BAGHDAD // In the Baghdad neighbourhood of Adamiyah, for so long a focal point of the war being fought in Iraq, Sheikh Amer al Azzawi is suspicious. A recent series of bombings that claimed dozens of lives in the capital have reminded anyone who might have forgotten that this remains a dangerous city, one shot-through with political intrigue, violence, poverty - and patrolled by foreign soldiers.
Sheikh Azzawi suspects the bombers might have been helped by the US army, either accidentally or by design, or by people working inside the Iraqi government.
"First the Americans release al Qa'eda prisoners from jails, and then we have these attacks," he said, referring to inmates of the US prison system, some of whom have been freed as they wind down their operations and hand them over to the Iraqi government. "There is something going on and it feels as if things are pointing back towards the abyss.
"Perhaps the US forces are behind the bombings. America is not interested in establishing full security in Iraq because that will mean an end to the occupation. Some instability will give them a reason to stay here."
His comments would perhaps be less significant if he were anything other than a senior figure in the Sahwa Council, or Awakening, movement, the group of Sunni tribes who turned against al Qa'eda and worked alongside the Americans to help bring about vast improvements in security. Sheikh Azzawi and his band of fighters in Adamiyah, a place once synonymous with the insurgency, are supposed to be allies of the US.
Now on Iraqi government payrolls, the Sahwa Councils are also supposed to be allies of the authorities but Sheikh Azzawi is unhappy with them as well. A number of Awakening members were recently arrested, sparking gun battles between the Sunni groups and government forces. There have also been increasing reports that Sahwa fighters are not being paid, adding to the simmering discontent.
"Confidence in the government has been shaken here because they have started arresting members of the Sahwa," he said. "It has left the Sahwa leaders with a puzzle to solve: do they stay with the government of Iraq to fight al Qa'eda and the terrorists, or do they return to working against the state?
"If the government continues to target the Sahwa, al Qa'eda will benefit. We will end up on the brink of the abyss again."
With the bombs exploding at a time when the Sahwa Councils are increasingly feeling betrayed and fearful of being undercut by the government, some here have accused them of orchestrating the blasts. Critics of the Sahwa say they may have planted the bombs as a reminder that, unless paid-off and placated, blood will flow freely.
They are claims the Sahwa deny, and both the Iraqi government and US military have pointedly not blamed the Awakening leaders, instead saying Islamic extremists were behind the bombings.
However, comments last week by Gen Ray Odierno, the senior US military commander in Iraq, that continued violence may mean US forces do not pull out of cities by the June 30 deadline have only added to the sense of conspiracy.
"America has great ambitions in Iraq and does not want to leave," said Naseer al Issawi, a member of parliament with the Sadrist bloc. The Shiite nationalist Sadr movement has consistently opposed the presence of US forces.
"If security is established then the Americans know they will have to leave, so they will be happy to undermine the situation by bombings and other means.
"The Americans have no intention of leaving, it is a trick."
Warning that violence was likely to further increase, Mr al Issawi said elements of the Iraqi government had a vested interest in continued instability and the ongoing presence of US troops.
Crucially, he also cautioned that political reconciliation had yet to take place between major power blocs in Iraq, leaving open the prospect that disagreements would be settled by force of arms.
"There are segments of Iraqi society who remain dependent on the US occupation for their positions and power," he said. "There is still potential for political conflicts between the various parties and blocs, and these could lead us back to chaotic violence."
While recriminations and allegations continue to be levelled in all directions, the underlying fear is that improvements in Iraq's security situation are in the process of being reversed.
"There has been a failure by the security services somewhere and it remains possible that there can be a real collapse at any moment," said Hikmat Nur al Deen, an independent political activist in Baghdad. "The blasts brought back many memories of the black times of 2007 and I think many of us are worried that in the coming days things will get more dangerous again.
"The truth is that there are still real conflicts between the political parties and there is no firm control over anything. In the future we might come to see these months as the beginning of the end of a semi-stable Iraq."
nlatif@thenational.ae
Dolittle
Director: Stephen Gaghan
Stars: Robert Downey Jr, Michael Sheen
One-and-a-half out of five stars
Jigra
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
MWTC
Tickets start from Dh100 for adults and are now on sale at www.ticketmaster.ae and Virgin Megastores across the UAE. Three-day and travel packages are also available at 20 per cent discount.
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Power: 650hp at 6,750rpm
Torque: 800Nm from 2,500-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Fuel consumption: 11.12L/100km
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The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
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Director: Laila Abbas
Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum
Rating: 4/5
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BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
(All games 4-3pm kick UAE time) Bayern Munich v Augsburg, Borussia Dortmund v Bayer Leverkusen, Hoffenheim v Hertha Berlin, Wolfsburg v Mainz , Eintracht Frankfurt v Freiburg, Union Berlin v RB Leipzig, Cologne v Schalke , Werder Bremen v Borussia Monchengladbach, Stuttgart v Arminia Bielefeld
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Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
Company%20Profile
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
SPECS
Engine: 4-litre V8 twin-turbo
Power: 630hp
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: 8-speed Tiptronic automatic
Price: From Dh599,000
On sale: Now
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The specs
Price: From Dh529,000
Engine: 5-litre V8
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Power: 520hp
Torque: 625Nm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.8L/100km
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
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Disability on screen
Empire — neuromuscular disease myasthenia gravis; bipolar disorder; post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Rosewood and Transparent — heart issues
24: Legacy — PTSD;
Superstore and NCIS: New Orleans — wheelchair-bound
Taken and This Is Us — cancer
Trial & Error — cognitive disorder prosopagnosia (facial blindness and dyslexia)
Grey’s Anatomy — prosthetic leg
Scorpion — obsessive compulsive disorder and anxiety
Switched at Birth — deafness
One Mississippi, Wentworth and Transparent — double mastectomy
Dragons — double amputee
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
Reputation
Taylor Swift
(Big Machine Records)
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TALE OF THE TAPE
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MATCH INFO
Fixture: Ukraine v Portugal, Monday, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: BeIN Sports