[lit-ideas] Re: Sustaining our Resolve
- From: "Lawrence Helm" <lawrencehelm@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 21 Aug 2006 08:56:03 -0700
Here is a comment from my friend in Iraq regarding whether Iraq is having a
Civil War:
"The media announced civil war in Iraq about 6 months ago (roughly). They
are probably gun shy about doing so again unless it actually happens.
"Most Iraqis still see themselves as Iraqis; not as Sunni or Shiia. There
are many people here with some level of pan-shiia or pan-arab, or
pan-whatever inclinations, but most Iraqis see themselves as descendants of
the Babylonians, etc, Mesopotamians, descendants of Ur, etc. A distinct
nation with a distinct culture and history. Many Kurds do not agree, but it
seems that many (or even most) do agree.
"There is a definite power play at work, with the goal being control of
Iraq; or increased power within Iraq.
The fall of Saddam left a huge power vacuum, which the US had no intention
of filling (sorry, left wing theorists). The problem is that the current
government is not doing a great job of filling the power vacuum. As
different strong leaders emerge and claw their way upwards, the new power
structure will emerge and things will settle down.
"Iran wants to take over southern Iraq, but it's not clear that they will be
able to incite enough support to swing it. Many think this is more a
distraction from their bomb making plans."
Lawrence
_____
From: Lawrence Helm [mailto:lawrencehelm@xxxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Monday, August 21, 2006 7:05 AM
To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: RE: [lit-ideas] Re: Sustaining our Resolve
Okay, I wondered what you were referring to. According to Vali Nasr, who is
a leading specialist on Political Islam
http://www.cfr.org/publication/9709/vali_nasr_leading_specialist_on_politica
l_islam_joins_council_as_adjunct_senior_fellow.html
What we are seeing is this: Initially the Sunnis who had been running Iraq
under Saddam engaged in an insurgency in order to regain power. They had
been in power and they thought that if they killed enough Shias they could
get it back. The Shias are now killing Sunnis to show "that's never going to
happen." He doesn't think they are having a civil war.
Lawrence
_____
From: lit-ideas-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:lit-ideas-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of jimkandjulieb@xxxxxxx
Sent: Sunday, August 20, 2006 8:26 PM
To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: Sustaining our Resolve
Over a 100 Iraqis killed a day sounds like civil war to me. But whaddo I
know.
Julie Krueger
.
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