Iraq Imploding

Claims that all is well with Iraq, that the country has adjusted well to the departure of American troops, no longer requiring their intervention between competing sectarian and tribal factions in a country where such tensions have always simmered below the surface, and since the absence of Saddam Hussein have come to the flash-point, simply illustrates that nothing has changed. 

If it was the minority Sunni population that thrived under Saddam, now in his absence, it is the Shia population that has the upper hand.

And, because a coalition government comprised of an executive administration reflecting, the three main elements of the country; Sunni, Shia and Kurd, has faltered since the first years of its initial intent to work in tandem for the greater good of the country, matters have come again to a rolling boil. 

The dread events of hunting parties setting out on night-time raids, Sunnis into Shia neighbours to wreak deadly attacks, and Shias reciprocating with just as much deadly force, ebbed to a stalemate.

All of which changed again in the most negative way when the departure of the U.S. troops emboldened
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to accuse his Sunni Vice President Tariq al-Hashemi of having engaged in terrorism.  Mr. al-Hashemi fled to Kurdish Iraq to the semi-autonomous norther provinces, where he remains a fugitive.

Al-Qaeda is taking credit for the series of 20 bombs that struck cities across Iraq yesterday.  Three car bombs and two roadside bombs along with a suicide car bomb struck in Baghdad, at mostly Shiite areas, killing 15 and wounding 61. The Islamic State of Iraq al-Qaeda affiliate had done similar damage in March.

What is occurring now in Iraq certainly  resembles the beginnings of a civil war, since the two major factions are opposing sectarian adversaries.

Daily bombings and killings continue to plague the country, most of them targeting Shiite areas, as well as local security forces.  The Iraqi health minister's motorcade was hit by a car bomb, killing two civilians, wounding four of the minister's guards.  In a classic understatement of absurd dimensions, parliament speaker Osama al-Nujaifi said:

 "Some (groups) are seeking to exploit the domestic crisis to target unity and try to sow sectarian and racist strife."

Taking their cue from the government itself.