Last night while watching CNN an "expert" said that Iraq looked like it was on the brink of Civil War:

1) If a Civil War were to erupt during or after the election do you think that the US would pull out of Iraq
2) do you think that an Iraqi Civil War would be the best thing to get rid of the extremists or would that be detrimental to the general populace?
3) When does the rebellion become a Civil War?

This question is too ambigious. If this was so, then the United States completely and stupidly wasted it's resources, capital, and men on this effort to stabilize Iraq, which is now an objective ever since the occupation began.

I smell a rat.

Define civil war?

The only thing that prevents the current "insurgency" in Iraq being a civil war, is as far as I can tell the "Insurgents" don't have any clear aims beyond largely causing chaos...If they rallied behind some form of leader who would be placed in power come victory, then you have a civil war... as it is you just have anarchy and rebbellion.

Then again.. at what point does rebbellion become a civil war?

why a rat? personally i think that the US is so deep in this war right now and the Iraqi ppl are dependant on them that if a civil war broke out i honestly don't think that the US would just pick and leave, i do agree that the US has put too much into it just to say bye...

please elaborate on something being rotten in the state of Denmark!

that is an interesting thought "when is a civil war considered a civil war" i thing that constitutes being added to the topic!

I don't think there will be any civil war in Iraq either now or later on, after elections.
The Shi'ites (65% of total pop) have a recognized leader and everything to gain from a stable situation. They are working WITH the Coalition troops for a democratic transition to take place.
Let alone the Kurdish: they have proved cooperative and wise. They know they only have to gain.
The only problem is the Sunnis: they had to leave power and they see like there's nothing to gain out of elections or a democratic stabilization.
So I think a more likely scenario is guerrilla insurgents fighting on for the next weeks and months, not a real civil war between fractions of the population.

Originally Posted by Italian Guy

I don't think there will be any civil war in Iraq either now or later on, after elections.
The Shi'ites (65% of total pop) have a recognized leader and everything to gain from a stable situation. They are working WITH the Coalition troops for a democratic transition to take place.

yes they are working with the coalition there is no doubt there but what happens when the Coalition leaves and then the Shi'ites are left in power and the Insurgents rise up again? My take on the Whole Iraqi war is that the insurgents will HAVE to be erradicated / completely destroyed in order for the Iraqi government to have a good chance at fulfilling a democratic modeled govt.

althoguh USA is in Iraq i still don't understand why they need to change their govt. to suit America, it isnt our country.

can someone please clarify?

civil war..not possible when U.S is still around, anyone who jumps out for a civil war wil get ass kciked for sure,

but there may be one after U.S left..IF a fair election failed

Originally Posted by Porion

althoguh USA is in Iraq i still don't understand why they need to change their govt. to suit America, it isnt our country.

can someone please clarify?

Well since the former Goverment/Dictaorship of Iraq no longer exists they need to have some kinda National Governing Body in place

It is certain that one day in the future they will have at least one, every major country has had one. Although it may not be for decades.