the division between Sunnis on one hand and the Shi'is and the Kurds <div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">on the other hand, but also workers of the key industries such as oil and electricity, while opposed to privatization of oil and the like and capable of making economic demands, appear unable or unwilling to use their power to help end the occupation. -- Yoshie </blockquote> </div> While I'm sypathetic to the larger argument made, as a trade unionist I find it impossible to oppose a job action for one's physical personal safety.  In fact Shia laborers and tradespeople of various industries have been terrifically high on the  recent insurgency hitlists, and many skilled workers from the Sunni community seem to have wound up dead with holes drilled in them and stuff.  My comrade from 1199 OH who devoted his rare days off to legwork for bringing Iraqi unionists on a speaking tour to meet with shopfloor leaders of our local about the war, remains penpals with the union activists (whoever is still alive and present in the federation, I guess)--- and it sounds like they aren't crazy about the role of fundamentalist religion in the resistance to occupation.  Ironically, I think these folks are in the same international grouping as solidarity.  Realpolitik always depends on which side of which gun one is on at any one time I guess. If france (bizzare alternate reality here) invaded the US and the arkansas baptists were running the resistance, I'd be for the resistance (frogs out), but wouldn't relish the thought of handing out water bottles at a nurse picket line for better staffing in little rock.  Then again, we, the frogs, need to go, period.