Iraq: Sunni Chief Arrested for Bombings of Shiite Rafidite Dogs, Bombings Continue…

But, but he fought against al-Qaeda! Doesn’t that mean he is a “moderate”?

And whatever happened to the predictions of Condi clueless Rice, who once received lavish praise as potential POTUS material? What did she say about the great Sunni-Shiite divide? Condoleeza Rice asserted breezily that Middle Easterners would just have to “overcome” their little squabbles……

Sunni-Shi’ite Jihad Update: “Official: Iraq militia chief behind pilgrim blasts,” from AP, January 22 (thanks to JW):

BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraqi police arrested the local leader of a government-backed Sunni Muslim militia for planning the deadly bombings on Shiite pilgrims this week, Iraqi officials said Saturday.

Iraq: Car bombs targeting Shiite heretics blow another 18 to the virgins

BAGHDAD – Two car bombs struck Shiite pilgrims Monday in an Iraqi holy city, killing at least 18 people as crowds massed for religious rituals marking the end of a 40-day mourning period for the Islamic sect’s most beloved saint. (AP has more)

“Holy city”- holy to whom? How come these AP wankers can’t cut the crap and stick to reporting facts ?

If the Awakening Council leader is found guilty of the charges, it would affirm widespread government doubts about integrating the Sunni fighters into the nation’s security forces — despite their alliance with the U.S. against al-Qaida. It could also signal that the militia’s frustration about being sidelined by Iraq’s Shiite-dominated government may have finally reached a boiling point….

Thursday’s triple suicide bombings on the pilgrims outraged Shiite clerics who accused security forces of continually failing to outwit the insurgents and protect the Iraqi people. It also prompted a Sadrist lawmaker to renew offers to reassemble al-Sadr’s feared militia that is alleged to have engaged in rampant revenge killings of Sunnis for years….

Translation:

“…Shiite clerics who accused security forces of continually failing to outwit the insurgents and protect the Iraqi people.”

“Insurgents” meaning the Sunni, and “Iraqi people” meaning the Shia, of course.

“…the militia’s frustration about being sidelined by Iraq’s Shiite-dominated government may have finally reached a boiling point….”

Which is exactly what Hugh Fitzgerald has said many times would happen. Further, there is no way boiling over can be prevented, the most well-meaning efforts of our State Department notwithstanding. The existence of the rift between the Sunnis and Shiites appears to be at least formally acknowledged by our politicians – it leads to “sectarian strife” as it is deprecated to being in the PC lexicon of the Left, you see. Somehow this term fails to capture the fact that the Sunni-Shiite split is quite unlike other forms of “sectarian strife” in the world, having continued unabated for 1400 years with no end in sight.