Civil war in Iraq, is it inevitable?

Question

Margaret Beckett, Britain's Foreign Minister, admits the Iraq invasion may be viewed as a disaster by historians. Eminent historians argue Iraqis would be better off under Saddam. 655,000 Iraqis dead, 2798 US servicemen killed and more than 20,000 wounded; 119 British soldiers killed, 4,000 evacuated from Iraq as either wounded or sick. Each of these figures means a family traumatised by the sight of a loved one mutilated or grief stricken by death.

There appears to be no way out. If we abandon the Iraqis the country will descend into a fully blown civil war with Sunni muslims fighting Shia's, with the Kruds battling for autonomy, with former Baathists seeking to restore the status quo when Saddam ran the country, and terrorists from around the world stirring up the flames of conflict.

Was the invasion a horrendous mistake?

Forgive the mispelling of Kurds.

Answer 1

Internecine war has been going on in this part of the world for centuries. The great schism in Islam between Sunni and Shia was fought out in what is now Southern Iraq and the two sides have been at it ever since. Every so often the fighting is damped down by a tough regime supressing one side or the other. We've had the Ottoman Empire, the British Mandate with King Idris, Saddam and now the Americans & British (again).

Yes, the invasion was a horrible mistake. Saddam was an evil dictator, but at least he brought some kind of stability to the region. There's no easy answer, but the presence of American and British troops is only making matters worse.

Answer 2

I think it will turn into a civil war, because we are talking about tribe against tribe and at that level you can't talk about the problems, its on too basic a level. You have one tribe that has controlled the country under Saddam and persecuted the other tribe. Now the positions are reversed and you have one side now able to take revenge and the other side which refuses to accept that they have lost control (even though they are the minority party). That is now our problem because our troops are caught in the middle and an easy target for both sides to vent their anger. They will do this because they are unable to talk to each other and resolve their differences. As we have seen all around the world the only way a Muslim can deal with something they don't like is violence, murder and intimidation. Perhaps education may help, although this will take time. They need to learn that violence does not work in the long term, discussion is always the way disputes are resolved, but they are a long way from realising that at the moment.

Answer 3

It seems you are a little behind the times. The Kurds already have there autonomous region in all but name. The Sunni's and Shite are already in a civil war it just in a tribal scale not a european scale. The only way out I see is that the country be broken up into three pieces for each culture and then let them workout the rest. The Sunni state might not survive but too bad. I knew from the get go this war was bad I told my war mongering coworkers and they laughed they aren't laughing now. All any one had to do was read a little history on this area especially books about T E Lawrence's experiences with the tribes and you can see what will happen to anyone who invades arabic lands.

Answer 4

Unfortunately, the civil war has already begun and has been raging for some years. Iraqis are now killing each other as well as the occupying forces.

The invasion was a horrendous mistake, perhaps when we see the inevitable dissolution of Iraq into three distinct nation states we may see some peace.

Answer 5

Iraq was held together by Saddam with an iron fist and an understanding of the Arab mind. Most Arab states are autocracies not democracies. Americans and Europeans don't understand the difference. I am personally of the belief that civil war is happening now but politicians like Bush and Blair are too terrified of their political lives to admit it. The US and Britain are looking for an exit stategy that will save their faces.

Answer 6

Iraq is already in a Civil War now
The USA and UK government purposely did it, so the Sunni, Shias and Kurdish factions will just fight and kill each other, whilst the west will reap the oil out of Iraq

The Govt set up in Iraq is no,legitimate, as under UN Conventions USA - UK had no right to topple Saddam

How would British feel if an army from Middle East came and took over thier country, same for USA ?
My God, there would be an outcry of "Terrosism" and God knows what

All DOUBLE STANDARDS in the name of democracy

Answer 7

No Shias and Sunnis see Islam in different ways. The Invasion was a mistake,Dubya should had finished the mission in Afghanistan.

Answer 8

I hear you and agree with you and although I hate Saddam Hussein he had nothing to do with 9/11 so what and why there? It certainly was not to help Israel who has to deal with a great threat in Iran. Civil was is already there. Just imagine how stupid they are It's like Catholics killing Protestants and Protestants killing Jews, in the USA or Britian. It would be stupid and we are stuck in the middle of a briarpatch

Answer 9

Please forgive me for being selfish by saying, yes I do believe there will be a civil war in both Iraq and Afghanistan but What I hope is that they wait until our troop`s are at home before they kick it off.

Answer 10

inevitable?

It's already happening. And it's not only 2 sides - the americans are in the middle getting killed by everyone.

It's a good lesson in keeping your nose out of other people's business.

Can you say V I E T N A M ????????