Standoff at U.S. Airbase in Iraq between Kurd and Shiite militia shows US toops may not leave Iraq soon
Balaji Reddy
Nov. 17, 2011
U.S. Forces Begin Withdrawal From Iraq. Video courtesy: Published on YouTube on Nov 2, 2011 by AssociatedPress
US forces were supposed to hand over the Iraqi airbase to the Iraqi troops dominated by the Shiites and some Sunnis. Kurd militia calling themselves local cops in the area stopped the Shiites to enter the air base.
Even the symbolic gesture to show that the central government, headed by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, is in charge did not go well. Wall Street Journal reporters were present to mark and report on the historic symbolic event that could have showed that Iraqi indigenous government is back in power.
Instead what the world saw in TV and media report is just laughable. The local Kurd militia refused the Shiites and Sunni military officers of Iraq's central government to even enter the air base. Finally US forces decided to do nothing in real terms and in exchange a few local Iraqi military vehicles were allowed to enter the air base to avoid total mockery of the situation.
The US commanders later said that are in charge. this just shows how difficult it will be for the American forces to leave Iraq.
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