good interview on CNN with writer Con Coughlin (on Iraq)
he wrote a prominent book about Saddam
he is an expert on Iraq and Iraqi affairs
he warns about the 3-part nature of Iraq
and the extreme challenge to keep order in this house
Sunnis have had power for 30 years, and abused it heavily
they make up only 30% of the population of the country
they share equal numbers with Shiites in the central region
the central region has the least oil production and wealth
but its inhabitants have held control and used it cruelly
Sodomy was raised a Sunni in the northern city of Tikrit
Sunnis and Shiites clash in their own home territory
Kurds in the north are unwanted anywhere
they are not considered Arabs in the true sense
they are not desert dwellers, but nomadic mountain dwellers
they clash with Turks, they clash with Iranians
their homeland is the richest of the oil producing regions
they have NEVER NEVER NEVER benefited from their oil wealth
they despise Sunnis in the central region
they suffered 200,000 executions in the late 1980's
they were gassed to death in earlier years
they are merely tolerated as they cross over into Turkey and Iran
Shiites dominate the southern areas
Iraq's 2nd biggest city is Basra
the port of Umm Qasr (the greatest name for a city I have ever heard) is chock full of Shiites also
these guys migrated from Iran many decades or centuries ago
they share the different version of Islam with their Iranian descendents
Shiites dont get along with Sunnis, never did, never will
the 1980-1988 war with Iran was largely religious and territorial
they fought over shifting national boundaries marked by a river which moved each year, sometimes many many miles
so our resident genius patriot Tim Westera believes these factions can not only live as neighbors, but sit in power in a Parliament deciding on important legislation relating to secular laws (which will clash with religious laws), relating to financial appropriations (when American oil interests will overhang), relating to oil management (when Kurds will never be permitted the benefits), blah blah blah
Coughlin warned that keeping these three factions together will be next to impossible, and that Saddamy succeeded only by murdering large blocks of dissenters
he warned that religious differences form huge obstacles for these groups
he warned that payback will be first & foremost on their minds, a payback of 200k murders of Kurds, a payback of 250k murders of Shiites
although Sodomy is gone (or is he?), the hard feelings do not end with Sodomy himself, but extend to both Sunnis and to central region Iraqis
lastly, he issued a scarey warning
Coughlin has numerous friends and contacts in Damascus
word has it that Saddam was not killed in the Baghdad restaurant, but has gone underground living in Baghdad still
he will remain underground until the Americans reduce their forces and go home
then Saddam Hussein will rise up in mini revolts
he warned that many have underestimated Saddam, and are now dead
this guy was not a crackpot
he is a well researched biographer writer
he probably is far better informed than Riech Marshall Herr Rumsfeldt
/ jim |
