Sunday 15 April 2007

Baghdad: one big red zone

'Nowhere is safe'
Following a suicide bombing in the ultra-secure and guarded Green Zone of Baghdad, in Iraq, there is an increased feeling of unease among those protected in the Green Zone since the invasion by a US-led coalition in 2003. Is this incident a symbolic move showing the security situation is getting even worse in Iraq's capitol, or is it an isolated incident?

Up to a few days ago, any major attacks within the Green Zone were very rare — it was secure, one of the only secure areas in a city in as much turmoil as Baghdad. Worse yet, the security breach was a terrorist act against Iraq's fledging democratic government. However there is a silver lining: maybe this attack will bring the divided lawmakers of Iraq together. Many have ties to militias, or their parties do anyways. Even more represent their own ethnicity or religions denomination, not the people they were elected to represent and not Iraq in general.

The Iraqi government has failed in most aspects, although it is quite a young one in one of the most violent, destroyed nations on earth. Unity is Iraq's only option if it wants to keep itself from becoming an all-out failed state. Sectarianism is at fault; if only the politicians did something (constructive) about it.

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