In the past central government action has had a tinge of corruption and abuse. Hopefully now any abuse or excessive force will be linked to local elders rather than creating a loss of faith and respect for the central government.
Then again, militias are also prone to corruption and abuse. Ties to local warlords and drug lords doesn't seem promising. Let's hope militia authority will be used to benefit the local villages rather than intimidate them.
Concerns have been raised that politicians in the US and NATO may find it convenient to hold back troops in favor of granting the militias more power.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7155500.stm
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/01/18/MNGMMNKDK61.DTL&hw
1 comment:
In one respect I hold a favorable attitude regarding the bottom up approach that tribal involvement entails. Yet I can't help harkening back to the 19th century and the "Great Game" during which both Britain and Russia played chess by proxy with various city-states and tribal warlords. The end game for both belligerents was hardly a victory.
What works in Iraq might not be so effective in a land that's known no master for centuries.
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