Civil War?
Civil War?
I’m not sure that’s what you can call the situation in Iraq.
Especially when the Sunnis seem ready to join the Shiites in government:
BAGHDAD, Iraq - AP - Sunni Arabs are ready to end their boycott of talks to form a new Iraqi government if rival Shiites return mosques seized in last week’s sectarian attacks and meet other unspecified demands, a top Sunni figure said Monday.
That prompted the U.S. State Department to praise the Sunni leadership for “looking to get back into the game, full strength.”
“That’s to be welcomed,” deputy spokesman Adam Ereli said.
This is not meant to underestimate the carnage in the streets of Iraq over the past few days, but I don’t recall Jefferson Davis sniffing around for a cabinet seat in the Union government after Vicksburg.
Meanwhile, the Iraqi General Beauregard got hisself nicked:
BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraqi security forces announced on Monday the capture of a senior al-Qaida in Iraq figure, and the U.S. ambassador said the risk of civil war from last week’s sectarian violence was over.
Violence throughout Iraq killed 36 people Monday, as fierce fighting broke out between Iraqi commandos and insurgents southeast of the capital. But sectarian clashes have declined sharply since the bloodletting that followed the destruction of a revered Shiite shrine in Samarra, and Baghdad residents returned to their jobs after three days of a government-imposed curfew.
“We were at home for three days doing nothing,” tea vendor Abbas Kudir said. “We are of limited income. We earn money when people can come and buy tea normally. We hope the government will pay attention to our difficulties.”
Sunni Arab leaders said they were prepared to end their boycott of the talks on a new government if Shiites return mosques seized in reprisal attacks against Sunnis and meet other unspecified demands.
“That crisis is over,” U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad declared.
Seeing is believing. But for those who’ve been waiting for two, three years to say “I told you so,” I hope you’ve enjoyed your moment. But it’s time to move along; there’s nothing more to see here. The Iraqis are moving on to the more serious task of government. It may not be pretty, but at least it’s got a future.