Iraq's Rival Groups Head for Showdown

[tocqueville]

By ROBERT H. REID, Associated Press Writer
Sat Sep 10, 1:43 PM ET

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraq's rival groups are heading for a showdown as the country girds for a landmark vote on a new constitution and a dramatic, televised trial of Saddam Hussein.

It's premature to talk of full-scale civil war; thousands of American troops are here to stop that from happening. But tensions are clearly rising, fueled by old rivalries, new "death squad" killings and vastly differing visions for the new Iraq.

Perhaps most troubling, no leader has emerged with a vision that transcends his own community's narrow interests plus the political stature to carry it out.

Instead, the bitterness that welled up among Kurds and Shiites during the years of Saddam's tyranny have produced a constricted atmosphere of retribution rather than reconciliation.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050910/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_tensions_rise

[Cocoa]

1. nice objective reporting Mr. Reid

It's premature to talk of full-scale civil war; thousands of American troops are here to stop that from happening.

I guess we're supposed to say to ourselves "thank god the troops are there to prevent civil war."

[tocqueville]

2. The article is still intresting.... despite that

I think he is merely expressing some wishfull thinking or giving a bad explanation to the actual situation...

If the different factions in Iraq DO decide to fight eachother, THERE IS NOTHING THE US can do about it, except pack home under a rain of bullets. They would be in a Lebanon situation. In such a situation it's impossible to ally yourself with any group.

I think that the Iraqui are not aware of the power they have. Whatever agenda they are pursuing.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

3. "Perhaps most troubling..."

Thank God this is news and not an editorial. :eyes: