[nick95673]

Donald Rumsfeld while fielding questions about the state of Iraq-including if they are in civil war. Rumsfeld doesn't know how to define a civil war and needs more time to think about it. He's certain about one thing though:

Rumsfeld: "...I think until I've had a chance to think more about it and-and-uhh-I-I will say I don't think it'll look like-ahh- the United States's civil war."



Scores of frightened Shiite families have fled predominantly Sunni parts of Baghdad in recent weeks, some at gunpoint. More than 100 families arrived between Monday and Tuesday in Wasit province, in the southern Shiite heartland, said Haitham Ajaimi Manie, an official with the provisional migration directorate.
More than 300 Baghdad families -- 1,818 people -- have taken shelter in the province after fleeing the capital, he said.




Sounds to me like the evidence is there and the administration is laying the foundation to admit that civil war has started.

[silverdevil]

I don't think any civil war will look like ours; they're all different.

That being said, once the U.S. pulls out, expect an all-out power struggle to ensue leading to civil war between Shia and Sunni people. The Kurds really don't care since they seem to be fat, dumb, and happy up in the north where nobody bothers them.

The problem was the arbitrary drawing of borders by the British when the Ottoman Empire ended. Now the Americans have the chance to do the same if they separate the country in three.

[nick95673]

There's a problem with splitting the country in to 3. The countries surrounding Iraq that should be split in to separate pieces will attempt to absorb the population. Sunnis are the majority of Muslims except in Iran and Iraq. So Iran will step in and try to get a piece of the Sunni Iraq. Then Turkey will not know what to do about the Kurds. It would be a huge cluster F. When they sat down and carved up the middle east some areas got what they needed and others didn't. I doubt the rich oil nations want to be dissolved in to a nation that's leading export is goats. We need to back up and let THEM battle it out for their borders. The reason America works with the mixed cultures is that we made the decision to be mixed. The 2 groups that didn't have a choice (African Americans and Native Americans) are more likely to have problems in our society. There is a lot to be said about knowing that you have power over your future and that your past was won not assigned.

[ZapThyCat]

Originally Posted by silverdevil

once the U.S. pulls out, expect an all-out power struggle to ensue leading to civil war between Shia and Sunni people.

The problem was the arbitrary drawing of borders by the British when the Ottoman Empire ended. Now the Americans have the chance to do the same if they separate the country in three.

The desire for an all out power struggle is the reason that Iraq is as quiet as it is. Shites know they gotta wait for the US troops to leave before they can radicalize the country....

It would probably be a good thing is the US could draw the country into three countries, however Turkey doesn't want the Kurds to have a homeland (for good reason).

Good luck with that....

[CocaineInMyBrain]

operation iraqi freedom continues as planned