Sectarian Violence

Life Under Occupation

[In a video interview with peace activist Dahlia Wasfi, Musab Iqbal, editor of Newzfirst, discusses the problem and nature of violence prevailing in Post-war Iraq]

Q.  Iraq is not much in the news, what is the current situation there?

A.  Yes, Iraq is not much in news, nothing much in mainstream and whatever we are hearing in the US is from our government's side. The news we are hearing is that the current strife in Iraq is largely sectarian. But it seems that Shia and Sunni both are protesting, as people of Iraq are not calling it sectarian. It's across all lines. They are fighting against brutal repression while conducting the protests.

      The sectarian mentality in Iraq developed during the US occupation. The US military left Iraq border open; so expelled Iraqi expatriates from decades before, who were seeking refuge in Iran, returned to become part of the new Iraqi government (for example–members of Hizb' Dawah). As the Saddam regime was largely secular, he sent extreme elements into exile and these groups were sheltered in Iran. The protest today is against brutal oppression, at the same time against the influence of Iranian groups and militias.

      Official Iranian government involvement in Iraq is less known. What is confirmed is that Ahmedinejad supports Maliki, but majority of Iraqis are unhappy with their Prime Minister.

Q.  What grave mistake US did apart from invading Iraq?

A.  US brought expats into Iraq and incorporated their militia members into the army. This was the external element. They (expats) wanted access to Najaf and Karbala, which was denied to them under Saddam Hussein's rule. I have not been to Iraq since 2006, but I understand that these militias have gained a lot of control, especially in southern Iraq. Iranian influence can also be seen in Iraq's economic affairs; for example, a multi-million dollar airport was constructed near Najaf with a loan from Iran. The primary purpose for the airport has been to support pilgrimage tours to and from Iran.

      So, while the US helped introduce sectarianism from Iran into Iraq to keep the country weak and take control of its resources, these sectarian elements may now have an upper hand in dominating Iraqi affairs. The resulting strife seems to serve as the imperial tactic of "divide and conquer." The battle for power keeps Iraq divided and weak. It reminds me of the eight-year-long Iraq-Iran war, during which the US supported both sides to keep the region divided.

Q.  Do you think there is anything common between instability in Syria and Iraq today?

A.  In the big picture, I think that instability throughout this region serves the interests of superpowers. That is a common thread. Unstable countries are weaker and easier to dominate. But that is part of what makes the situation so complicated. What is happening in Iraq and Syria involves conflicts among the people of each land, conflicts between regional powers, and conflicts between superpowers. Within Syria, rebellion began with the Syrian people's desire for regime change. Soon, sectarianism emerged as a prominent issue. On a regional level, during Saddam Hussein's regime, there was friction with Syria; in fact it was a friction between two branches of the Baath Party. But Iraq is different today. The Iraqi government has met with a Syrian opposition group, yet says it does not want the rebels to be armed. Syria is backed by Iran as well as Russia and China, which puts them in opposition to Western powers. On this global level, I believe Western powers want to divide and conquer and rule. The intersections of these conflicts at their different levels make a complex battleground. Those living in the middle of that battleground continue to suffer.

      Coming back to expat...

      Yes, it was a calculated move on behalf of American administrators, bringing expatriates back to Iraq and establishing death squads. This plan became known as the "Salvador Option," as it is very similar to what the US did to exert its influence in Latin America. It wasn't only the same plan; it was the very same military leaders (e.g. Steven Casteel, Col James Steele, John Negroponte) who brought their death squad experience from Latin America to Iraq. Death squads in Iraq were organized and funded by US.
The Western media usually identifies the February 2006 attack on the shrine of Hasan Askari as the beginning of all this sectarian violence. By international law, it is the responsibility of the occupier to maintain safety for the occupied. But in Basrah, in the days after the Shrine's destruction (I was there), occupation forces withdrew from their normal daily patrols. They were absent while the violence raged. There were hundreds to thousands of casualties in those first chaotic days, but US policy makers don't care about Iraqi victims. Their goal was to establish divisions across sectarian lines to weaken the country and take control of its resources.

