Iraq militants 'still control parts of western cities'

[SBu]

BBC News - Iraq militants 'still control parts of western cities'

There has been fierce fighting in recent days as government forces have tried to force militants aligned to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) out of Ramadi and Fallujah.

An AFP news agency journalist told the BBC that black flags used by jihadists were still flying in both cities.

Clashes erupted on Monday after troops dismantled a protest camp in Ramadi.

Local Sunni Arabs had been demonstrating for months against what they perceive as discrimination by the Shia-led government and unfair targeting of their minority community by anti-terrorism measures implemented to stem the surge in sectarian violence.

But Prime Minister Nouri Maliki ordered that the sit-in be cleared, alleging it had "turned into a headquarters for the leadership of al-Qaeda".

The struggle between Sunni and Shi'i , fundamentalism and secularism still rages in the ME. Pro-rebel Lebanon v. Pro-Assad Hezbollah, Syria civil war, Iraq civil war, Israel/Saudis v. Iran, Egyptian secularists v. muslim brotherhood, etc. etc.

What a cluster. Any theories about where this will go or how to deal with it?

 

[joG]

BBC News - Iraq militants 'still control parts of western cities'



The struggle between Sunni and Shi'i , fundamentalism and secularism still rages in the ME. Pro-rebel Lebanon v. Pro-Assad Hezbollah, Syria civil war, Iraq civil war, Israel/Saudis v. Iran, Egyptian secularists v. muslim brotherhood, etc. etc.

What a cluster. Any theories about where this will go or how to deal with it?

It is a real shame the Iraqis didn't make more of the chance they were given.

 

[SBu]

It is a real shame the Iraqis didn't make more of the chance they were given.

They probably could have had a better chance if they weren't right smack dab in the middle of external power struggles as well. The whole region is ablaze.

 

[joG]

They probably could have had a better chance if they weren't right smack dab in the middle of external power struggles as well. The whole region is ablaze.

Life is tough. But the USA needn't try to carry the weight of the world. Let Ringo do that.