Using NewsHour Extra Feature Stories

Overview: NewsHour Extra feature stories can help students identify and interpret key issues in current events. This activity anticipates one class period, but the follow-up essay might be assigned as homework or in another period.

Warm Up: Use initiating questions to introduce the topic and find out how much your students know.

Main Activity: Have students read NewsHour Extra's feature story and answer the questions on the reading comprehension handout.

Discussion: Use discussion questions to encourage students to think about how the issues outlined in the story affect their lives and express and debate different opinions.

Follow-up: Students can write a 500-word editorial on the topic expressing their views and send it to NewsHour Extra [extra@newshour.org] for possible publication.

Evaluation: Students are graded on their answers to reading comprehension questions and/or their editorial.

Story: Continued Sectarian Violence in Iraq Leaves Scores Dead, 02/28/06
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/features/jan-june06/iraq_2-28.html

Initiating Questions:

1. What is a civil war? What is the difference between violence and a civil war?

2. What are some different groups in the United States and what holds them together as a country?

3. Name some countries that have survived civil wars. How does a civil war end?

Reading Comprehension Questions: (click here for printout)

1. What prompted an outbreak of sectarian violence in Iraq?

The violence was prompted by the bombing a week ago of the Askariya shrine in Samarra, a city north of Baghdad. Even though no one was killed, the bombing was seen as a symbolic attack on the country's majority Shiite population.

2. Who is blamed for the bombing of the Golden Mosque?

The bombing of the Golden Mosque is believed to be the work of al-Qaida in Iraq, and is seen as an effort by terrorists from other countries - such as Iran, Syria, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, to destabilize the country and put pressure on efforts by Iraq and the United States to create a national unity government.

3. Name some of the different religious groups in Iraq?

In addition to the majority Shiite Arabs (about 60 percent of the population) and Sunni Arabs, Iraq also has Kurds and Christians. Historically, there has always been tension among these groups.

4. Which group represents the majority of Iraqis?

In addition to the majority Shiite Arabs (about 60 percent of the population) and Sunni Arabs, Iraq also has Kurds and Christians. Historically, there has always been tension among these groups.

5. Who are the Sunnis?

Even though Sunnis are a minority group in Iraq (about 35 percent of the population), under Saddam Hussein and his largely Sunni Baath political party, they dominated the country and held powerful positions at all levels of government.

6. What is de-Baathification?

When the United States invaded Iraq and toppled Saddam's government, the Sunni leadership was wiped out.

Some say the U.S.-led Provisional Authority aggravated sectarian tensions when they adopted a policy of de-Baathification - removing many of the Sunni elite from positions of power and replacing them with Shia leaders who could legitimately claim to represent the majority of Iraq's population.

7. Why did Sunnis boycott Iraqi elections?

Some say the U.S.-led Provisional Authority aggravated sectarian tensions when they adopted a policy of de-Baathification - removing many of the Sunni elite from positions of power and replacing them with Shia leaders who could legitimately claim to represent the majority of Iraq's population.

The Sunni Arabs resented the appointments and as a result, boycotted the political process created to form an Iraqi constitution and early elections.

8. Why do Sunnis feel marginalized?

The Sunni Arabs resented the appointments and as a result, boycotted the political process created to form an Iraqi constitution and early elections.

As a result, Sunnis did not get to influence the constitution and Shiites and Kurds now dominate the newly elected leadership positions in the country.

Sunnis felt threatened and marginalized by the new government.

9. What suggestions have been made to resolve the problem?

Recently, the United States has been urging Iraqi leaders to bring the Sunnis back into the political process in hopes that a more inclusive government will quell the violence.

"Iraqis voted but they voted, unfortunately, along sectarian lines. And to deal with this problem, they need to form a national unity government, and that's what we are encouraging," U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad told the NewsHour.

11. What is a "national unity government"?

"We need a national unity government that must not be in the control of one group or list or nationality," Talabani told the International Herald Tribune. "We must have consensus to work together, give everyone a share. It's the new game and we did not learn that yet."

10. What did the U.S. Ambassador to Iraq warn would happen if the new government were sectarian?

In a press conference to address sectarian violence, Zalmay said that the next Cabinet ministers "have to be people who are nonsectarian, broadly acceptable and who are not tied to militias" run by political parties and warned that if they are not they risk losing U.S. support.

"We are not going to invest the resources of the American people and build forces that are run by people who are sectarian."

Discussion Activity (more research might be needed):

1. Name 5 internationally recognized buildings that have symbolic importance and explain what they symbolize.

2. Imagine the Capitol Dome in Washington, D.C. was attacked and destroyed. Even if no one were killed, would the attack lead to calls for revenge? Write an essay explaining why or why not.

3. Can democracy succeed in Iraq? Write an essay explaining your answer.

Write a 300-500 word essay on any of these topics providing clear examples. Send your completed editorial to NewsHour Extra (extra@newshour.org). Exceptional essays might be published on our Web site.