answersLogoWhite

0


Best Answer

There are several distinct conflicts between the ethnic/religious groups of Iraq that are worth analyzing.

1) Sunni-Shiite Conflict: The religious differences between Sunnis and Shiites (both variants of Islam in the same way that Orthodox and Catholic are variants of Christianity) are not terribly important for the purposes of understanding this conflict. The religions function as ethnic groups. The Shiites have been the majority population in Lower Mesopotamia for nearly 700 years but have never been in power. To keep power over them, the Sunnis repressed and tortured Shiites. The promise of democracy means that the Shiites would have power for the first time in Iraq's history and many Sunnis are scared of Shiite retribution, leading them to fight the Shiites to keep them repressed.

2) Mawali-Arab Conflict: The Mawali (non-Arab Muslims) in Iraq are quite numerous. The most famous group of Mawali in Iraq are the Kurds, but they are not alone. The Kurds have wanted to pull away from Iraq for a very long time and create an independent Kurdish State because of how horribly Saddam Hussein treated the Kurds. The Arabs, however, want to maintain the Kurdish regions of northern Iraq because they contain a number of Oil Fields and they do not want to instigate conflict with Turkey, which would oppose any independent Kurdish State. Kurds have also been incredibly supportive of the American Invasion and its respect for their lifestyle and Peshmerga (the Kurdish Militia). This has also engendered hatred from the Arabs on account of the Sentiment of Humiliation.

3) Sentiment of Humiliation: Iraqis see the United States as a Western occupying power not unlike the Colonial Empires of Britain and France which previously occupied the region. They feel humiliated that once again, they were unable to properly defend themselves and are at America's mercy. Some groups (like the Kurds and Christians) approve of the American presence, but most Arabs strongly disapprove of a continued American stay in Iraq and began to react violently to promote American withdrawal. Al Qaeda picked up on this sentiment and moved into Iraq to further foster jihadist reactions.

4) Muslim-Christian Conflict: This conflict is relatively one-sided since the Iraqi Christians have neither the facilities nor the disposition to violently engage the Iraqi Muslim population, but many Muslims in Iraq mistake Christians in Iraq for being in an alliance with the Christian American forces and European forces in general because of their friendship with the conquerors. The affability that Christians in the Arab World show Europeans is usually respect for the elimination of the Dhimmi Status and the Promotion of Equal Rights as opposed to being an indication of a long-standing political alliance. However, the mere notion of the fifth column brings many Iraqi Muslims to violence.

5) Localized Tribal Conflicts: Iraq is composed of numerous well-defined tribes. Each Iraqi (whether Arab or Mawali, Christian or Muslim) knows what tribe he belongs to by birth. These tribes regulate everything about a person from who he can talk to, to whom he can do business with, to what his faith must be, and even where he can live. Numerous different tribes compete over local resources and it is not uncommon that the bloodiest conflicts arise between two tribal elders from different tribes squabbling over three or four city blocks. Moqtada al-Sadr was probably the most famous tribal elder so inclined to use violence to solve his problems with neighboring tribes and the Americans.

User Avatar

Wiki User

11y ago
This answer is:
User Avatar
More answers
User Avatar

Wiki User

14y ago

Because the military can not have the fightings controled the way Saddam Hussein had it in his days.

This answer is:
User Avatar

Add your answer:

Earn +20 pts
Q: Why are the groups in Iraq fighting?
Write your answer...
Submit
Still have questions?
magnify glass
imp
Related questions

What Are you Fighting in the Iraq war?

the American and ENGLISH soldiers are fighting against the taliban and other mast terrorist groups around the area of Iraq


What were the primary ethnic factional groups fighting each other in Iraq after the invasion?

Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds


Why are we fighting in Iraq?

For oil


How is Iraq like the Crusades?

The men were fighting for the freedom of the Holy Land to Europe and in Iraq we are fighting for the freedom of the Iraqis


How long has the Iraq war been going on?

The Iraq War began in 2003 and ended in 2011. The Insurgency in Iraq began in 2005 and continues to this day. (The difference in terminology is that the Iraq War was foreign powers fighting in Iraq to secure the country and the Insurgency is the Iraqi Government fighting in Iraq to secure the country.


How many Australian troops are fighting in Iraq?

Two.


What war are soldiers fighting in now?

The Iraq war


Why was America fighting against Iraq?

9/11


Who was fighting Iraq first US or England?

USA


How many allied countries fighting in the Iraq war?

lll


What are two major groups in Iraq?

Arabs and Kurds


What exactly is the US's stake in Iraq?

The US stakes in Iraq include national security and curbing of the insurgent groups.