News & Events
Angry At Shiite-Led Government, Sunnis Are Loath To Help Calm Iraq
By Alice Fordham, June 25, 2014
NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO: Zaid al-Ali, who recently published a book on Iraq’s government, has been speaking with people in Saddam Hussein’s hometown, Tikrit.
“It’s important for people to realize how bad the partitioning has already become. Some people are talking about a possible partition, but on ground there is a partition. It’s already there,” Ali says. “Maybe legally it’s not recognized, but if you live in Tikrit today, in order to get to Irbil — which is another city in Iraq — you have to go through two border crossings.”
Ali adds that people in Tikrit are nervous about ISIS but relieved that the security forces have left. People there say soldiers imprisoned and tortured their relatives.
These Sunni parts of Iraq won’t be won back by fighting alone. The government in Baghdad will have to win over popular opinion. Ali says Maliki must resign to put a new face on the Shiite-led government.