A Violence-Subdued Iraq
The U.S. "surge" that subdued a violence-plagued Iraq quieted the doubts felt by American politicians and military commanders. They could succeed, they would succeed. All it took was another several tens of thousands of committed troops to reinforce to the various sectarian militias that they were in control and meant to keep it that way.Of course, to allow the country's new coalition government to grow into its role, just as its military was learning to control its impulse toward anarchy and channel it toward controlled professionalism.
Currently, the news of the day isn't all that hopeful in the continued fractious society. With female suicide bombers targeting religious pilgrims, killing 36 faithful and wounding 182 in the four explosions that resulted from a determined suicide-terror attack.
This is Islam, the religion of peace and brotherly love. Which can profess undying allegiance to the Prophet Muhammad on the one hand, and commit atrocities, Shia against Sunni, Sunni against Shia, Arab against Kurd, on the other.
As millions of the faithful of the Shia persuasion wended their way toward the Kadhimiyah shrine to celebrate one of their holiest festivals in Baghdad, their sectarian rivals carefully arranged for select members among them to meet their Maker, rather prematurely.
Painstakingly constructed homemade bombs blasting nails and screws to indiscriminately target the soft flesh, sinews, muscles of men, women, children.
Craftily placed where tired pilgrims would assemble, to refresh themselves after their long and arduous march. Carefully timed, two suicide bombers, one after another, with a ten minute lapse between, to kill 20 and wound another 70.
This, despite tighter security measures in place for the pilgrimage, and checkpoints where female police officers could search female pilgrims. And yet the police had been forewarned; informed that six female suicide bombers were en route to do their duty for Allah.
In Kirkuk, hundreds of thousands of Kurds held a demonstration against a bill that had the potential of weakening Kurdish control of the city. There, a woman detonated a suicide vest, killing sixteen, injuring 112. Where there's the will to succeed, a way will be found.
Male suicide bombers had become too obvious, too readily discovered and disarmed. Enter women to do their duty. Al-Qaeda in Iraq, whom local Sunni militias had turned against because of their horrible and indiscriminate attacks on their own, are finding themselves again.
"People wrote the requiem for sectarian conflict and al-Qaeda in Iraq too rapidly", pronounced Vali Nasr, of the Council on Foreign Relations.
Wishful thinking. People have a right and an obligation to hope for the best.
Labels: Middle East, Societal Failures, Terrorism
posted by Pieface @ Tuesday, July 29, 2008
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