Death Toll in Iraq Increasing by Hundreds Weekly Due to Ongoing Ethnic and Religious Conflicts

August 14, 2007 - Three more suicide bombings in the Ninewah province of Iraq on this day alone have left more than 200 people dead, the "deadliest [attack] in the country since November [2006] and the worst attack on a Kurdish sect that has been targeted in the sectarian conflict." The biggest tension in the country currently exists between the Sunni Muslim minority and the Shiite majority. Hundreds of Iraqi civilians continue to die each week because of the continuing war between these two and other ethnic and religious groups. The violence in the country has only increased since the addition of approximately 30,000 U.S. troops since January. Iraq's Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki says "'these crimes that shame humanity will not stop the process of building the new Iraq;'" however, ten Iraqi Cabinet members have already "boycotted meetings or resigned since August 1."

The issues currently plaguing Iraq are completely representative of ongoing issues throughout the world. Differences in both ethnicity and religion have been huge catalysts for some of the world's worst wars and greatest death tolls. Mirroring these problems are those in Ireland and Northern Ireland, where Catholics and Protestants still struggle with the Christian concept of respect for and acceptance of other religions, and in Jerusalem, where Palestinian Muslims and Israeli Jews continue to fight over the rights to the "Holy Land." Sernau mentions the presence of the "golden rule" concept in various religions, from Christianity to Islam to Judaism to Buddhism and so forth; yet, members of each of these religions and more continue to kill people with opposing or even slightly different views on God, the beginning of human existence, the purpose of man, etc. People unfortunately seem not to realize that taking human life diminishes the positive influence of a religion rather than enhances it.

"Iraq Toll Exceeds 200 as Suicide Bombers Target Sect (Update4)"
By Robin Stringer and Camilla Hall, Bloomberg.com: News
15 August 2007
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=acNVriDGy.wc

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