BAGHDAD -- I've been talking to some folks today about the political crisis, and was struck by a few quotes:
“We’re closer now than ever, if we’re not already in civil war, and I don’t know what can stop it now. Except maybe U.S. troops back on the streets.” -- senior Coalition advisor to the Ministry of Interior."This is their chance to take the political process hostage." -- from MP Mithal al-Alousi, secular politician worried about the Shi'ites using yesterday's attack to push back against American/Kurdish/Sunni pressure to loosen their grip on the levers of power.
"We did our best to bring him into the political process.” -- head of SCIRI's political relations committee, Redha Jawad Taqi, on Moqtada al-Sadr. He is concerned that members of parliament loyal to al-Sadr resorted to threats of violence to get their way in parliament. “They believe wrong things about democracy. We hope they can be taught the rules.”
In other news around Iraq, three journalists from al-Arabiyah Television were killed in Samarra after being kidnapped some time last night. They were correspondent Atwar Bahjat, cameraman Adnan Abdallah and sound engineer Khalid Muhsin. They were covering the attack on the shrine in Samarra.
Today, the office of Moqtada al-Sadr issued a statement denouncing the attack on the Askari shrine and blaming the government, the Americans and "crusaders."
Be safe and careful.
The more I read about what is going on in Iraq the more disgusted I get about how these people behave. They had their best opportunity to build a democratic country, and instead of that their politicians are busy with hoarding the most money they can put their hands on, and the most power they can get. No one is realy working for the best interest of Iraq and the people of Iraq.
That’s because there’s no such thing as “the people” or “Iraq.”
Chris: another question I have that I cannot answer: why not have three different countries? Why do they insist on a single Iraq? Do you think there should be one?
I know the Kurds want some political and military clout that comes with being part of Iraq, and the Turks certainly don’t like it. But those are solvable problems. So is oil, which can be shared in some way or another.
Tim, it does not matter how much credence is given for anything, right now they consider it the US fault if the sun sets or if the sun rises. It is one of these things damn if you do and damn if you do not.