Why do the Iraqi people insist on killing each other?

[Deja Q]

And why won't they stop themselves from doing so?

Or us as well? (Revenge, et al, I understand the concept. ) But why is nobody wanting to try to make piece? Why is it "kill kill kill, bomb bomb bomb, blood blood blood" over there 24/7?

What the hell CAN be done?

If we stay status quo, little will change.

How do we tell them to stop killing?

If we just walk out and leave, that won't help either because they will still hate us and they'll still kill anyone anyway.

What's done is done. There's time for the logistics of that later. Right now the killing has to stop and a WORKING SOCIETY put in its place. No puppet regime. No phoniness. But a working society. How can it be done?

Maybe I ought to keep up with the news more, but you bet I'm confused.

[NNN0LHI]

1. Here is why. Its no secret

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,11069-1433353,00.html

El Salvador-style 'death squads' to be deployed by US against Iraq militants


THE Pentagon is considering forming hit squads of Kurdish and Shia fighters to target leaders of the Iraqi insurgency in a strategic shift borrowed from the American struggle against left-wing guerrillas in Central America 20 years ago.

Under the so-called “El Salvador option”, Iraqi and American forces would be sent to kill or kidnap insurgency leaders, even in Syria, where some are thought to shelter.

The plans are reported in this week’s Newsweek magazine as part of Pentagon efforts to get US forces in Iraq on to the front foot against an enemy that is apparently getting the better of them.

Iyad Allawi, the interim Iraqi Prime Minister, was said to be one of the most vigorous supporters of the plan.

The Pentagon declined to comment, but one insider told Newsweek: “What everyone agrees is that we can’t just go on as we are. We have to find a way to take the offensive against the insurgents. Right now, we are playing defence. And we are losing.”

[magellan]

2. Most Iraqis aren't killing each other

Those with the means have fled the country. Many of the remainder are barely surviving and are just trying to avoid being killed.

It's the extremists who are doing the killing. To make things right they'd have to be dealt with one way or another. I don't know how that can be done at this late stage. They're in control.

[Glorfindel]

3. Well, actually, there really are no "Iraqi people" - are there?

The country is a forced-together artificial construct of several ethnic and religious groups who hate and despise each other violently. If the country didn't have such gigantic oil reserves, a "velvet divorce" a la Czechoslovakia would be the ideal solution, but that would deny access to oil revenues to the Sunnis while enriching the Shia and the Kurds. There probably is no better solution than some kind of iron-fisted dictatorship, and it may be too late even for that.

[Justpat]

4. It should read: "why is nobody trying to make peace," not piece

sorry, but I can't help it.

[livvy]

5. I just started reading a book yesterday, which has helped me to ....

understand the depth of the problem. It's called "The End of Iraq" by Peter Galbraith. I've only read the first three chapters, but they discuss some of the history of the region, and helped me to understand the division among the people. You're right in that it is not a problem we can solve by military intervention. This is a cultural/historical/political situation that can only be solved by the Iraqi people themselves.
I don't know how they can resolve their differences, other than having separate "states" that agree to work cooperatively together for the benefit of all the groups.
Interesting book so far. I've got a long way to go to really understand the situation. What I have figured out so far is that these current squatters in OUR White House, have no clue, never bothered to get a clue, and don't seem to be trying to now.

[mdmc]

6. violence begets violence, my friend

:kick:

[HuskiesHowls]

7. Its where America would be, without "The Rule of Law"

right now. We, as American citizens, have grown up knowing that if we do something illegal, like murder someone we don't like, we'll eventually be caught and go to jail for that. As such, we control some of our basest desires (like shooting the neocon radicals that we KNOW don't understand anything about anything).

Don't look now, but it is exactly the same thing that happened in Yugoslavia, after Tito died. Without a strong ruler, either benign or dangerous, the people have taken over and are doing away with those that are different from themselves, either through genocide, or forced relocation.

The major difference between Yugoslavia and Iraq is that Iraq has oil reserves that were desired by the rulers of a large aggressor nation. Therefore, Saddam was removed from power from without, instead of dying a natural death.

Its where America could possibly still be, with the radicalization of the fundamentalists and the divisiveness of our leaders.

[cwydro]

8. Sadly

this is why Saddam was so effective. A bloody bickering place that can only be kept in check by a dictator. I have no doubt that when we finally scoot out of there, it will be taken over by the meanest, baddest and smartest strongman available.

[Robbien]

9. If Iraqis weren't killing each other, they would come here and kill you

That is the meme BushCo pushes and it is why the BushCo covert campaign for the last three years was to get Iraqis to kill other Iraqis (even going as far as dressing up as Iraqis on death squads to get the killing started).

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

10. Here's an explanation..

"Religion is based, I think, primarily and mainly upon fear. It is partly the terror of the unknown, and partly the wish to feel that you have a kind of elder brother who will stand by you in all your troubles and
disputes. Fear is the basis of the whole thing - fear of the mysterious, fear of defeat, fear of death. Fear is the parent of cruelty, and therefore it is no wonder if cruelty and religion have gone hand-in-hand"

- Bertrand Russell, 6/3/27]

[DoYouEverWonder]

11. Turn on the electric

and give every Iraqi adult a million bucks and I guarantee the killing will stop.

[msongs]

12. r-e-l-i-g-i-o-n religion reeeeeeeeeeeeeligion is why :-)

"peace" indeed.

Msongs
www.msongs.com
dems 2007 calendars