Secular Shi'ites press for autonomy in south Iraq

[Rose Siding]

BASRA, Iraq (Reuters) - Secular Shi'ite politicians called on Saturday for autonomy in oil-rich southern Iraq, a move that could deepen tensions over federalism amid raging violence.

Baqer al-Tamimi, a leading player in the southern autonomy drive, said demands include the creation of a regional parliament and government, sensitive issues for a central government already struggling with sectarian divisions and a relentless insurgency.

"We want the creation of a regional parliament, elected in a sovereign, democratic way, and the creation of a local cabinet," he said.

The calls for autonomy came during a conference in Iraq's second city Basra attended by over 1,000 supporters of the idea.
....
Southern autonomy demands could be more problematic than those pressed by the Kurds because the south is home to Iraq's biggest oil reserves.

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2005-07-09T165444Z_01_N09215266_RTRIDST_0_INTERNATIONAL-IRAQ-SOUTH-DC.XML

[acmavm]

1. because the south is home to Iraq's biggest oil reserves.

That scenario promises to be real interesting. Would that mean bush** would have to start a war within a war? Or a war within an already established war zone? How would this be designated. The original war would be Operation Iraqi Freedom, and the spin-off would be what?

[Gloria]

2. Chalabi is involved in this...see earlier DU threads...

eom

[msongs]

3. this contradicts early report in LA Times about Basra area->

early this week there was an article about southern Iraq and Basra in particular claiming the entire region was under the boot heels of the extremist religious elements, think Iraq version of a taliban, with support from Iran. The jist of the article was that people hoping for democracy and liberty and all that jazz were now resigned to a religious dictatorship.

hope that is changing.

Msongs
www.msongs.com/liberaltshirts.htm