Graphic Source: Times Online
The golden edifice of the al-Askari shrine, built about 1,000 years ago, contains the tombs of the 10th and 11th imams--Ali al-Hadi and his son Hasan al-Askari. Muhammad al-Mahdi, the last of the 12 Shia imams, is thought to have disappeared into a tunnel under the shrine in 878. Many Shias believe that he will return to bring justice to the world. It was the destruction of the al-Askari shrine, by the foreign invaders of al-Qaeda in the Sunni city of Samarra in February 2006, which was a pivotal step that almost pushed Iraq into a civil war. The sectarian slaughter that ensued was not by any means pleasant but the reconstruction of the Golden Dome is indicative that places in Iraq may be returning to normalcy, normal for Iraq that is.
Samarra may make a comeback as an important city for Shia tourists and pilgrims if the Dome is repaired.
Sunni tribesmen many of whom were part of the insurgency, revolted against al-Qaeda last year, and they have now become part of the security details, for Iraq.
The Sons of Iraq currently stand at a 1,600 members in Samarra. There is reportedly an 80% improvement in security services by merging the Sons of Iraq into the regular police force.
Essential services are being restored to the area in which the Dome is expected to take 18 months to complete the structural work but replacing the gold-painted copper plates that cover the outer dome and the minarets will take much longer.
It may be a long road presently but the path to getting to the reconstruction of the Dome seems like the more difficult way. They way to normalcy in Iraq is clearer and more focused than in times past. As late as last August, it did not seem possible that the Iraqi security forces could turn the situation around.
Posts
