It is not very often that the “worst-case scenarios” of pessimists prove to be under-statements, but, as the Arab press is widely reporting, not only Iraq -as a whole- is risking being divided into cantons, but even its cities and localities.
The news of the building of a cement wall to isolate the 'Adhamiya neighborhood of Baghdad has prompted strong reactions from the Arab press.
Pan-Arab al-Hayat said that Baghdad is being transformed into “sectarian cantons.” Another story in the same newspaper was entitled “American paratroopers build the 'Adhamiya wall, fears of Baghdad becoming a city of cantons.” Az-Zaman headlined today: “Five separation barriers impose partition on Baghdad.”
The building of the 'Adhamiya wall is but a first step in series of measures, the US Army said, according to Az-Zaman. The newspaper quoted an American official who exclaimed that similar walls will be built around the neighborhoods of 'Amiriya, Khadhra’ and Rasheed (all Sunni-majority neighborhoods in Western and central Baghdad.)
Al-Hayat quoted an Iraqi official in the ministry of defense who added Sadr city to the list. Such proclamations are feeding rumors regarding even more radical measures, such as that Sunnis in the capital will be issued special identification cards.
The Iraqi government response, claiming that the wall is designed to provide security to 'Adhamiya, elicited even more outrage from residents. Al-Hayat interviewed several locals to comment on the new policy, including Umm Haydar (54 years) who said “it seems outrageous that officials think that ...they can protect 'Adhamiya by isolating it from its surrounding neighborhoods ... most residents I know still do not fathom the full dimensions of the act of isolating them from the rest of Baghdad.”
Another interviewee, 'Ali Ibraheem (29 years) said: “it seems that federalism, which aims at partitioning Iraq, will also reach Baghdad and divide it.” Mustafa (25 years) added that the wall will turn 'Adhamiya into “a big prison.”
Iraqi politicians who belong to the opposition also attacked these plans. Aside from Sunni leaders who protested the move, a Sadrist official commented that the wall “is a first step for the occupation forces to build several ‘Berlin walls’ in Iraq.” Iyad 'Allawi also saw the ‘Adhamiya wall as a proof of the impotence of the government.
During a press conference in Cairo, Az-Zaman reported, the Iraqi Prime Minister, Nuri al-Maliki, was asked about the 'Adhamiya wall. Maliki answered that he had “protested” the building of the barrier and that its construction will stop soon.
Meanwhile, al-Hayat quoted several Iraqi officials who defended the strategy, claiming that building such walls will “give security forces a bigger chance of executing their military missions.”
In other news, al-Hayat reported that Ahmad Chalabi, who lobbied aggressively in Washington in favor of the Iraq invasion in 2003, made critical comments about US policy and accused the US of “provoking Iran.”
Chalabi, the ex-vice Prime Minister and current chair of the “de-Ba'thification” commission, attacked a proposed law that is designed to replace current de-Ba'thification policies and said that it was drafted by Khalilzad, the ex-US ambassador in Iraq.
Chalabi claimed that Khalilzad had presented him with Arabic and English versions of the law on March 30th, “several days before it was presented to the parliament by the President’s and Prime Minister’s offices.”
Chalabi also said that American accusation against Iran, claiming that the Islamic Republic is attempting to “destabilize” Iraq, are “unfair and unrealistic.” He also pointed to several incidents of American “provocation” against Iran; including the “kidnapping” of Iranian diplomats, raids on Iranian diplomatic offices and the arrest of Iranian citizens who visit Iraq. “Meanwhile, Iranians feel threatened by 150,000 American-led soldiers in Iraq,” Chalabi said.
