Sunday, March 27, 2005
This Globe article contrasts sharply with much non-MSM reporting out of Iraq that indicates the sectarian divide looks much stronger to those outside Iraq than inside. No surprise given the source. It's worth reading, although I cannot help but be left skeptical by the fact that the type of people the Globe chooses to hold forward as representing Sunni opinion are the type of people angry that those sympathetic to "the resistance" might be purged from the security forces. This sounds like more of a dwindling fringe than anything else - despite the Globe's portrayal.
The Boston Globe: Fractured Iraq sees a Sunni call to arms
''You are from a Shi'ite family. Why do you insert yourself into our affairs?" the man at the podium, Sheik Mohammed Mahmoud al-Mudaris, an official in the Iraqi Islamic Party, told one Shi'ite who tried to address the gathering.
''Fine, have it your way, Sunnis against Shi'ites," the Shi'ite man said as he stormed out of the conference hall. ''That's exactly what the Jews want."
Sunnis also fear that when Shi'ite political parties take over the government, they will purge from the security forces many Sunnis who are sympathetic to the tribes and to the resistance -- a move they warn will only further anger Sunnis [really? -Sol].
Shi'ite leaders like Adil Abdel-Mahdi, a top official in the most powerful Shi'ite political party, the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq, have encouraged such worries [Those are worries to be sympathetic to? -Sol] with promises to rout infiltrators from the Iraqi police and military.
''Whenever we find a corrupt person or a dangerous one we will remove him. That has not been done enough," Abdel-Mahdi said...
I just read your profile. You know it's funny, I always thought you were a girl.
Well, I've learned that Solomonia is a girl's name, but Solomon isn't! Here I thought all those regular female readers were coming around because of my picture, now come to find out they think I'm one of them!
Scene: Three men are looking down on an Iraqi street scene. Hustle and Bustle and stuff like that.
Atrios: My God, it's a riot.
Boston Globe: Nah, it's a demonstration.
Mudville Gazette: You're both wrong, it's Monday.