13 Jun 2014 CNN

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As ISIS (the Islamic State for Iraq and Syria) militants carve their way through Iraq, currently trying to take a power plant in Baiji that powers much of Baghdad, the Iraq and the U.S. governments are reeling from the fall of Mosul, Iraq's second-largest city.

The first head of state following the fall of Saddam Hussein, Ayad Allawi, knows the lengths the country has gone in recent years to prevent events such as the current crisis. The military has been trained for years by the U.S., but many soldiers have laid down their weapons and fled in the face of the insurgents.

"They have nothing to fight for. Absolutely", says Allawi. "They [Sunnis] have been disenfranchised, they have been oppressed, the situation has been getting out of control gradually. The forces of extremes have been thriving in Iraq, they [militants] have frankly been killing one thousand people, on average, a month and the government was unable and is still unable to do anything about it".

Amanpour asked if we are seeing the end of Iraq as we know it.

"Probably", replied Allawi. "It depends how it's going to be handled. But I think we are moving to a Syrianization kind of situation".

Are we moving in the direction of partition?

"Very possibly", said Allawi.

Is Baghdad, Iraq's capital, at risk?

"The belt of Baghdad has fallen". Allawi stated. "The outskirts are under the control of the armed people, the militants, the Sunni militants... The government of Baghdad is unable to challenge this, the government is unable to prevent explosions inside Baghdad."

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Full video here
http://amanpour.blogs.cnn.com/2014/06...