Because The One In Berlin Worked So Well
Yes folks, it’s the Baghdad Wall:
The US military is building a three-mile-long wall around Baghdad’s Sunni neighborhood of Adhamiyah in order to isolate it from the surrounding Shiite areas, and prevent sectarian attacks.
Stars and Stripes, a newspaper published for the US military community serving abroad, reported Thursday that according to a military press release, personnel began construction on the wall on April 10, and will continue work “almost nightly” until it is complete.
Yes, building walls instead of bridges — truly the last resort for a crew that has run out of ideas.
The Times writes that US commanders say the wall is meant to prevent suicide bombers and death squads from launching attacks across sectarian lines. But the Times adds that both Sunnis and Shiites in the affected neighborhood “were united in their contempt for the imposing new structure.”
“Are they trying to divide us into different sectarian cantons?” said a Sunni drugstore owner in Adhamiya, who would identify himself only as Abu Ahmed, 44. “This will deepen the sectarian strife and only serve to abort efforts aimed at reconciliation.”
If it isn’t patently obvious by now that there is no military solution to the violence in Iraq, then when will it be?
[UPDATE}
Saying "this wall reminds us of other walls," Iraqi PM Nouri al-Maliki has halted construction of the Baghdad Wall.
[UPDATE 2]:
Apparently the Iraqi Army says it supports building the wall. Interesting. Guess al-Maliki isn’t in charge of his army. Imagine that.