TimArango

Yes, there is no other way to see it. Everything that is occurring in Iraq today is related the American legacy there. The forerunner of ISIS was created to oppose the American occupation, and many of its leaders were in American detention facilities in Iraq. On the other side of the ledger, as it pertains to Iraqi politics, you see the American legacy. The U.S. basically chose Maliki, whose sectarian politics alienated many Sunnis, creating the fertile ground for ISIS to sweep in to these areas. And many of those Maliki policies that have pushed aside the Sunnis were started by the Americans. Excluding Sunnis from political life? that has its origins in the American De-Baathification policy. Maliki's security policy of conducting mass arrests of Sunni men in the name of fighting terrorism? the U.S. did that too. So at every turn in the Iraq story now you see the American legacy at play.

it's not my job to rate the obama administrations actions in iraq. but i will tell you that after 2011 the administration basically ignored the country. and when officials spoke about what was happening there they were often ignorant of the reality. they did not want to see what was really happening because it conflicted with their narrative that they left iraq in reasonably good shape. In 2012 as violence was escalating i wrote a story, citing UN statistics, that showed how civilian deaths from attacks were rising. Tony Blinken, who was then Biden's national security guy and a top iraq official, pushed back, even wrote a letter to the editor, saying that violence was near historic lows. that was not true. even after falluja fell to ISIS at the end of last year, the administration would push back on stories about maliki's sectarian tendencies, saying they didn't see it that way. so there was a concerted effort by the administration to not acknowledge the obvious until it became so apparent -- with the fall of mosul -- that iraq was collapsing.

the shia are horrified. most sunnis, too, although initially, in places like mosul, sunnis were happy to see the iraqi army leave. but over time, ISIS is likely to alienate local communities with its harsh rule.

they have terrified me. and yes, they certainly have made me question what i am doing. for sure. i didn't get in to journalism to find myself kneeling in an orange jumpsuit for some psychopath.

don't go to Syria as a freelancer