Thursday, September 13, 2007
Who, Exactly, is Promoting Sectarianism in Iraq?
BAGHDAD (AFP) — Hundreds of Shiites and Sunnis marched on Wednesday in protest at the building by US troops of a tall concrete wall separating their northwest Baghdad neighbourhoods, an AFP photographer said.
The protesters complained that the wall would promote sectarianism and demanded its removal.
Residents said that US forces last week began building the two-kilometre (1.25 mile) wall along the border of the mainly Shiite al-Shuala and adjoining Sunni-majority al-Ghazaliyah neighbourhoods without consulting them.
The demonstrators -- tribal leaders, clerics and local residents -- marched from one neighbourhood to the other carrying banners reading "No to the dividing wall" and "The wall is US terrorism."The protesters demanded in a statement that the government intervene to halt the wall and ensure that the section already completed is demolished.
"The wall is in accordance with Al-Qaeda's plans," the statement said, adding that the barrier was being built to "separate family from family."
"The wall is dividing small neighbourhoods and will lead to the partitioning of Iraq," said Hassan al-Taii, a leader of the large Taii Sunni tribe.
He demanded that the Baghdad government destroy the wall and act against those "planting division and sectarianism among Iraqis."
Our ability to sacrifice any hope of long-term gain on the altar of "seemed like a good idea at the time" never ceases to amaze me. You know things are bad when the average Iraqi sees the strategic view more clearly than the guys we train and pay to see that view.
Link via Juan Cole.
