Allawi warns against Iraq civil war

[ECH1969]

In comments to the press Wednesday, Allawi sounded the alarm over the security situation and political deadlock which he said "is even worse that a full-fledged civil war.

"I caution against letting the events reach a point of no return because that will be a drama and big catastrophe," he said, warning that "Iraq might soon enter a dark tunnel and an impasse."

He stressed that sectarian tensions, mainly pitting Sunnis against Shiites, and the lack of security and order constitute a phase of civil strife.

Allawi's comments coincided with a worsening cabinet crisis and amid the lack of consensus over prime minister-designate Ibrahim Jaafari, who was rejected by both the Kurdish and Sunni blocs in parliament.

http://www.upi.com/InternationalIntelligence/view.php?StoryID=20060412-065136-6567r

[hadrons]

1. but but the Washington cocktail curcuit says this isn't so