As the British forces prepare to withdraw from Basra, the city is far from stable and religious groups fear for their lives as violence increases.
When British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, recently announced plans to withdraw British troops from Basra by Christmas, violent militia insurgents are strengthening their grip on the city at the expense of Christians, Muslims and Jews.
After four-and-a-half years of occupancy, the Iraqi authorities will now be ruling themselves.
Iraq Under Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein had a well-documented grip on Iraq until the people decided they had suffered enough and toppled him from power.
He was guilty of killing, torturing, raping and terrorizing the Iraqi people and his neighbors for over two decades. Consequently US authorities claim that he was the biggest threat to the Iraqi people, using chemical attacks and violence to help suppress his fellow citizens, including ordering the murders of around 40 of his own relatives
The Allied Response
Once Saddam Hussein had been removed from power by his people, the US, British and other Allied military moved into Iraq to help restore order and stabilise the country. The growing threat from Al-Qaeda and other smaller insurgent groups posed a real threat to those wanting to live in a peaceful democratic society.
Now, after years of hard work, the troops are being withdrawn. British troops are moving out quickly and new Australian Prime Minister won office partly on the promise to withdraw his troops from Iraq.
What is Left Behind?
Basra is a city where women are murdered for wearing bright clothes; where being the wrong kind of Muslim can lead to torture, or murder; where powerful militias and criminal gangs operate freely; and where corruption is rife. Yet all of this happened under the guard of the UK army.
Between 40 and 50 UK interpreters have been killed by the Shia militia. Media reports in Britain show that hundreds more Muslim interpreters who worked for the Allies have been refused help and asylum, even when their lives have been threatened. This, hopefully, is now been redressed but the application process is so strict that many are still rejected.
In Basra itself, the militia are growing in strength. Different Muslims disagree over control of different parts of city which is still hoping to return to a period of peace.
The main problem is the growing strength of the militia.
The Militia
The militia is Basra had never been entirely crushed and with a gradual withdrawal of troops and the steady handover of power to the Iraqi authorities, it has grown in strength again. The affect of this has been devastating on the local community as well as the economy.
Christians and Muslims, as well as Jews, have been forced out of Basra because of the increasingly violent approach towards them.
Many have been lucky enough to settle in Damascus, while many thousands still await clearance from the Syrian authorities, so much so that part of the city is now known as "Little Iraq".
Considering that Basra is a Muslim city in a Muslim country, many Muslims are too frightened to stay living there and what was once a vibrant, bustling community has now moved to Little Iraq.
The militia also control a strategic oil supply which was handed over to the Iraqis which has meant that the economy is not as strong as it should be. Consequently the population are suffering even more than they need to.
To make the situation worse, in the main this is Muslims denying Muslims in a country they share. What a sorry state of affairs.
