.comment-link {margin-left:.6em;}

Born at the Crest of the Empire

Sunday, May 28, 2006

Iraq chaos

The new Iraqi government appears to be fracturing. No resolution on the as yet unfilled Interior or Defense Ministries, and none appears close. The most likely resolution at this point is a Sunni Defense minister and a Shia Interior Minister. In theory, this could provide a balance of interests, but it could also well give each side an armed government force.

But more troubling to me is the apparent fractures within the Sunni and Shia factions. Yesterday I noted a major fracture in the Shiite coalition which is fueling much of the fighting in Basra and endangering oil production, the Iraqi government's main source of funds, now today, we have the reports of a Sunni tribal leader killed, presumably for his previous cooperation with US forces.

And, then to top it off, apparently there are Sunni elements pushing the impostion of sharia law, and killing those moderates who violate some precepts. Not only has Iraq fractured along sectarian lines, but violence is now breaking out within the Sunni and Shia factions.

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home