This Is Not Civil War?

     Part of a DoD March 2007 quarterly report to Congress concerning the outlook for Iraq.

The conflict in Iraq has changed from a predominantly Sunni-led insurgency against foreign occupation to a struggle for the division of political and economic influence among sectarian groups and organized criminal activity. The level of violence in Iraq continued to rise during this reporting period as ethnic,tribal, sectarian,and political factions seek power over political and economic resources.

  Let's see how two different sect's live, while we're here.

Reporting out of Baghdad also began to note the diference between the security and availability of basic services between Sunni and Shi’ite areas. In the poor Shi’ite area of Sadr City, markets were open most of the day, there was no nightly curfew, and citizens had access to at least one generator for power. Residents in Sadr City credited the Mahdi Army with the security and Moqtada al-Sadr for providing aid and political progress.

In contrast, markets in Sunni neighborhoods were al but deserted, residents were lucky to receive two hours of power a day, and Sunnis were continualy threatened into cooperating with insurgents. Insurgents would kil US or Shi’ite security forces working on reconstruction projects as well as Sunni workers who were seen as colaborating with the enemy. Increasingly, Iraqi government workers refused to enter Sunni neighborhoods, leaving piles of trash on the street and water and electricity lines unrepaired. Many residents even had dificulty colecting their daily food rations.      

Pressure was also mounting within mixed families throughout the country. Approximately one-third of Iraqi marriages were mixed, but increasingly, family members from both sects were urging couples to divorce or flee the country. In many cases, family members were forced to live in separate neighborhoods and rarely saw each other for fear of reprisal atacks. In the past, mixed mariages were seen as the unifying factor that would spare Iraq from civil war.

CSIS Full Report  in downloaded PDF

   CSIS has many various studies concerning Iraq and the way of life their since Bush came to town. Good reading when you have the time as many of these reports are quite lengthy.

Tags: Iraq civil war Sunni Shiite U.S.