Just a Pipe Dream?

from the ABC

Nuri al-Maliki says political leaders are working to end sectarian violence. (File photo) (Reuters)

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki insists that his country will not slide into civil war, despite rising levels of sectarian violence that is killing up to 100 people a day.

Speaking on BBC radio ahead of a meeting with British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Mr Maliki said he plans to discuss ways of improving Iraqi security during talks in London.

"There is a sectarian issue, but the political leaders ... are working on putting an end to the sectarian issue," he said.

"Civil war will not happen to Iraq."

Mr Maliki confirmed recent United Nations data showing that an average of 100 civilians were killed a day during May and June.

He said disarming militias is key to a more stable future for Iraq.

"We have reached an agreement in the Government that we will have to confront them [the militias] and deal with them. This is the security vision that we have. We are confident that we will confront the terrorism and violence that is in Iraq."

After talks with Mr Blair on Monday, Mr Maliki is due to travel to Washington to meet President George W Bush on Tuesday, where he is also expected to discuss ways of improving security in Baghdad.

It is Mr Maliki's first trip outside the Middle East since he formed his unity government two months ago.

- Reuters

Pete's Points:

How interesting. The PM of Iraq says:

". . disarming militias is key to a more stable future for Iraq."

"We have reached an agreement in the Government that we will have to confront them [the militias] and deal with them. This is the security vision that we have. We are confident that we will confront the terrorism and violence that is in Iraq."

I have been making this suggestion in my posts for some time.

Now if only we could get the people in Afghanistan, Lebanon, Somalia and some of the other nightmare hot spots of destruction for innocent civilians in the world to see the light and reach a similar agreement.

Perhaps the trillions of dollars that the Americans spend on their military could then be turned to something more useful - like letting people live and get on with their lives?

Providing cheap access to medical assistance and drugs?

Ensuring that global warming will not kill all of humanity with the next 100 years or so?

Developing new energy sources that actually are in harmony with nature ?

Ah well, it's good to dream at least for an instant! I suspect that it is a pipe dream! After all if you look at where pipe dreams come from you will see how much of the extracts of poppy are exported from the very areas we are talking about!