U.S. Army Capt. William Boyd oversees his soldiers as they conduct a controlled fire to eliminate brush from roadsides so bombs cannot be concealed near Al Anaflsah, Iraq, Sept. 11, 2008. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Daniel HerreraIraq: The Battle For Influence Begins -- Asharq Alawsat
US President Barack Obama announced that by the end of August 2010, the war in Iraq will draw to a close. US combat troops will withdraw before that date whilst special training forces will remain in Iraq. This signifies that Iraq can expect another battle; a battle for influence.
America’s exit from Baghdad means that there will be some kind of power vacuum. Therefore, a force must come to fill this vacuum and the danger here lies in the absence of strong Iraqi authorities.
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My Comment: Iraq has always been a country made up of three distinct groups. Sunni, Shiite, and Kurd. During the height of the American/Allied occupation, the focus by Iraqis was on the goal of ending this occupation. With the occupation now ending, religious and ethnic animosities .... a longtime scourge of the region .... now has a real danger of becoming predominant in Iraqi politics.
I personally believe that this will not happen. The people of Iraq have already had a dose of what may happen if sectarian differences turn into conflict. The Iraqi civil war of 2006-2008 was a wake up call to all Iraqis on the dangers of a sectarian conflict taking over .... and I doubt very much they will want a repeat of that experience.
The next 5 years will be crucial for Iraq. They will find their way .... and I can only hope it will be for the best.
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