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[liger05]

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/d7bf9062-7174-11e3-8f92-00144feabdc0.html#axzz2p0OV3QZ9

Iraq’s volatile western region was on the verge of all-out rebellion against the central government on Monday. It followed the weekend arrest of a prominent lawmaker and the dispersal of a largely peaceful protest in the city of Ramadi that left at least 13 dead, according to news agencies.

Prime minister Nouri al-Maliki, whose Shia-dominated government has alienated the country’s Sunni Arab and Kurdish minorities, described the dispersal of the anti-government protest and other military operations in Anbar province as a blow against al-Qaeda extremists. This year has brought a resurgence of terrorism in Sunni parts of the country with a campaign of bombings in the capital, Baghdad, and elsewhere.

“The ongoing military operations in Anbar have united Iraqis under the armed forces and this is a real victory,” Mr Maliki said on Monday, according to Iraqi news sources. “The Anbar operations are the biggest blow to al-Qaeda, which has lost its safe haven in the sit-in [protest] camps.”

Iraq’s smouldering civil tensions have been in danger of reigniting into full-blown conflict for months, stoked by perceptions that Mr Maliki has a sectarian agenda favouring the Shia majority, as well as by jihadists entering Iraq over the Syrian border.

The latest escalation of violence in Anbar province – a centre of resistance during the US-led invasion in 2003 and subsequent occupation – has alarmed international observers.

Iraq’s vast energy reserves have piqued the interest of international businesses while its strategic location has made it a battleground for influence between Iran, Turkey and Saudi Arabia.

“I am concerned about the current developments in Anbar and call on all to remain calm and to abide by the agreements reached in the course of the last two days,” Nickolay Mladenov, the UN’s special envoy to Iraq, said in a statement. “The government has a constitutional responsibility to protect all citizens from terrorism, while observing the rights of ordinary Iraqi citizens, providing for their humanitarian needs, and showing maximum restraint in the use of force.”

The latest violence began on Saturday after government forces stormed the Ramadi home of Sunni lawmaker Ahmed al-Alwani on vague terrorism charges. In the reported shootout that followed, Mr Alwani was wounded while his brother and at least five of his bodyguards were killed. Nearly 20 people, including members of the security forces, were also hurt.

Forty-four Sunni Arab lawmakers have resigned in protest at Mr Alwani’s detention and the continued military campaign in Anbar. Local political and tribal leaders have demanded that Mr Alwani, now in a prison hospital, be released.

Ayad Allawi, opposition leader and former prime minister, presented Mr Maliki on Sunday with a list of demands, including the removal of military forces from the protest camps, negotiation with the demonstrators and the release of Mr Alwani from prison on the grounds of parliamentary immunity.

But negotiations between government officials, Anbar provincial council members and tribal sheikhs failed. Ali al-Moussawi, the government’s spokesman, claimed the protesters were hoarding weapons.

Other Sunnis in western Iraq have taken up arms, attacking government checkpoints and setting fire to military vehicles. Pictures posted to internet sites showed men holding AK-47s and vowing revenge against Iraqi security forces in both Ramadi and Fallujah, where mosques called on the faithful to violate a provincial curfew and help protesters.

Not many western news outlets are covering this just yet.

 

[Jburton]

Country has been fracturing into three almost since the invasion.

Kurd North and the rest between the Shia and Sunni.

Shia dominated government has been up to some heinous shit, al-Maliki is not far off a dictator himself.


Civil war has been on the brink in Iraq for the past couple of years.

 

[ProfessorLobo]

Mission Accomplished.

 

[mrmisterwaa]

Country has been fracturing into three almost since the invasion.

Kurd North and the rest between the Shia and Sunni.

Shia dominated government has been up to some heinous shit, al-Maliki is not far off a dictator himself.


Civil war has been on the brink in Iraq for the past couple of years.

I definitely agree with this.

The Shia are upset that they had no control until Saddam was gone.

The Sunni are getting pressured by the rest of the Middle East.

The Kurds are upset about something different every time.

People need to grow up.

 

[Ether_Snake]

I definitely agree with this.

The Shia are upset that they had no control until Saddam was gone.

The Sunni are getting pressured by the rest of the Middle East.

The Kurds are upset about something different every time.

People need to grow up.

People grow up in factions they are born into in Iraq, it's not so simple.

