Comments on: Humpty-Dumpty Iraq’s Constitution http://sabbah.biz/mt/archives/2005/10/15/humpty-dumpty-iraqs-constitution/ Because Silence is Complicity! Tue, 08 Nov 2011 15:10:04 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Neil Levinehttp://sabbah.biz/mt/archives/2005/10/15/humpty-dumpty-iraqs-constitution/#comment-21011 Neil Levine Sat, 15 Oct 2005 11:11:30 +0000 http://sabbah.biz/mt/?p=929#comment-21011 Prior to the assembling of Yuogslavia, there were distinct national identities amongst its various constituent parts. The Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes had distinct national histories, religions and cultures which meant that after the dissolution of Yugoslavia, forming seperate nation-states was viable. Where there was no distinct, single identity, such as with Bosnia or even Macedonia, the results have been clear: continued ethnic conflict. Whilst the Shi'a south and the Kurdish north can lay claim to distinct ethnic, religious and historical identities, what national identity could the Western Sunnis use to unite them and keep them as a coherent state? I fear that Western Iraq would become the Bosnia of the region. It is interesting to think what might have happened had Jordan, Syria or even Saudi Arabia been able to welcome them into an Arabic equivalent of the EU, making the seperation of the Iraq less traumatic. However, as ever, it probably comes down to the oil. What is indepedance without the means to support yourself economically? Prior to the assembling of Yuogslavia, there were distinct national identities amongst its various constituent parts. The Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes had distinct national histories, religions and cultures which meant that after the dissolution of Yugoslavia, forming seperate nation-states was viable. Where there was no distinct, single identity, such as with Bosnia or even Macedonia, the results have been clear: continued ethnic conflict.

Whilst the Shi’a south and the Kurdish north can lay claim to distinct ethnic, religious and historical identities, what national identity could the Western Sunnis use to unite them and keep them as a coherent state? I fear that Western Iraq would become the Bosnia of the region.

It is interesting to think what might have happened had Jordan, Syria or even Saudi Arabia been able to welcome them into an Arabic equivalent of the EU, making the seperation of the Iraq less traumatic.

However, as ever, it probably comes down to the oil. What is indepedance without the means to support yourself economically?

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