U.S. Is Powerless In The Battle For Tikrit

Thaier Al-Sudani/Reuters

Nancy A. Youseff, Daily Beast: For USA in Tikrit, Hope Is The Only Plan

The U.S. has no real options if the Shiites forces, backed by Iran, decide to go on a killing spree against Sunnis in Saddam Hussein’s hometown.

The American outlook for the battle of Tikrit is a triumph of hope over experience.

U.S. military officials hope that Iranian-backed forces eject fighters from the self-proclaimed Islamic State from Tikrit—giving both the U.S. and Iran a victory—but stop short of using that win to carry out sectarian reprisals against Sunnis there. U.S. officials said publicly throughout the week that if Shiite forces, many of which see the hometown of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein as the birthplace of Sunni-led oppression, choose to lash out, the U.S. could offer few options on how to respond.

WNU Editor: The Shiite militias with their Iranian allies .... coupled with assistance from Hezbollah .... are going to be brutal in their final push to retake Tikrit .... on that issue I have no doubt. Saddam Hussein and Tikrit are .... to many of Saddam Hussein's victims .... one and the same .... and they are going to make that point very clear when they have finished destroying the place. As for U.S. concerns .... they are not being listened to .... and are in fact being ignored. The question then is .... what will the U.S. do when the sectarian reprisals take place .... and my prediction is .... nothing.