TRIBE VERSUS TRIBE

Now the hope is that by giving responsibility for election security to Iraqi forces, they will receive a needed boost in prestige. Then, once the elections are held, these same Iraqi forces will have a government of their own they can fight for. "We hope [the new government] will bring more zeal to the security services," says a U.S. official. Yet all major Sunni parties are boycotting the elections, and many Iraqis have been warned that voters will be shot on sight by the insurgents. Sunnis may feel they have fewer reasons than ever to fight for their government.

© 2005