[Marxism] Perceptive Article on Iraq

["Paul Flewers" <rfls12802@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

List members may find this article of interest.

Paul F

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Rebuilding Violent Tyranny in Iraq: From One Saddam to Fifty
By CHARLES TRIPP

Now that the first phase of the Iraqi civil war seems to have ended, it is
time to consider the political processes it may have left in its bloody
wake. It is crucial for Iraqis and others to get a sense of the stability
and durability of present arrangements. Are they a mechanism for reconciling
the ferocious enmities of the past five years in Iraq, or likely to lead to
a more violent second phase of the civil war?

There have been two main patterns during these years of violence and massive
population displacement. 

One is the localization of politics, grounded in the insecurities, fears and
ambitions of ruthless local leaders across Iraq. This thrives on community
feeling, which is sometimes tribal, sometimes ethnic and sectarian; it also
springs from rivalry and jostling for power within a provincial arena. 

The other pattern is the emergence of a politics at national level under US
auspices, which has much in common with the politics of a protectorate. Both
are dangerous for the future, but both may contribute to the emergence of a
distinctive, likely troubled, Iraqi politics.

Whole article at http://www.counterpunch.org/tripp12262007.html 





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