You do know the difference between Sunnis and Shiites don't you?

[trumad]

If you don't... there's a great post by TREX over at Firedoglake that will get you up to speed on the differences of the two sects:

http://www.firedoglake.com/2006/12/18/late-nite-fdl-lets-talk-about-sects/#more-6178

[MindPilot]

1. That's very informative, but there is one thing I don't get

and maybe it's because I just can't get my head around a conflict over such a little bit of dogmatic trivia being a good reason to kill people, but why would the Iraqis split and turn on each other as a result of the US invasion? Seems like they would pull together to get te US out.

Thanks for posting that!

[trumad]

2. They did against the Brits.....

But me-thinks that the Shia's know the Americans will soon be out and they're simply making sure that when we are gone, they'll have the power.

[Toots]

3. Why do the Catholics kill the Protestants in Ireland when all they want is the British out?

It isn't just Muslims that kill each other...

[GreenZoneLT]

11. Shiite Schmiite

Iraqi conflict is much more about what clan is going to run things. Sunni-Shiite is basically a Crip-Blood sort of distinction, more than any deepfelt religious difference. That's why they're tearing the heart out of Baghdad; it's got a lot of cross-sect intermarriage, and the hardliners HATE that.

There are a bunch of different conflicts going on simultaneously, with the U.S. directly involved in some, and just in the crossfire of others.

1) Shiites wanting to rule the country the way the Sunnis used to, and become the wealthy elite after centuries of oppression. See Muqtadad al Sadr, Abdul Aziz al Hakim, etc.

2) Sunnis trying to make it painful enough for the U.S. that we leave, so they can get to their real agenda of putting the Shiites back in their place.

3) Foreign Arab terrorists fighting a holy war against the crusaders. These guys are like Southern Babdists on crack; EVERYONE hates them except the Sunni Wahabbi hardliners known as Takfiris, who are the Iraqi Taliban wannabes.

4) Criminal gangs, who just want to loot the place; anarchy is their friend. They made a lot of money in Anbar province by selling kidnap victims to the beheaders.

[EnviroBat]

4. This is a great, informative read.

It reinforces my belief that this whole conflict is being engineered to promote continual occupation of Iraq. The Bush administration does not want to leave that region EVER. 231 years of American Democracy vs. 1372 years of religious ideology. Hmmm, we're not going to "win' this one Georgie boy... It's up to us to put an end to this blood for oil bullshit NOW!

[Junkdrawer]

5. The Iraq Civil War for Dummys...

1.) We Invaded

2.) Shia and Sunnis united to expel us. Things looked bad for the invaders. Then....

3.) Shia mosques were blown up by "Sunnis"...Sunnis mosques were blown up by "Shia"...

4.) Civil War

[crickets]

6. Bingo nt

[blondeatlast]

7. There ya go. nt

[cool user name]

12. Ding ding ...

You need to write a book.

Wait, you just did. :D

[whistle]

8. Shiites are an oligarchy (succession by blood-line and privileged)

...while Sunnis are supposedly a meritocracy (succession to the most deserving). That would make the Sunnis concept of leadership selection closer to the American ideals of limitless opportunity in which individuals can go as far as their own merit takes them. According to this ideology, you get out of the system what you put into it.

However, both muslim systems are theocratic and this deals with the selection of the leaders of the religious faith of Islam. The American constitution maintains that there must be a separation of church and state so as for who becomes the political leader of the country is based on free <or whatever selection process is available> elections.

Sunnis are the overwhelming majority <85%> among muslims while Shiites are a minority <less that 10%> of Muslims. Sadr is no more representative of the Iraqi people than then Roman Catholic Pope would be of Italians. Having said that, diplomatic channels would be a far better way to deal with these groups than the use of military force which does nothing but give these religious leaders greater power.

[treestar]

9. Weird. I'd be a Sunni.

Sounds like a meritocracy, whereas the Shiites are following a blood line.

How bizarre. Who are the descendants of Mohammed that they look up to? Never heard of one of them being identified as such.

[xultar]

13. I was thinking that too. I'd be a Sunni. Probably why Shiites remind me of Fundies here.

[crickets]

10. kick

I didn't know, though I'd made an effort to figure it out. It didn't stick before. This may be a short topic, but it's one for the bookmarks. Informative and important.

:dem: