As al-Maliki edges toward power, former Iraqi premiere warns of looming civil war

rawstory.com...

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki took a major step toward staying in power on Saturday when a top Shiite cleric said he would not stop him from keeping his job, but an arch-rival warned of civil war.

A spokesman for Moqtada al-Sadr, a radical, anti-US cleric who is currently living in Iran, told AFP the movement would drop a veto against Maliki seeking a new term as long as he met its condition that Sadrist prisoners be freed.

Sadr has previously opposed Maliki's quest to stay on as premier after a general election which he lost more than two months ago and several public statements delivered by his aides have been highly critical of the incumbent.

But Saturday's conciliatory statement, which followed discussions between the two sides in the past 48 hours, was a big boost to Maliki's chances, and it effectively eliminated the biggest hurdle impeding his chances.

"If (Maliki) will give us sufficient guarantees to end our reluctance, especially concerning the arrests of Sadrists, then we will not block his candidacy for a second term," Sadr spokesman Saleh al-Obeidi told AFP from the Shiite holy city of Najaf in southern Iraq.

Some of us here at ATS warned that western style democracy wouldn't work in an essentially tribal society. We were called commies, terrorist sympathizers, anti American, tulip walkers, and worse by the Right Wing Bush supporters of this war.
Man up and admit you were wrong!

I hope that a civil war in Iraq does not come to pass for the Iraqi people and our troops that will caught in the middle. Now if only Obama would live up to his promise to bring our troops home.

But I think we all know that liberating the Iraqi's from Saddam was all smoke and mirrors promoted by the neocons. What their real agenda is/was...I don't know, except to enrich those that profit in blood. They have succeeded extremely well in that regard.

"After the elections we have seen a new wave of sectarianism which is very dangerous and we have indications that we are heading towards a new peak," Allawi told the Spanish newspaper El Mundo.

"We are just at the beginning, but if the violence continues we are heading towards civil war."

[edit on 15-5-2010 by whaaa]

Good I hope a big goddamn civil war breaks out worse than the military war that just happened. MAYBE and JUST MAYBE the US will learn a lesson finally and realize it's none of our damn business to be meddling in middle eastern governments. In fact I'd laugh my ass off if that happened. It would be terrible for the Iraqi people. But maybe they would rise up and kick us out of their country once and for all. The US needs to get out of the middle east in every military aspect. It's runing our reputation, and draining our finances. And for what? To make irresponsible oil companies filthy rich? To further our reliance on petroleum for the next 100 years? Disgusting!

reply to post by Zosynspiracy


dude the USA is not there to liberate the iraqis, they dont care. for all we know the US government could be happy with all this fighting and disagreements.

the reason the USA occupies iraq is to protect israel, its all to do with religion and bible prophecies. the zionist who control the USA believe it is now that the great war will happen and many people will die, and then, and only then their messiah will come...

there will never be peace in iraq until after the great war, i hate to say it but it is a religious war.

the israelis even said it themselves, the bible is their guide, they want to face syria, iran and lebanon and it will only escalate into a nuclear war that will later spread throughout the world. ww3 could very much start this year and end before 2013.

reply to post by Zosynspiracy


also its not about oil, the USA might be the last country that will ever run out of oil, they are very prepared and know whats coming.

they are simply there to protect israel in thier religious war. they actually belive that the war will be so great it will wipe 2/3 of the population, and when the war ends it will be the start of the 7 year tribulation. after the 7 year their messiah will come to save them and lead the world from jerusalem.

I get you point of you folks saying IsraHELL benefiting www.haaretz.com...

reply to post by starwarsisreal


heh nice link, for all we know it was satanic bush backed by the zionist who committed 911, it all just makes perfect sense when you bring israel into it

I really think that the US PTB, hopes for an all out civil war. That will be
another excuse to keep us there with a war that is going to last longer
than Vietnam. Afterall, why would the US want peace at any time?
Wars are what keeps the industrial giant running. Why oh why can't
the US just bring home the troops and stop this BS war that is proving
nothing, except who gets first dibs on the oil?

Wouldn't it be a miraculous day that the US is not killing people and trying
to shove our beliefs down the throats of people who don't care for our
beliefs or so called democracy? Wouldn't it be nice if we could start
practicing democracy in this country again? I am a Vietnam veteran and
I really want to vomit with all this war and killing. It serves absolutely no
purpose for anyone. The only thing it accomplishes is for us Americans
to be hated worldwide. I mean real hate.

reply to post by whaaa


Your letting your ideology get in the way of your common sense . You and and anyone who is either proclaiming victory or defeat need to man up and go a library and read a history book or two . If Iraq can contain its problems relatively to way they are now then it will be twenty five years before we know if Iraq has made the successful transition to a democratic society . Post war Germany and Japan show us that it takes twenty five years for the people to want to buy consumer goods and not show any interest in militarism .

Originally posted by xpert11
reply to post by whaaa

 

Your letting your ideology get in the way of your common sense . You and and anyone who is either proclaiming victory or defeat need to man up and go a library and read a history book or two . If Iraq can contain its problems relatively to way they are now then it will be twenty five years before we know if Iraq has made the successful transition to a democratic society . Post war Germany and Japan show us that it takes twenty five years for the people to want to buy consumer goods and not show any interest in militarism .

Are you willing to have American troops involved in a civil war as peacekeepers for 25 years; Between three sects that have been at each others throats for hundreds of years? Perhaps you should go to the library and read a book or two on cultural anthropology?

How many young American lives are you willing to sacrifice for Iraq to eventually start buying consumer goods. What a distorted set of priorities you have.

Originally posted by whaaa
Are you willing to have American troops involved in a civil war as peacekeepers for 25 years;

Well at least in Iraq American troops would be able to accomplish something unlike the ones who are stationed in Europe and South Korea who are there for pure political expenditure .

Between three sects that have been at each others throats for hundreds of years?

Well either Iraqi society will self destruct or it will find a common enemy in Iran .

How many young American lives are you willing to sacrifice for Iraq to eventually start buying consumer goods.

What an ignorant statement you have wait until the children that are being born in Iraq now and the next five - ten years do with their country . Its morally wrong to abandon a people after promising them aid like Australia and New Zealand did to the people of South Vietnam .

What a distorted set of priorities you have.

The only thing that is distorted is people that enjoy the fruits of a democratic society not supporting such a thing to emerge in Iraq .
Here a shocker how about trying to consider ways of helping Iraq rather then just waiting for the worse ?

Originally posted by xpert11




The only thing that is distorted is people that enjoy the fruits of a democratic society not supporting such a thing to emerge in Iraq .
Here a shocker how about trying to consider ways of helping Iraq rather then just waiting for the worse ?

I support a democracy in Iraq if that's what THEY want. I also respect the right of Iraq to self determination as to the type of government Theywant. Not what an invading force is trying to cram down their throat. Name one tribal society that uses Democracy as an operating system.

Here's a shocker; we should mind our own business and let other countries determine their future without our interference. Bring our troops home now, no more blood sacrifices at the neocons alter of profit and lies.



[edit on 16-5-2010 by whaaa]

The problem is that the anti Iraq War crowd would do anything deny that the Iraqi people support for a democratic government . IMO the Iraqi people are more willing to fight the forces of tyranny because their government is far from perfect but still a hell of a lot better then the one that existed in South Vietnam . Only time will tell what happens in Iraq . I would also be keeping an eye on Saudi Arabia because India and China will look to Russia for its oil supplies . Off shore drilling and the economic decline of US will also reduce the demand for Saudi oil . The Saudi Regime could fall within the next three decades but that event is further away then Iraq futures .