Desicritics Comments on The Future of Iraq - Will it Fly Apart or Will the Center Hold?

Comment by bd

Wed, 25 Jul 2007 03:42:56 EDT

MAPAD well, religion will exist so cant do anything about that, lol. but yes, religion as an identifier will be a cause of the civil war.

Comment by MAPAD

Wed, 25 Jul 2007 02:01:00 EDT

"That's when Allah/God and other assorted deities and divinities need to step up to the plate and knock some sense into the warring groups and parties." Religion is the cause of the killing my friend. Iraq is a mess because of religious terrorist fanatics. Religious fascists have destroyed Iraq, yet for some strange reason Liberals don't seem to have a problem with that. Can anyone explain?

Comment by BD

Wed, 25 Jul 2007 01:45:17 EDT

Chandra #10, lol, i am all for taking risks, but not when we have to deploy our jawans in a horrible situation at the end of a very long supply line. Not worth it. On the other hand, here's an idea, offer economic assistance to NGO's who can go directly and deal with the tribal and local leaders. Same thing :)

Comment by BD

Wed, 25 Jul 2007 01:43:46 EDT

BJ #9, that is exactly what my worry is, and for the life of me, i cannot understand why the "troop withdrawal nowists" dont understand this. Its like they are wilfully ignoring the repercussions of the move to either score political points, poke dubya bush in the eye and cut off their own noses or finally are so beset with anti americanism that even a civil war is preferable to the presence of infidel crusader troops. Perhaps all!

Comment by Chandra

Wed, 25 Jul 2007 01:35:19 EDT

BD Oil prices are going to be a major problem sooner or later. Why not take a few risks? Why not take a risk? :-)

Comment by BJ Kumar

Wed, 25 Jul 2007 00:05:25 EDT

Whatever may have been the rationale for invading Iraq - genuine or phony - there is no doubt that the reasons for the Americans to stay put there is very compelling. It is quite amazing that those individuals who claim to care for the Muslim masses - the Mullahs and their like, care nothing about the blood-bath that would in all likelihood follow the American exit which now appears to be only a matter of (short) time.

Comment by temporal

Tue, 24 Jul 2007 17:42:06 EDT

ruvy: i agree on this part: I realize that you are quoting the correct sources of the Sunni schools of thought rest is conjecture islam is so well documented that one can find varying opinions (by ulema) to support almost any assertion thank you ... am well...wandering self desert ps: one important difference between wahabis and salafis is the latter only consider three sources ... the sahabis, the tabaeens, and taba tabaeens...

Comment by Ruvy in Jerusalem

Tue, 24 Jul 2007 16:25:10 EDT

Temporal, I was wondering where you had disappeared to! I realize that you are quoting the correct sources of the Sunni schools of thought, but there are some points you don't have quite straight. But far be it from me to straighten you out on Islam!! That would be akin to you telling me how to pray the Amid� in synagogue! That is why I recommend you, just as I did bd, to the website of Sheikh Abdul Hadi Palazzi, a Sufi legal scholar who does have all these things straight in his mind. There you'll see why the Sunni khalifs kicked out the Wahhabi several times from Islam over the centuries...

Comment by bd

Tue, 24 Jul 2007 15:25:53 EDT

t that no-brainer is what worries me because of what the democrats and other assorted chaps are saying in terms of troop withdrawal. Those coalition troops are the cork in the bottle, as soon as that's removed, out will come the genie of civil war, and it will indeed be the mother of all civil wars. TBS is unfortunately totally tied up looking after baba, he is very unwell and the poor girl is running ragged. So writing currently is paused. hope you are keeping well and enjoying your sojourn back home

Comment by bd

Tue, 24 Jul 2007 15:23:12 EDT

Ruvy I used that term Wahhabi as Sunni as in the commonly used basis of believing in the prophet Mohammad. I will check the reference out but i cant keep up with the doctrinal differences between groups, lol. its tough enough otherwise, but thank you for your kind words. cheers bd

Comment by temporal

Tue, 24 Jul 2007 15:19:03 EDT

ruvy: the wahabis are offshoot follwers of the sunni imam ahmed bin hanbal (one of the four early sunni imams - abu hanifa, shafii and malik making up the sunni quartet) and ibn tammiya some folks mistakenly use the term wahabi interchangeably with salafi beady: So the future of Iraq, when/if the coalition forces withdraw, is bleak and will definitely fly apart at the seams in a very short matter of time. this is a no-brainer ps: say hi to sis...miss her...wasn't she writing on lal musjid?

Comment by Ruvy in Jerusalem

Tue, 24 Jul 2007 11:55:03 EDT

bd, Nicely done article. One point to pick with you. The Wahhabi (or Salafi) are not Sunni. The question stands if they are even Moslems, as they interpret Allah as having a body of some kind. For further reference on this, go to the site of Sheikh Professor Abdu Hadi Palazzi. I am merely the lowly student. He is the expert.

Comment by bd

Mon, 23 Jul 2007 01:50:02 EDT

Chandra Lordy no, mate, never. Our infidel forces in the middle of that pure land? no way. Let them rot in their own religious/political mess and let them stew in it. We can purchase oil from the open market or aim for better fuel efficiency, improve public transport....., but lets never become mercenaries like somebody we know and love near us. Just like everybody remembers a certain General Haq is the single person responsible for more palestinian deaths (at par with another General Ariel Sharon), we dont want to be anywhere near that mess, lol.

Comment by Chandra

Mon, 23 Jul 2007 01:31:15 EDT

BD Practically speaking, the Kurds already have a country of their own. The issue is-what happens between sunnis and shias, you never know. I still believe it may swing either way. (or may be a 60 year problem like Palestine) Have you ever thought about us sending about 100000 odd troops and cutting a deal with the Iraqis/ Americans for low priced oil? rgds