Parts of Iraq Resemble Fortified Israel
Western governments have long criticized Israel for isolating the West Bank and Gaza Strip and for walling itself off from the Palestinians, but parts of Iraq under U.S. control are starting to resemble these areas. Is it possible for the West and the Middle East to coexist without a wall?
The town of Awja, outside Tikrit, the place where Saddam Hussein grew up that still contains many people who are loyal to him, has been surrounded by razor wire and its entrance is guarded by soldiers with machine guns. Just like the Israelis, we are trying to contain the guerillas and suicide bombers who are attacking troops and civilians and just like Israel, we don?t always succeed. One Iraqi policeman says, “Hey, this is just like Gaza, isn’t it?”
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