IRAQ: Ordinary Iraqis comment on relations with Syria

Record ID: 278937

  • Title: IRAQ: Ordinary Iraqis comment on relations with Syria
  • Date: 27th August 2009
  • Summary: MORE OF NEWSPAPERS ON DISPLAY HEADLINE OF AL-SHARQ AL-AWSAT NEWSPAPER READING: "Damascus in response to Baghdad's demand to hand over Baathists leaders: Give us your evidence."
  • Embargoed: 11th September 2009 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Iraq
  • Country: Iraq
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA7QODEJWZFJAN504XTIW9LRDKO
  • Story Text: Iraq and Syria recalled their ambassadors on Tuesday (August 25) after Baghdad demanded Damascus hand over two people it says masterminded bombings in the Iraqi capital last week, which killed almost 100 people.
    Iraq's Shi'ite-led government has blamed supporters of Saddam Hussein's outlawed Baath party for the massive truck bombs and other attacks last Wednesday, and says it has already captured some suspects it deems responsible.
    In a tape aired on Sunday (August 23), one man captured said he acted under orders from a man in Syria called Sattam Farhan, a member of a wing of the Baath party headed by Mohammad Younis al-Ahmed.
    The Iraqi government has requested that Syria hand over al-Ahmed and Sattam Farhan for their involvement in the attack.
    In the streets of Baghdad, opinions were divided on whether foreigners were involved in the attacks.
    "All the neighbouring countries are enemies of the Iraqi people, all these bombings and explosions are from neighbouring countries. Now we don't want Syrians or other Arabs," said Abu Mustafa.
    Ali Saadoun took a different position.
    "Sometimes it doesn't involve Syria or someone from Syria, it could be political factions disputing over who is better, or maybe "Operation Imposing Law" is not in control or al-Maliki is not prepared to administer the country, some parties may be behind it and sometimes you do have people from abroad with a grudge, and some of these people will have hatred for centuries. This is something that everybody knows and the victim in this affair is the poor average citizen," he reasoned.
    Diplomats in Damascus say Syria, ruled by a rival branch of the Sunni Arab Baath party, expelled Younis earlier this year.
    Syria has strongly condemned the attacks as a "terrorist act".
    Ties between Damascus and Baghdad have been strained since around the time Saddam came to power in 1979.
    Since 2003, tensions have centred around charges from the U.S.-backed Iraqi government that Syria, estranged from Washington, has permitted insurgents to stream into Iraq.
    But Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's visit to Damascus earlier this month appeared to be another sign that bilateral relations were on the mend.
    Iraqi officials frequently blame neighbouring countries for fomenting violence in Iraq. Despite a sharp drop in violence since the worst of the killing in 2006-07, the Iraqi government is facing sharp criticism over continuing attacks.
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