PRAGUE, July 12, 2006 (RFE/RL) -- Senior Iraqi leaders warned this week -- nearly one month into Operation Together Forward -- that their country was on the brink of civil war. Meanwhile, Sunni and Shi'ite leaders tied to rogue groups faced off on television airwaves, each blaming the other for the most recent surge in violence in the capital.
The government's inability to stabilize the security situation has led to an upsurge of violence in recent days, especially in Baghdad, which has seen tit-for-tat sectarian-motivated attacks. Officials concede that Iraqis are increasingly becoming the victims of violence at the hands of sectarian militias, some of which are tied to parties in government.
The majority of the Shi'a killed in recent days have died as a result of bomb attacks. For their part, Sunnis claim they are subject to attack by Shi'ite militiamen who identify their religion through their identification cards.
A Disintegrating Security Situation
To the outside observer, Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's security plan for Baghdad appears to be faltering. The 50,000 security forces that entered the city on June 14 have proven incapable of stemming the violence. Defense Ministry spokesman Major General Abd al-Aziz Muhammad told reporters at a July 11 press briefing that the Interior Ministry's response time to the previous day's incidents in the Al-Jihad district of the capital "was not expeditious or appropriate."
"Security can never be established in Baghdad with the presence of gunmen and armed groups," he asserted. Al-Maliki continues to talk tough on security. He told parliamentarians on July 12 that security forces had thwarted an attempt by an unnamed insurgent group to occupy areas of Baghdad west of the Tigris River.
Parties And Militias
The prime minister also admonished political parties, telling parliamentarians that he would no longer tolerate accusations and counteraccusations by political parties over their rivals' militias. Every party has militias, al-Maliki contended, adding it is time for each party to continued here
Friday, July 14, 2006
Stating the obvious
Sectarian Militias Blocking The Road To Security in Iraq.
