Pro-American Iraqis Are In Danger Regardless

In addressing Dan's point below on the fate of pro-American Iraqis, their fate is grim, and of little real concern to the United States at this point. The New Yorker has a great article discussing this betrayal. The article exposes the fact that even those Iraqis most sympathetic to the American cause face many dangers from neigbors and former friends. And even if the danger is obvious, American policy is to not issue them armor or space on the base, and if they wish to leave the country, they need to talk to the Europeans because Americans want "to keep the 'good Iraqis' in Iraq."

The article is 15 pages long - but here is a substantial quote that covers the essence of the problem.

Negroponte had barely expressed his condolences when Firas, Ahmed, and their colleagues pressed him with a single request. They wanted identification that would allow them to enter the Green Zone through the priority lane that Americans with government clearance used, instead of having to wait every morning for an hour or two in a very long line with every other Iraqi who had business in the Green Zone. This line was an easy target for suicide bombers and insurgent lookouts (known in Iraq as alaasa—“chewers”). Iraqis at the Embassy had been making this request for some time, without success. “Our problem is badges,” the Iraqis told the Ambassador.

Negroponte sent for the Embassy’s regional security officer, John Frese. “Here’s the man who is responsible for badges,” Negroponte said, and left.

According to the Iraqis, they asked Frese for green badges, which were a notch below the official blue American badges. These allowed the holder to enter through the priority lane and then be searched inside the gate.

“I can’t give you that,” Frese said.

“Why?”

“Because it says ‘Weapon permit: yes.’ ”

“Change the ‘yes’ to ‘no’ for us.”

Frese’s tone was peremptory: “I can’t do that.”

Ahmed made another suggestion: allow the Iraqis to use their Embassy passes to get into the priority lane. Frese again refused. Ahmed turned to one of his colleagues and said, in Arabic, “We’re blowing into a punctured bag.”

“My top priority is Embassy security, and I won’t jeopardize it, no matter what,” Frese told them, and the Iraqis understood that this security did not extend to them—if anything, they were part of the threat.

While Americans' security is paramount, the fact that we allow our natural allies to be daily targets simply goes to show the depth of disregard the government has for "good Iraqis." As Dan stated, there doesn't seem to be any solution to get this toothpaste back in the tube.