The U.S. elections are a top feature in many Iraqi newspapers. The American public paid little attention to Barack Obama naming Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware as his running mate, they say.
For Iraqis, naming Biden as the Democratic running mate is tacit support for those who support the division of Iraq, al-Bayyna newspaper of the Iraqi Hezbollah party said Tuesday.
America between the Balfour Declaration and Joe Biden
Iraqis who demand a united country viewed the decision as negative news. Iraqis who are against Biden might carry out campaigns to uncover his history and reveal his true intentions.
In June 2007 Biden recommended a soft, ethnic division of Iraq into three parts -- a Kurdish part in the North, a Shiite part in the middle and south and a Sunni part in the west.
Choosing Biden as Obama's running mate brought plans to divide Iraq to the forefront of American policy. Biden tried to follow the Balfour Declaration of 1917, as a result of which Palestine became the national homeland to the Jews. Palestine and Iraq are two similar experiences, the newspaper said.
Three federations would open the door for countries in the region to dominate Iraq. If the United States continues its presence in Iraq, there would be a chance for each federation to interfere with neighboring countries. Also, if each federation had its own law, the central government would have little control over them.
The U.S. agenda before invading Iraq was to establish a united, democratic and secular Iraq. Biden calls for a divided Iraq that is far from secular or democratic. The people of Iraq might decide to divide Iraq into separate states themselves; however, the United States, as an outsider, must not become part of that decision.
Conflicts and crises among various political parties and movements are a struggle over power. Iraq prior to 2003 was under one party and one power. There was no place for disputes, but today the case is different.
The "fight" among rival parties threatens to dominate the political situation and top the pyramid of power, the liberal al-Ahali newspaper said Tuesday.
The logical treatment to the country's political crises
Political struggles over power are considered the norm, especially in Iraq, where parties and groups faced oppression during Saddam Hussein's dictatorship.
However, the Iraqi people who today dream of a peaceful, stable life live in the bloodiest and most painful times of all. Current political parties are unsuccessful in convincing the Iraqi people that conflicts and mistakes in the political process eventually would turn into advantages. The Iraqi people have only experienced bloodshed, corruption, unemployment and deterioration in their health and educational systems.
Added to the lack of national statements by politicians, the political process as a whole is mistrusted by many Iraqis. The Iraqi political parties failed to apply a national program of reformation to bring change to Iraq. Statements by political parties lack the national tune.
Events on the ground, however, have shown that conflicts are merely fights over power and economic resources. To prevent more bloodshed, an economic solution to the social problems, fair distribution of the natural wealth and an equitable division of power must be reached.
The Sadrist Movement of Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr is one of the political parties that increased the number of Shiites in the government. Its voice inside the Shiite bloc helped Nouri al-Maliki become the prime minister of Iraq. The Sadrist Movement is also one of the main parties that called for ending the occupation as early as 2004.
Many Iraqis accuse some members of the Sadrist Movement of giving statements only when they are required to give solutions, the Shabab al-Iraq newswire service said Tuesday.
Statements to the Sadr Movement
The Sadr Movement has fallen into the trap of the occupier and other Shiites, including some from the movement itself. These factions led to a weakening of the movement. Some of the Sadrists failed to win prominent party positions, which led them to act against the movement.
After they were appointed to government positions, some members of the movement supported "building" the new state of Iraq. They, however, could not differentiate between the movement's politics and the public's municipal demands. They stood against the Sadrists in their demands for services, such as water, electricity and natural gas.
Some of the Sadrists in the Iraqi government have allied with the occupier. They will soon learn that the United States always takes people to rivers but brings them back thirsty. The United States is the main player in Iraq and is trying to court allies from the Sadrist Movement, or divide and conquer.
Although there are corrupted figures inside the movement, it is illogical for them to stand against other members and unite with the occupier, whose main goal is to destroy Iraqi society.
The lack of financial support for the Sadrist Movement is also a reason for increased opposition to the party. This has led many to leave their principles and follow power and money instead.
