Iraqi flag controversy raises new fears of civil strife

[Barrett808]

The angry debate over a ban on Iraq's national flag in the Kurdish region grew increasingly rancorous yesterday as tempers frayed along the ethnic fault line dividing the war-torn country.

The controversy and threats of secession by Kurdish provinces in the north come even as the Sunni-Shiite sectarian conflict in Baghdad creeps toward civil war.

Sunni Arab politician Saleh al-Mutlak, standard bearer for the pro-flag movement, described the ban as an insult to the nation's honor and a violation of the sanctity of the constitution. He called on Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, a Kurd, to defend the sovereignty of the country he had sworn to uphold.

“This is also a message for the president to keep his word because when we elected him he recited his oath with the Iraqi flag behind him and swore to protect the sovereignty of Iraq,” Mutlak said.

(more)

http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=53396

[roamer65]

1. Turkey will invade northern Iraq...period

I don't really see anyway around it at this point. Turkey will not allow for an independent Kurdistan and the Kurds will not back down. Bush I and Powell warned us about this...

[acmavm]

2. I don't know what to say. I don't think that there will be much of

anything left when everything's said and done. Not that there's much left in Iraq as it is (except for in the Kurdish areas). But between the Sunnis threatening to take back that area (by force if need be), and the Turks not being very thrilled with the thought of an Independent Kurdestan, I don't we've even begun to see how bad it can get.

This is why blivet's father didn't go into Baghdad. And blivet thought he was going to be the great war leader and make Daddy look like a piker.

They say Jeb's the smart one. It wouldn't be hard to be smarter that blivet.