Iraqi Splinters After U.S. Departs, VP Accused of Duplicity

The lead story in today’s New York Times, “Arrest Warrant for Sunni Leader Spurs Iraq Crisis,” calls into question all the money, effort and lives we spent during the war to give the nation stable institutions and foster the values of democracy.

The day after U.S. forces completed their pullout from Iraq, the Prime Minister wasted no time in pursuing his most ambitious effort yet to consolidate power. He ordered the arrest of the Sunni Vice President, accusing him of assassinations and terrorist attacks. This comes on top of the past two months spent rounding up Baathist party officials, primarily Sunnis, and secular politicians supporting the bloc led by Ayad Allawi.

It is discouraging to think that after all these years, our best efforts to export democracy to a troubled land mean so little. The very institutions we helped to build, the police, media and the courts, are now being used by the person in power against his political opponents.

The outcome of this turmoil can’t be very good. Sunni officials leading major parts of the government, including finances, schools and agriculture, are threatening to walk off the job, and the Parliament couldn’t even meet because they were unable to attain a quorum. Maybe, this time, the United States will be able to temporarily ameliorate the situation, but it is definitely not a good sign.