Suddam Hussein is no more but his ghost must be having a great laugh observing the deadly civil strife Iraq has plunged into while the American troops watch on. Even after attacking Iraq and hanging its tyrant and his cronies, President Bush has failed to bring peace to the ancient nation where struggle between rival Shiite factions have turned the streets of Iraqi cities into a battleground.
Iraq is a predominately-Shiite country where the Sunnis are a minority. The former President of Iraq Saddam Hussein, a Sunni, had during his reign of terror had deprived the Shiites of political power, suppressing Shiite rebels with a strong hand. During Saddam’s reign the Shiite cleric, Abdul Aziz al-Hakim had taken refuge in the Shiite Iran. After the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, Hakim returned to his homeland and allied with the Americans to attain political supremacy. However, Hakim’s Supreme Council faced a formidable opposition from the Shiite group loyal to the Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr. The Sadrists want withdrawal of the American troops from Iraq and want to attain prominence in Iraq’s administration. The result is that the two Shiite factions are struggling to control the Iraqi cities and holy shrines.
The Arabian culture never had a place for democratic ideas. The countries of western Asia had been ruled by monarchs and tyrants with strong religious allegiance. The western concept of democracy had been alien to the culture of these countries where rival religious groups constantly clash with each other. It is widely believed that Saddam Hussein despite of being a tyrant who mercilessly annihilated the Kurds had managed to establish a secular rule in the country despite of many of its drawbacks. Similar to Iran, which lost its secular elements after the Islamic revolution, the secular fiber of Iraq has been ripped apart after the US invasion.
Saddam Hussein was rumoured to have manufactured nuclear weapons, which the Americans found an apt excuse to invade the country. President Bush and his advisors however failed to contemplate the myriad social and political problems the country would face with rival factions struggling to gain access to power. Can President Bush defuse the civil war with the ordinary Iraqis caught in the crossfires?
Source:washington post
Image:flickr
