Islam and Iraq

Submitted by Maggie (Australia), Oct 29, 2005 at 01:20

I happen to disagree with Paul's comments regarding the enemy in Iraq. There are more Iraqi Muslims perishing there, than there are American and allied forces. From what I have seen and read, the vast majority of Iraqi citizens are happy to see the end of the Ba'athist Hussein regime. However, since the allies failed to remove and capture all members of the Hussein regime, there remains an element of opposition to these forces in Iraq.

Who then is the enemy? Yes some who are fundamentalists as described by Paul are involved in this activity. Are they Iraqi? Yes some are Iraqi citizens. However, the majority of the suicide bombers are foreigners who have crossed the border in their zeal to fight the USA who is considered to be their enemy. What Paul failed to consider is the Al Qaeda link to what is happening in Iraq today. There is a very strong link to Osama Bin Laden and Al Qaeda. We must not forget that. The radical clerics who have been making a fuss are in the minority but they are extremely influential. That is why they are seeking to win control of the parliament and impose sharia on the people. Yet, they are not necessarily the enemy of the allies. The enemy happens to be insurgents who have crossed the border and are prepared to die because of their religious zeal.

It is important that we point out this fact about the enemy in Iraq because there are people who are Islamists who do not want Hussein to return. They are not involved in a civil war. The Ba'athists who have remained and Al Qaeda want to cause a civil war so that they can get control.

What is happening in Iraq is less about religion than it is about politics and the tyranny of the Ba'ath party.

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