Will there be a Civil War in Iraq?

[kuozzman]

I've been hearing this, but haven't had time to look into why this may occur. Any info?

[izzybeans]

1. Isn't there already a civil war in Iraq?

I don't mean to flame. So don't take me wrong. It's just a question. I'm sure there is some gray area on defining the situation.

[kuozzman]

4. That's kind of what I was thinking, but I think now, it's at least

seen as just "insurgents" vs the troops and the Iraqi government rather than say, Sunnis vs Shiites?

:shrug:

[izzybeans]

8. Certainly

:shrug: as well

[LiberalVoice]

2. Will there be?

I could have sworn that was already happening. My mistake...I sincerely hope their election is not as bad as I think it will be.

[Clarkie1]

3. Most Iraqi's don't want war. They want to vote and move their country

peacefully forward. I hope they succeed. I think there are more Iraqi patriots than Iraqi insurgent thugs. However, nothing like this has been tried before and there are many different factions in Iraq.

Tragically, civil war is quite possible.

[DoYouEverWonder]

5. I think

you need to lay off the Kool-aide.

Iraq is already having a civil war.

[Clarkie1]

6. I agree there is a civil war going on, what I meant is it could lead to a

much bigger, all-out war. Hope not.

Like I said, I think there are more Iraqi patriots than insurgent killers. I hope the peaceful people win.

[DoYouEverWonder]

10. Too late

most of the peaceful ones have been either killed or their lives are so wreaked they can barely keep themselves alive. I doubt if they will be fighting back against their own anytime soon.

[Clarkie1]

11. There are more ways of fighting than shooting

If enough Iraqi's want it, and risk their lives for it, there will be democracy in Iraq.

Not saying I'm optimistic, it's hard to value things like democracy when you're focused on survival, unless you are very idealistic.

[DoYouEverWonder]

14. The Iraq people weren't asking for Democracy

many of them wanted to be rid of Saddam, but they could care less about what we call Democracy.

[Clarkie1]

20. You are absolutely correct, but now they are looking to the future n/t

[LiberalVoice]

7. Who do you think they should vote for in thihs election?

Any candidates with legitimate chances of winning is nothing more then a puppet for the US govt.

[Clarkie1]

9. I would not presume to voice an opinion, as I am not Iraqi n/t

[BillZBubb]

13. That is disingenuous

You say the "peaceful" people who accept the illegal invasion and occupation of their country should "win". Not those violent "insurgents" who are fighting to drive out the occupiers.

You've voiced your opinion. You've bought the Bushite bad, terrorist "insurgent" propaganda line. You support the puppet regime that will "win" this "election".

[Clarkie1]

17. No, I haven't bought tne neo-con bushie line

Clearly though, you have closed your mind to the possibility that most Iraqis are glad to be rid of Saddam, and hopeful that the election may be the first step to a better future.

The Iraqis didn't own their country before. Saddam and his Bathist party thughs did.

I'm completely against the neo-con doctine for this war based on a lie, but to deny the hopes of many Iraqi's is very disingenous on your part. I'm not into political dogma.

Yes, most of the insurgents are thugs and murderers. They are killing their own people indiscriminately, including women and children. Insurgents exclusively target U.S. troops may regard themselves as patriots opposing an occupation, and I certainly can understand their point of view. They are not as morally corrupt as the others. However, I believe they do not represent the majority of the Iraqi people.

[BillZBubb]

22. Sadly, you have bought the Bushco propaganda

The worst part is you don't even realize it.

Most Iraqis wanted Saddam gone. So what? Most Iraqis don't want a US military occupation and they didn't want tens of thousands of innocents killed by an invasion. They also don't want the bloody civil war that Bushco policy has made inevitable.

These elections are a charade. They are meant to put a gloss of legitimacy on a puppet regime.

The "insurgents" have killed far fewer innocents than the US did since the invasion--far fewer. They are not targeting indiscriminately for the most part--that is a LIE. That is PURE BUSHCO BULLSHIT. They are targeting collaborators and US military personnel. Unfortunately, innocents do go near police stations and military bases.

Rarely does the majority of a population actively join in a fight for liberation. But the fact that so many are fighting and so few are being turned in by the populace ought to lead you to question the propaganda you've swallowed whole.

[Clarkie1]

25. I'll meet you halfway

I agree with much of what you say, but I know for a fact that many of these insurgent thugs are targeting indiscriminately at times. Not always, but many times they target just to create chaos. That's what they want.

I also know that most Iraqi's do not support either the insurgency or the occupation, and want them to stop and the U.S. to leave Iraq a.s.a.p.

And no, I haven't bought any Bushco propaganda.

[Spiffarino]

15. As dubious as I am

...I can't help but hope that somehow it does work out and they do form a democratic government in spite of Bush's endless string of screw-ups.

I doubt I'm alone in this. However much we despise Bush for going to war for Iraq's oil, I really hope the Iraqis themselves can pull it off and form a stable democracy.

[Clarkie1]

19. ditto n/t

[Clark2008]

18. No one knows who all the candidates are

Their names aren't being released for fear of retaliation.

So - does that fact, alone, answer your question?

If Allawari wins, yes, there will be civil war - three ways, Sunnah, Shi'ite and Kurd.

If someone else wins, well, then I don't know because I don't know who's running - and neither do the Iraqis - until election day.

[Hippo_Tron]

21. You're absolutely right, except that, that isn't happening right now

Iraqis are going to go to the polls voting for candidates that they know nothing about because they are all too afraid to announce they are running for fear of being killed.

[Clarkie1]

23. For the most part, I believe that is true n/t

[leftofthedial]

12. right now, their mutual hatred of the occupation

makes some strange bedfellow allies

but a continuation of the millenia-old tribal and religious civil war in Mesopotamia is inevitable

[DulceDecorum]

16. When the Marines first surrounded Fallujah

Sadr and his men got really upset.
A convoy went to the aid of their fellow Iraqis. It took up the whole road because the cars travelled three a-breast.
Those people went into Fallujah and did as they pleased and they rescued and cared for their own people.
Mind you, those were Shi'ites going to help out the Sunni.

After that, the US started trying to kill everything that moved and all hell has been breaking loose since then.
The Ayatollah had to step in to ask Sadr to take it easy on the US soldiers, but the US does not seem to have returned the favor, although it does appear that they are leaving Mr. Sadr alone.

That civil war thing is a pie dream.
Every colonial power has always said that about every colony they were being forced out of. The White Man's Burden has compelled them to stay.

Pile on the brown man's burden,
compel him to be free;
Let all your manifestoes
Reek with philanthropy.
And if with heathen folly
He dares your will dispute,
Then, in the name of freedom,
Don't hesitate to shoot.

Pile on the brown man's burden,
And if his cry be sore,
That surely need not irk you--
Ye've driven slaves before.
Seize on his ports and pastures,
The fields his people tread;
Go make from them your living,
And mark them with his dead.

Pile on the brown man's burden,
Nor do not deem it hard
If you should earn the rancor
Of those ye yearn to guard.
The screaming of your Eagle
Will drown the victim's sob--
Go on through fire and slaughter.
There's dollars in the job.
http://www.swans.com/library/art8/xxx074.html

[Finding Rawls]

24. And she appears. . .

come on Lynnthedem. . .it's your domain.