Sunnis, Shi’ites Trade Blame Over Baghdad Bombings

Major Coalition Govt Member Calls for UN 'Protection'

The Iraqi government continues to maintain that Sunni insurgents were responsible for the massive coordinated bombing campaign in Baghdad Wednesday. In particular many top members of the government are pointing the finger at the remnants of the Ba’athist regime that was ousted in the 2003 US invasion.

The Supreme Iraqi Islamic Council, one of the major Shi’ite parties in the coalition government claimed the bombs were clearly the fault of the “former Saddam regime,” which it claimed was plotting against freedom and dignity. The statement called for the United Nations to intervene and protect Iraqis.

So far no one has claimed credit for the attacks, which caused well over 1,000 casualties. but the finger pointing has been fast and furious. The US insists it looks like al-Qaeda did it, while the Islamic Army in Iraq, a Sunni umbrella group opposed to the government, pointing their finger at the government itself

The group, which is composed largely of former Ba’athists, insisted the bombings were the result of in-fighting amongst various factions in the Shi’ite dominated government and insisted it was not involved at all in the attacks which targeted “innocent people.”

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.