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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, April 09, 2004

Be cautious of the situation in Iraq: Commentary

Recently, the security situation in Iraq has become worse, the Shiite Muslims staged a countrywide anti-occupation demonstration, and once took over police offices and government buildings in some places. (Xinhua/AFP photo: supporters of the Shiiites in Fallujah)


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Recently, the security situation in Iraq has become worse, the Shiite Muslims staged a countrywide anti-occupation demonstration, and once took over police offices and government buildings in some places. They engaged in armed clashes with coalition forces and the confrontations finally evolved into serious bloodshed events. What is more worrisome is that the coalition authority and radical Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr both took a hard stance and the situation may become more acute. The development of the event has drawn high concern, because it has sent out a serious warning to American and British occupation authorities: The anti-US sentiment in Iraq has reached a critical point, which is likely to give rise to a nationwide anti-occupation situation.

Warning I, this may mark a turn in Shiite Muslim's attitude toward the coalition forces. During the Saddam regime, the Shiite Muslims had all along been in a position of being oppressed and discriminated. Normally, they and the Kurds are beneficiaries of the Iraq war. After entry of the coalition forces, however, they displayed national dignity of being neither supercilious nor obsequious. In the face of alien "liberators", they didn't extend welcome, nor did they encourage resistance, but instead quietly watched the development of the situation. But their recent nationwide demonstrations indicate that their non-cooperative and non-resistance attitude seems to be undergoing a change.

Warning II, there may appear a prospect for a resistance to the United States put up jointly by the Shiite and Sunni Muslims. The triangle belt inhabited in compact community by Sunni Muslims in the central part of Iraq has always been the region witnessing most frequent harassing attacks on the coalition forces, now the southern area lived in compact community by Shiite has become a "soft rib" of the coalition forces. Before the "lagenaria sicerariae" in the central part was put down by the coalition forces, a "gourd" has surfaced in the south. Though it's the Sadr group alone that is determined to set itself against the United States, the radical Shiite cleric possesses not only millions of supporters but also a 3,000-strong armed force. Moreover, one must not belittle the Sadr-proposed slogan, "no Shiite, no Sunni, but only Muslim". On the evening of April 5, many Sunni Muslims took to the street to voice support for their Shiite brothers. If the Sunni attacks against the coalition army were scattered and random, then well-organized, well-planned and properly directed collective confrontations are lurking in the southern area. A latest poll showed that as high as 84 percent Iraqi people believe that an end can be put to the coalition occupation only through force, while 20 percent of them are convinced that killing of American soldiers is just action. Such public opinion will never set the US government at ease.

Warning III, the US image of "liberator" has collapsed. Under US occupation in the past year, the Iraqi people saw with their own eyes the deteriorating public order and people's lives and property left unprotected. The US army not only hunted and arrested people at will, but also frequently opened fire to injure the innocent. People are aware that the "democracy and freedom" promised by America only came in the shape of intrusion and flooding of American culture. The myth about "freedom of speech and media for Iraq" has been exploded by the US army's action of closing down newspaper by force. A survey showed that 82 percent Iraqi people no longer regard America as a "liberator". In fact, the America self-invented "liberator" image has collapsed as the statue of Saddam did a year ago.

Warning IV, if the situation continues to worsen, it will endanger the power transfer plan scheduled for the end of June. We should say today's situation is all US making. The US army closed down the newspaper of Sadr group by force and arrested Sadr's senior assistant. The US intention was to edge out the Sadr group before the handover of power, but things may go against its will-military actions to capture Sadr and wipe out his forces, even if succeed, would only trigger off stronger anti-US sentiment, even armed resistance. If the turbulence continues, the plan of power handover on schedule will be thrown to the winds.

Facing such a dangerous situation, the United States should think thrice before acting. Force must not be rashly used so as to avoid larger bloodshed conflicts.

By People's Daily Online


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