Q.  Any other reason for keeping the region destabilized?

A.  Israeli security is another reason for keeping Iraq weak. Under Saddam Hussein's rule, Iraq was the last major anti-Zionist, anti-imperialist Arab nation in the region. Hussein was strongly against the joint US-Israeli occupation of Palestine. With the end of his secular rule and the introduction of sectarianism following the US invasion (not to mention the previous 12+ years of economic sanctions), Iraq is divided into ghettos and weak. Israel continues its brutal, illegal occupation of Palestine with American military, political and financial support.

Q.  So sectarian ghetto is post invasion?

A.  Yes, before 2003, Iraq did not have rigid sectarian lines drawn. Families throughout the country were religiously "mixed" between Sunni and Shia. Even the term "mixed" did not exist to describe a family's religion until after 2003. There were lots of inter marriages—my family included —through all of Iraq. Now, sectarian division is rigidly established in Iraq. Even Baghdad has been separated into distinct Shia and Sunni neighborhoods separated by massive cement walls built by the occupiers. Southern Iraq has traditionally been predominantly Shia, but in recent years many of the minority Sunni and Christian families-some living in the south for several generations-have been displaced.

Q.  What about Kurds?

A.  Kurds live primarily in Iraq, Iran, Turkey and Syria today. Their ethnic population was split by the British Empire into these separate nation states- an earlier historical example of "divide and conquer." Some Kurds seek independence, but their effort is complicated by the population's division among these states. At the same time, the states become occupied with quelling such independence movements to maintain unity within.

      With the backing of the US (and Israel), northern Iraq is for the most part acting autonomously today as Iraqi Kurdistan. This situation has the potential to encourage Kurds in other countries to seek their own independent breakaway states as well. Sometimes, however, a group's desire for independence can be manipulated by superpowers. The Kurds of Iraq have been used repeatedly as a "fifth column" against the leadership in Baghdad (A "fifth column" is a group of people who secretly undermine a larger group, such as a nation, from within). In the 1970s, with US support, the Kurds were encouraged to rise up against the regime of Saddam Hussein (described in Tariq Ali's "Bush in Babylon", p.l 19). Today, some oil deals in the north are being finalized without approval from Nouri al Maliki. This may be another example of Western powers keeping pressure on the government in Baghdad through the Kurds.

Q.  Role of regional and global actors in Iraq?

A.  As we talked about, like with Syria, conflicts are unfolding between regional powers but they are also being used as battlegrounds for international actors. We have the US, Russia and China seeking to protect their interests in this region. As this region has huge economic resources, everyone wants a piece. Under the cunent Iraqi government, which came to office under American occupation, Iraq's oilfields and profits are being sold out to foreign companies.

Q.  What do the people want?

A.  Throughout history, foreign invaders have conquered and then driven out of Iraq. Iraqi people have a great sense of their history, the history of Mesopotamia. Today they want an end to repression. There are many laws in place in the name of anti-terror, which are leading to brutality. Today's demonstrations in Iraq are calling for an end to all of this.

      The people of Iraq are still suffering and it's more severe because of the existence of many sectarian groups. There is tremendous corruption, unemployment and huge electricity and water crisis. The government maintains sectarianism today and it may take drastic change to eliminate all this. Iraqi people are against the religious influence by Iran in their country. And certainly this is not the government supported by the people.

Q.  And what do you hope?

A.  We will get better days. Empire will be replaced. We need major thinking change in the planet. Before US runs to liberate others, it should achieve economic and civil rights equality for its own people. But we must remain hopeful and realistic.

Q.  What was the biggest challenge you faced in all these anti-war campaigns?

Frontier
Vol. 45, No. 33, February 24-Mar 2, 2013

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