For much of Iraq, the ISIS war is seen as just a continuation of the sectarian warfare between Sunni Arabs and Shi’ite Arabs which has raged in the country since the US occupation. Iraq’s Shi’ite-dominated government has long sought to dispel this notion by recruiting Sunni allies.
They haven’t had much success, but the Sunni Arab tribal factions they have managed to recruit are seen as key allies against ISIS. At the same time, the tribal leaders warn that Iraq needs massive reforms, not just a military victory, to end these conflicts.
The Lions of the Tigris faction are urging federalization as a solution to the ongoing tensions. They are far from the first to suggest this, but as allies in the current war, they may have the government’s ear more than some others.
The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) is seen by many Sunni Arabs as a model for their own portion of the country, a chance to gain real autonomy in a nation where demographics and anti-Ba’athifcation laws ensure they will never be a major political force nationally.
Yet the KRG is openly talking secession as soon as the ISIS war wraps up, and that might be all the more reason the Shi’ite government would object, as between the Sunni Arab territory and the Kurdish territory, they risk “losing” a large majority of the country by area.
Once again I appear to have run afoul of “moderation”.
My missing comment can be found here:
http://whimsicaldog.blogspot.mx/2016/12/give-it-all-to-them.html
I didn’t agree with it but I didn’t see anything blatantly racist about it.
I second that. I do not agree with the proposed ideas at all, but I do not see what is racist, and what constitutes hate speech. I had been myself once shocked by the application of censorship, even though I was clearly referring to a historic data, very specific periods of time, and specific location. Not at all “condemning entire ethnic group”. Moreover, historic data is what it is — no amount of politically correct dressing can change it. And then deciding that it is hate speech condemning entire ethnic group — is beyond my comprehension.
However, I am wondering if Antiwar.com must use the newest State Department’s definition of anti-Semitism that is related to anti-Israel activities on campuses. The language there is so vague, and really constitute use of many words practically impossible. This is political correctness on steroids. Wonder if antiwar.com — being one of the sites targeted for “fake news” must be ultra careful not to run afoul of the Ministry of Truth. We would not like that to happen.
It can also be found here at Antiwar.com — I was gone much of yesterday for reasons to boring to elaborate on here, and approved the comment (two of them, actually) as soon as I saw them.
Sorry to crush your sense of high drama in which you’re some kind of victim just because places have rules that you’re expected to follow. When you role-play at that do you put on a dress and lie on a fainting couch? It definitely reads like it.
Hint: If your comment wasn’t acceptable at Antiwar.com, making a Broadway musical production out of linking to it wouldn’t be either.
Worked for Switzerland. Just add direct democracy.
I’ve replied below to “the moder@tor”, but I have to assume it will be expunged. You can find it under the title “re censorship at antiwar.com” at my blog “whimsicaldog dot mx dot com”.
With respect to Zionism, there is no such collective as “the Jews” — as you yourself take pains to point out but only with respect to yourself. All the other non-Zionist and even anti-Zionist Jews, you lump into one group with Zionists, all the while wailing “but I my speech CAN’T be hate speech against Jews because I am one.”
Speech condemning an entire ethnic group is hate speech. Period.
Trying to get around Antiwar.com’s rule against hate speech by linking or referring to your blog isn’t going to fly. If your blog is composed substantially of hate speech, links and references to it will be banned.
You don’t have to like it. That’s how it is whether you like it or not. You’re free to wail and whine about it, though, so have at.
With respect to Zionism, there is no such collective as “the Jews” — as you yourself take pains to point out but only with respect to yourself. All the other non-Zionist and even anti-Zionist Jews, you lump into one group with Zionists, all the while wailing “but I my speech CAN’T be hate speech against Jews because I am one.”
Speech condemning an entire ethnic group is hate speech. Period.
Trying to get around Antiwar.com’s rule against hate speech by linking or referring to your blog isn’t going to fly. If your blog is composed substantially of hate speech, links and references to it will be banned.
You don’t have to like it. That’s how it is whether you like it or not. You’re free to wail and whine about it, though, so have at.
Our allies are clueless. They need to figure out where all the refugees are coming from, and where are they going to place them. And not dream up more tripwires for US to be tripping over for a long time to come.
Trump will fix that. No nation building, no sub-nation building. Then have for ever the bratty squabbling mini-nations hanging of our financial and diplomatic skirts.