Article

2005-12-27 Iraq

Iraqi Sunni Leader Threatens 'Civil War'

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Posted by Fred 2005-12-27 00:00|| || Front Page|| [1 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 ..has threatened to ignite civil war if matters do not return back to normal and they (the Sunnis) are not given their elections rights.

Somehow, I get the feeling that it wouldn't be much of a contest, especially if the Kurds hook up with the Shiites.

Posted by Bomb-a-rama 2005-12-27 01:16|| 2005-12-27 01:16|| Front Page Top

#2 We did confiscate a truck coming from Iran w/ballots for the Shiite Coalition. Another truck was seized coming from Saudi Arabia w/counterfeit ballots but I was not told whether these wer pro-shia or sunni.

Hard to tell how many counterfeit ballots came in or if there was enough to sway the election in any way. I think complaints of voter fraud was actually comparatively low even to our own elections based on the number of votes cast. Maybe there is some truth to what this guy says even beyond the intel I have. I'm not in the local Baghdad AO.

I wonder if someone here on the 'burg who has the time could do some sort of empirical fact check. I'd be interested to see if the final results of elections reflect the demographics of the respective provinces in any way.

For all our sake I hope Iran didn't get lucky and stuff some ballot boxes under our collective noses. I hate those sons of bitches enough as it is. Though a civil war would probably just be another form of "due process darwinism" w/these assholes - I'm not too keen about trying to clean up that mess.

Posted by Broadhead6 2005-12-27 03:06|| 2005-12-27 03:06|| Front Page Top

#3 "We were excepting to exceed the Coalition by more than 300,000 votes."

This shows the real problem. The Sunni Arabs have been holding the whip for so long that they actually believe they are a majority. Something tells me that these jerks aren't going to make peace until they are really SCARED what of the Iraqi army can do to them. A 1000-year tradition of rule-by-fear doesn't end in 3 years.

Posted by Apostate 2005-12-27 03:07|| 2005-12-27 03:07|| Front Page Top

#4 Iraqi Sunni Leader Threatens 'Civil War'

Sore Loserman

Posted by Chad 2005-12-27 05:16|| 2005-12-27 05:16|| Front Page Top

#5 What did you have so far?

Posted by gromgoru 2005-12-27 07:46|| 2005-12-27 07:46|| Front Page Top

#6 Of course they are. They are going to threaten civil war EVERY time they don't get what they want. No matter how small the demand it's going to be that or civil war.

Posted by bigjim-ky 2005-12-27 07:55|| 2005-12-27 07:55|| Front Page Top

#7 Let them revolt. The Sunni minority have been lording over the region for far too long.

The Shia and the Kurds have the oil. Let the Wahabi Sunnis mine sand. They can sell it by the truckload. Should make a few cents per load.

Biggest oilfields in Saudi are also in traditional Shia areas IIRC.

Dismemberment of Iraq and Saudi would be a death blow to the Wahabi death cult. Take away their oil money and they revert to their natural state - desert savages nobody cares about. Can't fund madrassas when you don't have the cash. And nobody admires a pauper.

Of course that leaves the problem of Iran. Shia power would be an interesting change for the middle east except for the freaks that run Iran.

The mullahs in Iran have to go...

Posted by john 2005-12-27 08:01|| 2005-12-27 08:01|| Front Page Top

#8 Let the Wahabi Sunnis mine sand.

LOL, each grain a ~~prayer~~ lovely seething bead to finger as they pound forehead 5 times a day.

Posted by Red Dog 2005-12-27 08:36|| 2005-12-27 08:36|| Front Page Top

#9 I can see it now. A rich Kurd North, a rich (but supressed) Shite south, and a poor and suppressed
Syria East. What's wrong with that?

Posted by plainslow 2005-12-27 10:08|| 2005-12-27 10:08|| Front Page Top

#10 Whenever the U.S. military finally withdraws from Iraq and turns over the reigns of power and security to the Iraqis, Civil War is inevitable.

Posted by Cassini 2005-12-27 10:12|| 2005-12-27 10:12|| Front Page Top

#11 Broadhead6, please check me on this but I thought I heard on TV that the ballot trucks were a hoax. As far as the Sunnis threatening civil war they really should read the story about Custer and his last stand. They still think of the Shites and Kurds as subordinate to them and that they should be in charge. They can't understand why they lost an election, after all they had been holding them for years and the Kurds and Shia had never come close to winning. Maybe they can have Tom Daschele come speak to them?

Posted by Cyber Sarge">Cyber Sarge 2005-12-27 10:13|| 2005-12-27 10:13|| Front Page Top

#12 Sore Loserman

Does sound rather similar, doesn't it? That they're willing to burn down their own house in a fit of pique not only says a lot about themselves, but others of like mindset....*cDEoMOuCRgATSh*...

Posted by Bomb-a-rama 2005-12-27 10:27|| 2005-12-27 10:27|| Front Page Top

#13 Thanks, BH6. I thought the ballot stuffing story rang true. Dexter Filkin is a pretty good reporter, so I couldn't see him getting that snookered. I hadn't heard about the Soddy truckload, but since the methods ere similar my guess would be that they were actually Shiite ballots.

I'm wondering how closely the vote count tallies with whatever exit polling was done.

Having the stuffed ballot boxes allows a reasonably clean election process. The dirt comes at the counting stage.

Posted by Fred 2005-12-27 10:28|| 2005-12-27 10:28|| Front Page Top

#14 #10 Whenever the U.S. military finally withdraws from Iraq and turns over the reigns of power and security to the Iraqis, Civil War is inevitable.

Sounds like there won't be any civil war soon given the experience of Germany, Japan, Italy, Korea, et. al. But you are correct, the guys who have to watch out are the onw's left when the Amis scoot, the Vietnamese, Lebanese, and Hatians, etc.

Posted by Flinelet Floger3685 2005-12-27 10:49|| 2005-12-27 10:49|| Front Page Top

#15 Dictionary definition of civil war: A war between factions or regions of the same country. Judging from the relatively low casualty rates, this ain't exactly the American Civil War, where 700,000 on both sides died.

Posted by Zhang Fei 2005-12-27 13:07|| http://timurileng.blogspot.com]">[http://timurileng.blogspot.com] 2005-12-27 13:07|| Front Page Top

#16 Broadhead6 et al,

Check the burg archives from last week if you get the chance. I'll do the same, but I thought someone posted turnout by province at least, I dunno about ethnic makeup though. My guess is that it is reflected in the balloting, but what kind of census data is really available. I mean, what's the registration process like in Iraq right now, walk up registration or what?

I'd like to get some clarity re: whether the story was a hoax or not regarding ballot box stuffing via Iran. I'm betting that it was real and more extensive then previously stated. Hell, with the resources Iran puts into counterfeiting, I'd have no doubt these bastards could pull it off.

That being said the Sunni rabble rousers should watch their P's & Q's. Their sabre rattling aside, they have some powerful allies in the secular Shiia and Kurdish communities who are echoing their statements, but I'd guess that most Shiia in Iraq would oblige them a nasty little Civil War if they continue the Sunni civil war rhetoric and splodeydopefullness. The Sunnis aren't exactly popular amongst the average Shiite, and their obvious support of murderous villians and their past rep with Saddam might just get them annihalated.

Hell of a shame that would be, comeuppins if'n you ask me.

EP

Posted by ElvisHasLeftTheBuilding 2005-12-27 16:21|| 2005-12-27 16:21|| Front Page Top

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