# The Bagdhad Wall



## 102first_hussars (Apr 26, 2007)

The US army has begun construction on a wall in bagdhad which will be used to seperate the different factions of Islam (sunni, shi'ite, kurds etc) in order to try and slow the spread of secretarian violence and bombings in the city, which have killed thousands since it began. What does everyone think of this? Good idea or bad idea? 

BBC NEWS | World | Middle East | Iraqi PM criticises Baghdad wall


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## Lucky13 (Apr 27, 2007)

The first that sprung to my mind was the Berlin Wall..... I know that it's not the same but still. Pardon for the intrusion.


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## 102first_hussars (Apr 27, 2007)

No thats what alot of people are thinking right now


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## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Apr 27, 2007)

It does not matter. It will not keep any of the violence outside of it. Pretty pointless and a waste of money if you ask me.


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## 102first_hussars (Apr 27, 2007)

Yeah, but its an incentive not to commit violence, so it might see some effectiveness


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## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Apr 27, 2007)

Yeah right...

What do you think the Green Zone is? It is a walled in area that has been around since 2003. There are killings and suicide bombers in it every day.


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## Joe2 (Apr 27, 2007)

And besides they whill probably just blow a hole in it...


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## Matt308 (Apr 27, 2007)

stupid idea. We are trying to unite these tribal idiots and we want to build a wall to keep them separate. A desparate move if you ask me.


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## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Apr 27, 2007)

I agree as well. It will make more of a rift between them.


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## Schtockus (Apr 27, 2007)

Some time ago Israelis constructed the same wall to protect their territory against suicide bombers and other terrorist intrusions. In their case it works. The wall in Iraq may decrease the amount of violence, but it will not solve the problem. Besides, Iraq became a lucrative target for all Islamic terrorists, including those from the Russian Caucasian republics where they fell out of business. So Iraq now is a sort of international terrorists' playground.
The worst about it all is that Americans, having entered Iraq, can't leave it now because instead of Hussein the power there can fall into hands of some sort of Ben Laden or even worse. And the educated, civilised and politically correct countries of the world will aquire such a headache one can hardly imagine today. Plus that guy ... Ahmadi Nejjad in Iran with his ever growing love for a nuclear bomb... God bless us all.


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## Matt308 (Apr 27, 2007)

You got that right Sctockus. God bless us all.

What is your take on Putin? Do you think he is good for the future of Russia with his anti-US posturing? Is most of Russian seriously concerned about NATO and the US plans for a radar and simple missile interceptor in Poland and the Czech Republic? I can't quite figure Putin out and whether his stance is supported by most Russians.


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## Schtockus (Apr 28, 2007)

I don't think that Putin has something against the US. It's just political bargaining of some kind. He is very shrewd and cold blooded player. And regarding the antimissile stuff in Poland and Czech republic I quess to a certain degree his reaction was provoked by the Polish veto on the admission of Russia to the World Trade Organisation. I guess the situation will be solved this or other way anyhow. As for the reaction of Russians on the American desire to deploy this antimissile stuff, nobody gives it a damn. Everybody understands that there will never be the thing called nuclear war, because even the most sophisticated and the most perfect antimissile defence won't be able to intercept ALL the missiles. Hence the very idea of such a war is senseless. In this context we understand that this is just a political game and nothing else.
As for the way Russians treat Putin, most of them like him. The reasons are simple - the rapid growth of the level of life. And besides he put an and to stealing of billions of dollars from national income by the so called oligarchs. 
If five years ago russian middle class was buying Corollas, Mazda 3s, Ford Focuses etc, now they switch to Camries, Mazda 6s or Lexuses. 
At long last people aquired the possibility to buy goods through credit lines and the market in Russia develops rapidly. So this I guess explains everything. In the times of Eltsin only his family and friends felt themselves comfortable. Now things have changed.
The thing that really worries Russians - who will be the next president? Nobody wants another Eltsin - an alchoholic worried exclusively about his personal affairs and well being.


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## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Apr 28, 2007)

Interesting take on the Russians, thanks for sharing your view.


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## Matt308 (Apr 28, 2007)

Schtockus said:


> I don't think that Putin has something against the US. It's just political bargaining of some kind. He is very shrewd and cold blooded player. And regarding the antimissile stuff in Poland and Czech republic I quess to a certain degree his reaction was provoked by the Polish veto on the admission of Russia to the World Trade Organisation. I guess the situation will be solved this or other way anyhow. As for the reaction of Russians on the American desire to deploy this antimissile stuff, nobody gives it a damn. Everybody understands that there will never be the thing called nuclear war, because even the most sophisticated and the most perfect antimissile defence won't be able to intercept ALL the missiles. Hence the very idea of such a war is senseless. In this context we understand that this is just a political game and nothing else.
> As for the way Russians treat Putin, most of them like him. The reasons are simple - the rapid growth of the level of life. And besides he put an and to stealing of billions of dollars from national income by the so called oligarchs.
> If five years ago russian middle class was buying Corollas, Mazda 3s, Ford Focuses etc, now they switch to Camries, Mazda 6s or Lexuses.
> At long last people aquired the possibility to buy goods through credit lines and the market in Russia develops rapidly. So this I guess explains everything. In the times of Eltsin only his family and friends felt themselves comfortable. Now things have changed.
> The thing that really worries Russians - who will be the next president? Nobody wants another Eltsin - an alchoholic worried exclusively about his personal affairs and well being.



Thanks for the candid response, schtockus.

And by the way, does "Eltsin" actually have any Russian meaning (ie a play on words)? Or is it just a derogatory spin on his last name?


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## Lucky13 (Apr 28, 2007)

I second that Adler The Great.... Thanks for sharing mate.


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## Schtockus (Apr 29, 2007)

As far as "sin" is concerned, on Eltsin's part there was a lot of it. Actually in Russia he was regarded as a sort of a drunken clown. You know about the situation in Ireland when he couldn't get out of the plane. But when in Russia such episodes happenned frequently. Once he succeded to fall from a bridge into a river while drinking at his country house. His body guards didn't have time to do anything as he fell over railings. The river was rather steep and his guards thought he had broken his neck. But nothing happenned. He walked out from the river and went on drinking. Sometimes he imagined he was a sort of Herbert von Karayan and took the place of a conductor of an orchestra. Of course it's all very funny, but it's not a kind of a president you should be proud of. I quess you'll agree.
The guy who really changed the world was Michael Gorbachov. Eltsin simply happenned to be in the right place at the right time when there was a plot of communists against Gorby. Had Eltsin been a real gentleman he should have returned power to Gorby. But he wasn't one. 
And as far as the Russian approach to politics is concerned, the majority of people regard politicians - both Russian and foreign - as guys who are playing their own games without special attention to the interests of their own nations. "It's just business, nothing personal." - any politician can say. ))
To my mind the ultimate solution of many problems, especially regarding terrorism, would've been admission of Russia to the NATO and WTO. In this case this anti missile stuff could be constructed in Moscow suburbs and nobody would give a damn.


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## amrit (Apr 29, 2007)

I see that the construction work has stopped:

ITN - Baghdad wall construction stopped


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## 102first_hussars (Apr 29, 2007)

Well i guess thats a good thing


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