On the face of it, politics in Iraq looks much as you might expect for a fledgling democracy. Last week, Iraq’s national assembly appointed a president, and two vice presidents; each hailing from one of the three major ethnic groups in the country: the Kurds, the Sunnis and the Shi’aa.
Look past the names, says Thanassis Cambanis, and you will see a worrisome new brand of ethnic politics that is threatening to derail Iraq’s democracy. Thanassis is a Baghdad correspondent with the Boston Globe. He says that even Iraqi politicians, who once called themselves moderates, are now allying themselves with religious groups and increasingly extreme positions. Even as the leaders of the new administration take office, other ethnic and religious leaders are exhorting people to beware the enemies within. Ethnic identity and extreme politics.
Guests:
Thanassis Cambanis, Baghdad reporter for The Boston Globe.