Just came across this story:

“More than a thousand Iraqis marched in west Baghdad on Saturday in a rare public demonstration to protest against a wall they say the U.S. military is planning to erect around their neighborhood. Carrying an Iraqi national flag and banners condemning the wall the marchers in the predominantly Shi’ite district of al-Washash chanted ‘No, no to the wall. No, no to America.’”

Rare March in Baghdad Against New U.S. Wall

I was hoping to get Visceral's opinion, in particular, since we were just talking about related discussions in One Iraq Option Only.

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I'd first like to say that I am proud the Iraqi population is using their freedom of speech. The newspapers; and media in general around here lately, have really been brave the last year or so. They have pro-American / anti-American & pro-Iraq govt. / anti-Iraq govt. stories and articles. It's amazing to see that in a country where it was punishable by death (sometimes a very gruesome death) to do so.

On to the wall...

...I personally don't like walls. I don't like the idea of physically separating a group of people just because they are different than another (religion, race, color, gender, etc.) However, I am not a policy maker in the Iraqi or American military or government. I'm sure there were some mitigating factors of a wall that seem worth the protests in order to erect.

I will say from looking at Israel/Palestine that walls do seem to curb violence in areas were the movement of people is a threat in and of itself. I know there have been attempts by certain militias within Baghdad to push those they oppose out of their neighborhoods. So if a wall can somehow slow down (or even stop in some areas) the sectarian violence, then I think it's worth a try. This may provide enough security to some communities that they actually can go about their day-to-day in relative peace and quiet.

Between the walls and checkpoints, if we (US and Iraq) can keep roving bands of violent militias from just rolling into a neighboring market and killing dozens of innocent people, then I think such a plan is worth the protests.

And, in the end if it doesn't work at least we tried something. I know walls protect us from snipers and small arms fire. We are surrounded on all sides by some violent elements who would love to kill an American. And just a simple wall keeps them from being able to use weapons which are plentiful in this country (assault rifles). That forces them to come up with more difficult (to use and procure) means of attacking us. And they can't see their targets. Walls can be effective when used properly.