around the world which found Iraq to be a threat (such as Jordan and Egypt), not any Democrats who voted to send troops and fund a war to oust Saddam Hussein, not the Clinton Administration (which also banged the drum for action against Iraq), and certainly not the barbaric regime of Saddam Hussein. No, in your brilliant insight, the neocons (who should die according to you) are to blame. Wow.
Niko B| 10.26.10 @ 1:02AM
If it's Treason to expose your government and military for wrong doings i don't see how you can ever impeach Obama.
Jonathon| 10.28.10 @ 1:57PM
very true...
fine china set | 10.26.10 @ 1:28AM
The undeniable fact is that Hussein massacred much more of his folks every year than have been rubbed out since he was removed from power. I believe that may be a good point that must definitely be included in any discourse of Iraq civilian casualties. It is a part of the context, regardless of how much we regret each civilian death, that there are much more Iraqis alive than would be if we had permitted Hussein to keep on his regime. He never abides by his commitments in the accord he signed after the 1st Gulf War. He continued to launch at our planes, something similar to seven hundred scuds in the year leading in to the second war. He perverted the oils for food programme, diverting funds planned to help his folk with food and medication to his very own coffers. And the UN and some of our 'Allies ' helped him in this endeavor. Again, more Iraqis are alive today than would've been if we hadn't tackled the Hussein regime. He was without delay killing his non combatants and indirectly slaughtering them through the burglary of the Oil for Food funds.
Heywood| 10.26.10 @ 11:51PM
Fact is this--- most Iraqis don't want us to leave--we're there providing security--and whenever our troops would secure an area the next day you'd see people outside trying to resume a normal life. Our troops would have been run out of Iraq in a few days if the main population of Iraq wanted us out.
Bill| 10.29.10 @ 5:22PM
Wow, this is my first time reading this website. The article seemed sane enough, but then I read the comments. Is this some sort of skinhead or fascism party site? What is wrong with you people? You casually speak of murdering a man whose crime is releasing information to the public that should have never been classified in the first place. We have a right to know if the war is going horribly and making things worse than they were before. It's our money being spent.
Mark| 10.30.10 @ 11:28AM
Ahhh, a voice of reason finally. After perusing the first set of comments I was starting to lose hope for humanity.
yeesh.
Chris| 10.29.10 @ 5:41PM
We won our freedom.
We won their freedom.
Who do you think respects their freedom more? We who died for ours, or they who waited for us to come and do it for them? I don't feel sorry for a single one of those people who can't survive without us over there. They let Saddam reign in such a manner, they stood idly by while he killed their families, and they left every man and woman whom could have been one of their hero's to suffer his wrath.
Our democracy is good and I love it, but it's dying because of these two wars. Because we love it so much we willing to force it on people not willing to fight for it. One person on this forum called for charges of treason for a person releasing information to the American public that the Muslim public has to actually deal with. If any of the stuff in these documents is true then we have no idea how our actions are actually forming poor opinion of American democracy around the world. Instead you believe that these people want us there. Yeah I'm sure some of them do for the reasons I mentioned above, so they don't have to die for their freedom. I would prefer to bring charges of treason on you for sending our soldiers to die for they who can't even govern their own. Our defenders have been used as tools of destruction and many have perished in this attempt and you still hold on to this old idea that our democracy is so good everybody wants it. That idea is treason to the very heart of our democracy and ideals of individual freedom. Give those up and we're no better then Saddam when he invaded Iran, or Hitler's invasion of Europe. The occupiers always think they're the best.
Chris | 10.29.10 @ 5:44PM
the second to last sentence should read "Give those up (or)..."
DVD to iPhone 4 Mac | 1.4.11 @ 4:56AM
I like the space.
I like travelling, someday I'll take up my backpack, treadsroad journey.
wholesale beads | 3.30.11 @ 4:46AM
good read