Middle East Focus: Iraqi Regionalism Rears its Head Again, about Secession…....

Arabia Deserta

Iraqi Regionalism Rears its Head Again, about Secession…....

Rattlesnake Ridge

BFF

al-Akhbar (Beirut) reports that Osama al-Nujaifi, speaker of the Iraq parliament and the highest ranking Iraqi Sunni Arab official is threatening regionalism or even ‘secession’. There is again almost serious talk of ‘regionalism’. When the idea was suggested by al-Hakim’s ISCI (Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq), many of the al-Nujaifi’s clan and allies (also many former and current Ba’athists) were furious, as they were when Joe Biden and Leslie Gelb suggested it back in 2005-06. At that time they probably had aspirations to resume ruling Iraq, to resume fucking it up just as they had over the previous decades (repression, three wars, WMD, ethnic cleansing against Kurds, invasion, occupation, etc).
There was, and is, the oil factor of which al-Anbar and other western provinces have very little. Apparently Mr. al-Nujaifi went beyond mere regionalism, suggesting ‘secession’, which is a silly notion for places like al-Anbar and Mosul that are resource impoverished compares to the South and North (where most the petroleum and much of agriculture are). An embarrassed Ayad Allawi, an ally of Nujaifi in al-Iraqiya bloc, distanced himself quickly from this idea.
Mr. al-Nujaifi or al-Nijaifi (little Najafi) practically owns Mosul along with his family and clan, at least they own the part that the terrorist bombers don’t own, although there is some overlapping. I doubt that this new idea, or threat, will go anywhere. Most Iraqis of whatever religion or sect seem to be against it now. That still leaves the Kurds…….
Cheers
mhg

m.h.ghuloum@gmail.com