Iraq is not in "Civil War"

L&G-


I'd just like to point this out; it's a posting from my former professor's blog that I receive via email. It's called "Feedblitz" (an RSS feed). As of yesterday:

"The Marines in Anbar province report very positive effects in reducing the non-sectarian Al Qaeda based violence that is the predominant cause of instability there."

Followed by comments from the peanut gallery:

"Yep non sectarian Al Qaeda. This is like saying pacifist Al Qaeda. [There was a] captured CD [that] revealed an explicit plan to provoke sectarian civil war proposed by 'Monotheism and Jihad' aka 'al Qaeda in Mesopotamia' aka 'Al Qaeda in Iraq' aka 'Abu Mussab al Zarqawi and fellow murderous sectarian fanatics.'"

Just a quick note: The lack of a 'civil' society precludes the possibility of a 'civil war' (Iraq is not a state according to the Treaty of Westphalia since it cannot secure its own borders independently). 'Civil' society requires:

1. Statehood

And

2. Rule of law*.

Iraq has neither of these prerequisites because the rule of law does not function independently of varying sectarian interpretations (fatwas, etc.). Without a common order (i.e., universal laws for all, pertaining to every case and subject of the state), there can be no stability, functionality, etc. and therefore no civil society.


*Numbers 35