IRAQ - Iraq in civil war, says former PM

[Guest guest]

Sunday, 19 March 2006,

09:11 GMT

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Iraq

in civil war, says former PM

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sunni and Shia

factions have been in violent clashes

 

 

 

Iraq

is in the middle of civil war, the country's former interim prime minister Iyad

Allawi has told the BBC.

The UK

and US have repeatedly denied Iraq

is facing a civil war, but Mr Allawi suggested there was no other way to

describe the sectarian violence.

Analysts say Mr Allawi's comments are part of

political manoeuvring as talks continue over creation of a government.

UK Defence Secretary John Reid insisted that the terrorists were

failing to drive Iraq into civil war.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are losing each day as an average 50 to 60

people throughout the country, if not more - if this is not civil war, then

God knows what civil war is

 

Iyad Allawi

Former Iraq PM

 

 

 

Speaking to British troops in Basra, he said he

thought the political and religious leaders had shown great restraint.

Those trying to turn one community on another were not

succeeding, he added.

But there were reports of a mortar shell exploding in the

southern city of Karbala as Shias gathered for

one of the biggest events of their religious calendar. Police said there were

no casualties.

The US-led Operation Swarmer, against insurgents and foreign

fighters near Samarra, is now into its fourth day.

'No

troop withdrawals'

There has been a cycle of sectarian reprisals and revenge

killings between Sunnis and Shias.

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is not civil war now, nor is it inevitable,

nor is it imminent

 

John Reid

Defence Secretary

 

 

 

 

 

 

The destruction of the Shia shrine at Samarra on 22 February

made some observers wonder if the country was heading towards civil conflict.

 

The BBC News website's world affairs

correspondent Paul Reynolds says the unrest is threatening hopes among the US and its allies

for substantial troop withdrawals in the coming months.

And US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said that withdrawing US troops would

be the modern day equivalent of handing post-war Germany back to the

Nazis, and that " terrorists " would fill the vacuum.

Mr Allawi heads the Iraqi National List, a secular nationalist

alliance made up of Sunnis and Shias.

Speaking on BBC TV's Sunday AM programme,

he said it would be a mistake to underplay Iraq's problems,

although the country was " edging towards " a political deal.

He said he had warned against creating a vacuum in the country

and raised concerns about the insurgents and the dismantling of the military.

 

" It is unfortunate that we are in civil war. We are losing

each day as an average 50 to 60 people throughout the country, if not more.

" If this is not civil war, then God knows what civil war

is. "

'Under

control'

Mr Allawi added that a national unity government may not be

" an immediate solution " to the country's problems.

Iraq is moving towards the " point of no

return " , he said, when the country would fragment and sectarianism would

spread throughout the region .

On Saturday, Mr Reid said: " There is not civil war now, nor

is it inevitable, nor is it imminent. "

He said there had been progress and most of the country was

under control.

A government of national unity would be the " biggest signal

in Iraq that terrorists will not be allowed to

do what they are trying to do which is divide Iraqi from Iraqi " , he

added.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4821618.stm

 

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Jorge Angelino

 

 

Rua da Sociedade Filarmónica

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