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Article: External forces on Iraq's new government; The US and Iran should put their interests aside and work together to stabilize Iraq.(OPINION)
- Article from:
- The Christian Science Monitor
- Article date:
- April 19, 2006
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2006 The Christian Science Publishing Society. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: Joost Hiltermann
AMMAN, JORDAN -- Halabja is a town in Iraqi Kurdistan shaded by mountains, behind which lies Iran. On March 16, Kurds converged there to hold their annual commemoration of the Iraqi chemical attack that killed thousands in 1988. Normally it is an occasion for visits by Kurdish and foreign dignitaries, speeches extolling Kurdish suffering and advocating independence, and even some festive activities. When I visited last year, a power hang glider entertained the crowds by buzzing low over the Halabja memorial.
This year, the event took a different turn. Townspeople had long accused the Kurdish leadership of exploiting the gas ...