Split by Politics
Yesterday, the following letter to the editor by Kate Ryan of Delhi was published in the the Oneonta Star.
"General Petraeus said we are fighting for 'national interest' and to stop 'sectarian violence.' Two articles about Iraq on AlterNet by Joshua Holland and Raed Jarrer describe the situation differently. They point out that the conflict in Iraq is about oil and democracy and not sectarian differences. The conflict in Iraq is between Iraqi separatists and Iraqi nationalists.
"The separatists are led by al-Maliki, who is backed by Bush. The separatists want to get the Hydro Carbon Law through the Iraqi Parliament. This law would give U.S. and British oil companies control over 70 percent of Iraq's undeveloped oil fields. This would be accomplished by having a weak central government and three semiautonomous regions.
"The nationalists don't want foreign influence in Iraq's affairs and they favor a strong central government. They oppose privatizing Iraq's oil and natural gas reserves. This is the position of Muqtada al-Sadr.
"Holland and Jarrer explain that the Iraqi Cabinet is dominated by separatists who supported the U.S.-led Iraq invasion. However, in the Iraqi Council of Representatives, the nationalists have a majority.
"Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds are in both the Cabinet and the Council of Representatives. There are religious differences, but the main problem is political. As Salel al-Mutlaq, head of the secular National Dialogue Front, said, 'What we're facing in Iraq is a political war in which the U.S. is taking one side.' The side the U.S. is taking is that of al-Maliki and the separatists, as Bush wants the oil. That's why he also wants permanent bases in Iraq.
"Most Iraqis favor a strong central government and don't want U.S. bases. If we believe in democracy, we ought to listen to the will of the Iraqi people and withdraw.
"Check out Holland and Jarrer's articles at www.alternet.org. They're excellent."
"General Petraeus said we are fighting for 'national interest' and to stop 'sectarian violence.' Two articles about Iraq on AlterNet by Joshua Holland and Raed Jarrer describe the situation differently. They point out that the conflict in Iraq is about oil and democracy and not sectarian differences. The conflict in Iraq is between Iraqi separatists and Iraqi nationalists.
"The separatists are led by al-Maliki, who is backed by Bush. The separatists want to get the Hydro Carbon Law through the Iraqi Parliament. This law would give U.S. and British oil companies control over 70 percent of Iraq's undeveloped oil fields. This would be accomplished by having a weak central government and three semiautonomous regions.
"The nationalists don't want foreign influence in Iraq's affairs and they favor a strong central government. They oppose privatizing Iraq's oil and natural gas reserves. This is the position of Muqtada al-Sadr.
"Holland and Jarrer explain that the Iraqi Cabinet is dominated by separatists who supported the U.S.-led Iraq invasion. However, in the Iraqi Council of Representatives, the nationalists have a majority.
"Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds are in both the Cabinet and the Council of Representatives. There are religious differences, but the main problem is political. As Salel al-Mutlaq, head of the secular National Dialogue Front, said, 'What we're facing in Iraq is a political war in which the U.S. is taking one side.' The side the U.S. is taking is that of al-Maliki and the separatists, as Bush wants the oil. That's why he also wants permanent bases in Iraq.
"Most Iraqis favor a strong central government and don't want U.S. bases. If we believe in democracy, we ought to listen to the will of the Iraqi people and withdraw.
"Check out Holland and Jarrer's articles at www.alternet.org. They're excellent."
posted by Jim O'Leary | 12:02 AM
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