Doha, Sept 15 (NNN-QNA) “The spiral of violence just does not seem to stop in Iraq. Virtually every day there are killings as various sectarian organizations and other militants go on the rampage. The latest in the series is the recovery of 69 mutilated bodies in Baghdad on Wednesday,� said the English language daily Qatar Tribune.
In an editorial published here Friday, the newspaper said, “As if that was not enough for a country caught in the vortex of violence, two car bombs also exploded, killing 28 people and wounding scores of others.
“One bomb blew up outside Baghdad’s traffic police headquarters, killing 14 people while the other targeted guards at the electricity station in the eastern part of the city .
“With Shiites and Sunnis gunning for each other and targeting attacks on each other’s localities, Iraq seems to be in the midst of a civil war. The governing regime installed by the US and the presence of US and Iraqi security forces seems incapable of putting a stop to the cycle of death.
“The possibilities of a civil war breaking out are all the stronger, as the issue of federalism is not working out.
“The Shiite want the oil-rich southern provinces dominated by them to enjoy as much autonomy as the northern provinces populated by the Kurds while the Sunnis want the constitution amended to bolster the Baghdad government. in the midst of all this, Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Al Maliki has met Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
in Tehran to forge closer ties between the two countries.
“Closer ties between Iraq and Iran do not augur well for US interests as the US, European Union as well as Russia and China are already at loggerheads with Iran on the issue of Tehran’s programme for uranium enrichment.
“Although there were signs on Thursday that Iran would be more accommodating in its approach to the issue of halting uranium enrichment, a clear agreement on its nuclear programme has not been arrived at yet.
“Be that as it may, the emerging scenario is that violence-ridden Iraq and potential nuclear power Iran are trying to overcome there past differences to forge a friendship with each other.
“If the two Shiite countries Iraq and Iran indeed form a closer relationship, it will come as a major embarrassment for the US, which is controlling Iraq. Besides, countries of various regions forging closer links with each other and international forums excluding the rich nations such as the Non-Aligned Movement becoming stronger, will affect the interests of the industrialized nations in their bid to retain control of the global economy and the way it affects lives in the poorer parts of the world,