Skip Navigation

The Daily Dish - 2006-2011 archives for The Daily Dish, featuring Andrew Sullivan

Sectarian Murders and Statistics

By The Daily Dish
Sep 8 2007, 10:42 AM ET

Baqubaaliyussefafpgetty

A reader makes an obvious point that I'd overlooked:

I would like to point out that the statistics on sectarian killings should go down as the number of Iraqi refugees increases and as the country moves ever so closer to de facto partition. No one really seems to be bringing this into the equation.

If, what is it, 50,000 Iraqis are being displaced every month, one would assume that the bulk of this is movement out of mixed Sunni-Shia areas or neighborhoods. Again the bulk of sectarian killings are probably for the purpose of ethnically cleansing a neighborhood. So, over time, these killings will likely decrease. However, as should be obvious to anyone viewing the problem sensibly, this is not an indicator that things have somehow improved.

When someone starts counting the number of refugees returning to Iraq, or the number of Iraqis returning to their former homes, I'll then believe the surge is working. Not as long as people are on the run for their lives. I guess I will need to wait a very long time.

(Photo: sectarian carnage in Baquba by Ali Yussef/AFP/Getty.)



Presented by

More at The Atlantic

The 10 Best and 10 Worst States for High-Tech Business The Top High-Tech Business States
In Memphis Classrooms, the Ghost of Segregation Lingers On In Memphis Classrooms, the Ghost of Segregation Lingers On
What Matters in President Obama's 2013 Budget What Matters in President Obama's 2013 Budget
We Don't Need a Digital sabbath, We Need More Time You Don't Need a Break From Technology
A Short Animated Biography of tHOMAS Edison The Life of Thomas Edison, Animated
Special Report
Beyond the BRICs Reuters Beyond the BRICs
A look at the next big global economies—and the rise of a global middle class. Read more ›

Just In

View All Correspondents

The Biggest Story in Photos

Valentine's Day 2012

Feb 14, 2012

Subscribe Now

SAVE 59%! 10 issues JUST $2.45 PER COPY

Facebook

Newsletters

Sign up to receive our free newsletters

(sample)

(sample)

(sample)

(sample)