 

[xbhaskarx]

A civil war in Iraq became almost inevitable as soon as coalition troops withdrew in large numbers.

 

[mrmisterwaa]

People grow up in factions they are born into in Iraq, it's not so simple.

That is not an acceptable excuse any more. I would have agreed with you if this was happened over 50 years ago when people were not entirely inter-connected as they are now.

A civil war in Iraq became almost inevitable as soon as coalition troops withdrew in large numbers.

I actually believe that too. I understand that people of Iraq wanted them to leave but they started something that required western supervision otherwise the country would just crumble apart.

 

[YoungHav]

Great job jingoistic idiot citizens. I'm not even going to blame the Bush Administration, this was their plan.

 

[dripdripsplash]

"Grow up"

lol.

What do you think it's a kindergarten or something.

Faction, tribe or family connections doesn't dissepear suddenly. The governments approach to the large minority of Sunni Muslims doesn't help either.

Mission accomplished indeed.

 

[BrokenEchelon]

Great job jingoistic idiot citizens. I'm not even going to blame the Bush Administration, this was their plan.

To accomplish what? I'm curious for your take on why they wanted to destabilize Iraq and give Iran more power in the region.

 

[davepoobond]

That is not an acceptable excuse any more. I would have agreed with you if this was happened over 50 years ago when people were not entirely inter-connected as they are now.

The more things change the more they stay the same.


Also not everyone in Iraq is "interconnected" to each other. Whatever that means.

 

[Dune1975]

That is not an acceptable excuse any more. I would have agreed with you if this was happened over 50 years ago when people were not entirely inter-connected as they are now.



I actually believe that too. I understand that people of Iraq wanted them to leave but they started something that required western supervision otherwise the country would just crumble apart.

But they aren't interconnected in Iraq, not to any real degree at all

 

[Brolic Gaoler]

Knowing what entails "western Iraq" this doesn't surprise me. I'm actually surprised the Kurdish north isn't bucking harder, but it actually make sense they don't especially since they are heavily US loyal and they pretty much control what they want to control.

 

[Madness]

To accomplish what? I'm curious for your take on why they wanted to destabilize Iraq and give Iran more power in the region.

They needed a larger ground war to justify their increases in military spending. Using the fear and paranoia after 9/11, the powers that be and the military industrial complex used smoke and mirrors to facilitate a ground invasion of Iraq under the false pretense of Saddam housing weapons of mass destruction.

They saw their chance to eliminate a powerful anti-american dictator in the region, install a friendly puppet regime that would provide cheaper oil and purchase expensive military hardware.

Also, they got to test new military equipment, got corporations like Halliburton to do construction and oil production/deliveries/infrastructure. You forget that Cheney, before becoming VP was CEO of the company.

What the hell do they care if 'factions' now fight for for control of the land, when they got rich, their friends got rich, and it was all done on the taxpayers dime.

It's probably one of the biggest quagmires in US military history, and more than $1 trillion dollars was wasted. They also turned a historical enemy of Iran into an ally.

 

[mrmisterwaa]

"Grow up"

lol.

What do you think it's a kindergarten or something.

Faction, tribe or family connections doesn't dissepear suddenly. The governments approach to the large minority of Sunni Muslims doesn't help either.

Mission accomplished indeed.

Yes ... right now they are acting like children. Trying so hard to maintain control.

I am curious Amjad, are you from the Middle East?

They needed a larger ground war to justify their increases in military spending. Using the fear and paranoia after 9/11, the powers that be and the military industrial complex used smoke and mirrors to facilitate a ground invasion of Iraq under the false pretense of Saddam housing weapons of mass destruction.

They saw their chance to eliminate a powerful anti-american dictator in the region, install a friendly puppet regime that would provide cheaper oil and purchase expensive military hardware.

Also, they got to test new military equipment, got corporations like Halliburton to do construction and oil production/deliveries/infrastructure. You forget that Cheney, before becoming VP was CEO of the company.

What the hell do they care if 'factions' now fight for for control of the land, when they got rich, their friends got rich, and it was all done on the taxpayers dime.

It's probably one of the biggest quagmires in US military history, and more than $1 trillion dollars was wasted. They also turned a historical enemy of Iran into an ally.

It wasn't only Iraq that wanted to purchase that expensive military hardware. Most of the countries in the Middle East purchased stuff thinking that the war would have spilled over onto other countries in the region.