Birth of a new Iraq, or blueprint for civil war?

[maddezmom]

Iraq's new constitution, supposedly the blueprint for a democratic future, was threatening to drag the country into civil war last night.

As Shia and Kurdish factions presented the document to the National Assembly, minutes before a midnight deadline, Sunni Muslims strongly opposed to its federal structure made accusations of "betrayal" and warned of a violent sectarian backlash. A vote on the draft was later delayed for three days in the hope that the sides could come to an agreement on its wording.

The draft constitution is the principal plank of President George Bush's exit strategy from the Iraq conflict, which has made his popularity collapse among American voters.

American diplomats, led by the ambassador, Zalmay Khalilzad, had been frantically lobbying for it to be adopted before last night's deadline. But far from sealing Iraq's post-Saddam era, the draft appeared to be quickly fracturing the fragile edifice of government, with Shia and Kurdish parties declaring they were prepared to use their parliamentary majority to push through the document in the teeth of Sunni opposition.

more:http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/article307663.ece

[Sgent]

1. Has anyone actually read

this masterpiece? (its on another thread)

Its an absolute POS.

[maddezmom]

2. here's the link for anyone that interested

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=1720161&mesg_id=1720161

[rodeodance]

3. seems to me the civil war is already going on.

[maddezmom]

4. agree and here's a good article from CSM:

Does it matter if you call it a civil war?

Iraq's constitution could be seen as a draft 'peace pact' for warring parties.

By Dan Murphy | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor

BAGHDAD – Finding a way to head off civil war is at the heart of all the major initiatives - including the talks over a new constitution - in Iraq. But by most common political-science definitions of the term, "civil war" is already here.

"It's not a threat. It's not a potential. Civil war is a fact of life there now,'' says Pavel Baev, head of the Center for the Study of Civil War at the Peace Research Institute in Oslo, Norway. He argues that until the nature of the conflict is accurately seen, good solutions cannot be found. "What's happening in Iraq is a multidimensional conflict. There's international terrorism, banditry, the major foreign military presence. But the civil war is the central part of it - the violent contestation for power inside the country."

What this means in practical terms, is that an immediate US withdrawal isn't likely to bring peace to Iraq, say analysts. Nor is simply "staying the course," if it isn't matched by a political peace treaty among the warring parties - a role that a new constitution, facing a midnight tonight deadline, could fill.

The academic thumbnail definition of a civil war is a conflict with at least 1,000 battlefield casualties, involving a national government and one or more nonstate actors fighting for power.

While the US has lost 1,862 soldiers, getting an accurate casualty count beyond that is difficult. The Iraqi government and US military say they don't keep figures on Iraqi troops or civilians killed. According to www.iraqbodycount.net, a website run by academics and peace activists, 24,865 Iraqi civilians were killed between March 2003 and March 2005. The report said that US-led forces killed 37 percent of the total.

more:

http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0822/p01s02-woiq.html

[DeepModem Mom]

5. kick

[BillZBubb]

6. Once Saddam was deposed, civil war was inevitable.

That the neo-con idiots couldn't see that is inexcusable. That the American sheeple couldn't see it is tragic.

The Bush criminal organization has unleashed a long period of hell on the Iraqi people. And, they've saddled the American people with a huge bill payable in blood and dollars.

That 36% still support this fiasco is a sad commentary on our fellow citizens.

[catmandu57]

7. There's been a low grade civil war going on

This is just going to lead to a full blown three way cluster fuck that will drag in regional players.

[Az_lefty]

8. This thing's DOA...

might as well get the fuck out and let'em have at it.

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