h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/fisk/article2439530.ece
http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,2062023,00.html

I'm not a military historian but I suspect this tactic has been tried in the past during other conflicts and not worked.

In my lifetime I can think of two walls that have been used to divide people - albeit flowing from somewhat different scenarios - but neither was a bulwark against violence. I am thinking naturally of The Berlin Wall and the 'security fence' snaking it's way across Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories.

Given the apparent permeability of previous security blockades in Baghdad currently in existence (I'm now thinking of the bridge bomb and the parliament bomb from the other day) - is this yet more folly heaped upon failure?

Well, the tactic has been used in that region before - with varying degrees of success. The walls of Jericho proved susceptible to wind instruments but Mohammed did rather better with a big ditch.

The Romans and Chinese put walls to good use

Seriously, these types of walls are an admission of failure, that you've given up trying to solve the problem and you hope it will just go away if you keep it at arm's length.

First thing it made me think of were barricades in the streets of Paris. Generally the people with the tanks and artillery don't like enclosed spaces where people can hide easily?

It sounds a bit ridiculous to me, but then I'm not a military man.

The way I see it, the longer the occupation/liberation/whatever remains visible, the more ire its going to attract. Once out of sight, then out of mind and the tensions should burn themselves out. The trick seems to be to withdraw in such a way that they do without burning down everything else around them.

I suppose the other problem the coalition have is that any government seen to be propped up by foreign invaders is going to be voted straight out of office.

But yeah, its been four years, the Iraqis have had time to sort out a police force, now is not the moment for escalation.

"In my lifetime I can think of two walls that have been used to divide people - albeit flowing from somewhat different scenarios - but neither was a bulwark against violence. I am thinking naturally of The Berlin Wall and the 'security fence' snaking it's way across Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories."

Those examples go to show how different all of these scenarios are, though. The Berlin Wall was built in a desperate attempt by the East German government to stop the brain-drain of people from East to West that was threatening to (hardly strong) East German economy. The wall in the Palestinian territories was built to stop terrorists killing people (albeit people who shouldn't be there in the first place). The wall in Baghdad is being built with the (hopeful) result that it'll stop people killing each other who both have a right to be there but won't live in peace due to sectarian hatreds and rivalrys.

"Given the apparent permeability of previous security blockades in Baghdad currently in existence"

Well, a wall is certainly more secure than dozens of police checkpoints. I certainly know which I'd rather have around a soft target. This isn't really comparing like with like.

"is this yet more folly heaped upon failure?"

I'm sceptical of whether it'll work but I hope it does. Personally, I'm just glad they are admitting failure by trying to do something rather than pretending nothing was wrong and letting things get worse in order not to lose arguments at home like they did for so many years.

Did walls help in Northern Ireland? Seriously, did they help keep the peace? Less seriously, exactly how big is this wall? http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/brunel/F16034?thread=76493&show=1&skip=12150#pi12152

Northern Ireland is probably the perfect comparison. A friend of mine from there put it that in the 80s, it "felt like an occupied country".

Security can feel like oppression, and thus provoke a dangerous reaction.

I can think of one thing that would bring peace to Baghdad, but unfortunately it's got the word "megatonne" in its name so I doubt there'll be much support for it. Hard to tell a Sunni from a Shia when they've both been turned to vapour...

Some may say that reducing Baghdad to a pool of radioactive slag would be a travesty, destroying one of the most ancient cities anywhere in the world, but be honest... would YOU miss it?

SoRB

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/6582225.stm

Maybe they'll could try leylandii next?