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November 24, 2006
Deeper and Deeper into a Civil War
This is just getting worse and worse.
BAGHDAD, Iraq - Sunni Muslim insurgents blew up five car bombs and fired mortars into Baghdad's largest Shiite district Thursday, killing at least 161 people and wounding 257 in a dramatic attack that sent the U.S. ambassador racing to meet with Iraqi leaders in an effort to contain the growing sectarian war.Shiite mortar teams quickly retaliated, firing 10 shells at Sunni Islam's most important shrine in Baghdad, badly damaging the Abu Hanifa mosque and killing one person. Eight more rounds slammed down near the offices of the Association of Muslim Scholars, the top Sunni Muslim organization in
Iraq, setting nearby houses on fire.
Here's what I don't buy: that this was inevitable. That this is just ancient deep hatred bubbling up. No doubt there was resentment, hostility and distrust between the Sunni and the Shiite Iraqis. Sure there were tensions and issues. But this was not inevitable.
Posted by zeynep at November 24, 2006 12:01 AM
Comments
They act like this violence was the norm for Iraq. Why didn't any of this happen (to this extent) under Saddam? He may have been a dictator, but he brought stability and at least mild prosperity to his country. Something the Americans can do neither of.
Posted by: Dave Hulick at November 26, 2006 01:03 PM