The Sunni, the Shia, and the Middle East

The Sunni, the Shia, and the Middle East

The Gist

OF COURSE a minority group would live in the oil-rich
parts of the Persian Gulf....

As has been mentioned before on this blog, the Shiite-Sunni divide continues to deepen as Sunni-majority Saudi Arabia and Shiite-majority Iran fight proxy wars all over the Middle East. Sunni's make up the majority of Muslims around the world, but Shiites make up the majority in Iraq, Bahrain, Lebanon and Iran (and the province in Saudi Arabia where all of the oil is located). At their core, both sects believe in the same basic tenants: giving to the poor, the belief that there is only one God and that his prophet is Muhammad. The split occurred over a disagreement over who would succeed him. The Sunni's believed that a successor should be chosen by the community, while the Shiite's wanted a member of the Prophet's family to take over. Internal strife soon followed, but it wasn't until Persia/Iran adopted Shia Islam in the 16th century (ironically, Iran had until that point been a center of Sunni learning) that the religious division morphed into one with geopolitical implications. That Shiite's in places like Saudi Arabia (where Shiites allege abuse by Riyadh) and Bahrain (whose Shia-led revolt in 2011 was brutally put down with the help from the Saudi's), are generally poorer, less educated, and marginalized only adds to the problem. However, it needs to be stressed that the Shiite-Sunni "conflict" is only part of what is dividing the Middle East. Perfect example of the complexity of the issue: during the Iran-Iraq War, the Sunni's of Iran didn't back Sunni Saddam Hussein, nor did the majority Shiite in Iraq rise up and back Shiite Ayatollah Khomeini....and now you know the gist. 

The Pope, the Kardashians and the Armenians

The Pope, the Kardashians and the Armenians

The Gist

The 100^th anniversary of the mass killings of ethnic Armenians in what was then the Ottoman Empire (Turkey is its modern day successor) is on April 24^th.  Sadly, many only heard of this important part of history because Kim Kardashian, her current husband, and her sister visited their ancestral homeland and laid a wreath at a memorial in Yereven this past week. Armenians (and, most recently, Pope Francis) calls the mass killing of 1.5 million of their people a genocide.  In 1915, at the height of the First World War, Armenian men, women, and children were rounded up and forced on death marches across the Iraqi desert without food or water. Turkey denies that there was a systematic effort to exterminate Armenians (this denial is one of the reasons Turkey has not been admitted into the European Union). The Turkish government has gone to great lengths to make sure the word ‘genocide’ is not associated with the deaths of Armenians during the war (on one occasion it used diplomatic pressure to force London’s Tate Gallery to remove the word genocide from an Armenian art exhibit). The leading Holocaust expert, Hebrew University’s Yehuda Bauer, disagrees saying the Armenian Genocide is the closest parallel to the Holocaust in history. Although President Obama promised to recognize the Armenian genocide during his 2008 presidential campaign, that has yet to happen (shockingly, politics seems to have gotten in the way). Armenians across the globe continue to push for recognition of one of the darkest periods of their history….and now you know the gist. 

Christians, Muslims, and Kenya

Christians, Muslims, and Kenya

The Gist

On April 2nd, Al-Shabaab militants stormed a Garissa University in northern Kenya killing 147 students in the deadliest terrorist attack in the country since the 1997 US Embassy bombings. Al-Shabaab is an Al Qaeda affiliated militant group that was founded in Somalia decades ago. This is the same group that killed over sixty people during an attack on the Westgate Mall in Nairobi. Years of instability in Somalia (watch Black Hawk Down to get an idea) created the perfect breeding ground for the group to gain strength. Kenya has been targeted for two reasons: it is the largest economy in the region and, more importantly, it provided troops to help drive the group out of Somalia. It should also be noted that this part of Kenya is almost overwhelmingly ethnically Somali. The majority of the students at Garissa University were non-Muslims and various news outlets have indicated that the militants targeted Christian students. Some bright spots: Muslim students at morning prayers sheltered their Christian countrymen and this morning Muslim Kenyans marched on the streets of Garissa in solidarity with victims....and now you know the gist. 

Yemen, Iran, and Saudi Arabia

Yemen, Iran, and Saudi Arabia

The Gist

Saudi Arabia and Iran are playing out their struggle for power through proxy wars all over the Middle East. In Syria, Iran is still backing the Assad regime, while the Saudi's are funding the rebels. In Bahrain (the tiny island that is home to the US's Fifth Fleet), Saudi Arabia recently sent in troops to quash the Iranian-backed Shiite rebels. Most recently, in Yemen, each country is backing opposing sides (Sanaa is in disarray and most of the Saudi-backed central government has fled). Saudi Arabia has long accused Iran of instigating problems in its Shiite-majority, oil-rich Eastern Province. This isn't a Shiite-Sunni conflict however, it is simply a pissing match to see which country can become the undisputed leader in the Middle East. The struggle is also nothing new: in the 60s and 70s Iran, as America's favored child, was seen as the protector of the Persian Gulf; Saudi Arabia was the redheaded stepchild. In Yemen, where the American embassy has already been closed due to the violence, the situation is quickly descending into chaos. With each side blaming the other for the violence in both Yemen and Syria, the power struggle between the Kingdom and the Islamic Republic is not going to end any time in the near future...and now you know the gist. 

Iran and the United States: Same old same old

Iran and the United States: Same old same old   

The Gist

The self-imposed deadline to reach an agreement with Iran over its nuclear program has been extended one day. The extension is not that big of a deal because the parties (consisting of Britain, China, France, Russia, the US and Germany) have until June 30th to finalize any actual agreement. These talks have sent the Israeli Prime Minster to Washington, which caused even more partisanship on the Hill, and is overall stirring the pot worldwide (any news of the talks sends oil prices either up or down). The United States and its allies want to delay Iran getting the bomb as long as possible and Iran wants relief from the debilitating sanctions (the toughest enacted by President Obama). Neither party will get what it wants because no version of the deal completely takes away Iran's ability to produce the bomb later in time, and all versions of the deal keep an array of sanctions intact. Two very important things are happening, however, that might be more beneficial than any agreement. The United States and Iran are engaging face to face for the first time in close to four decades. More importantly, with the United States willing to come to the table, the Iranian  regime is losing its boogeyman. This is no small thing: the regime points to the United States as the source of all of Iran's problems. With The US no longer a plausible bad guy, the regime (theoretically) might actually be held accountable for its actions...and now you know the gist. 

Why did you visit Detroit?!

Why did you visit Detroit?!   

The Gist

Monument to Joe Louis in Detroit's Hart Plaza
Taken by yours truly five years ago

The word 'Detroit' has become synonymous with white flight, urban decay and America's fall as the world's manufacturer. Interestingly, the city has also become known for its urban innovation and gritty fighting spirit (appropriately, there is a sculpture of boxer Joe Louis' fist on the riverfront). The city is still home to three major sports teams, a world-class art museum, and is producing hip new companies like popular the Shinola watch company. Brand new restaurants, bars selling local craft beer, and local shops are popping up monthly (if not weekly). Although Detroit has exited bankruptcy (the largest municipal bankruptcy in American history) last year, the state has imposed several layers of financial oversight to make sure they don't screw up again. For all the talk of a resurgent Detroit, however, many in the city's African-American community feel left out. As is almost always the case with gentrification, the effect of a resurgent city center is a replacing of a city's traditional population (almost always black or brown) for a young, rich, white population. The minute you see a white man with a baby, your city has made it. The lack of African-Americans in the city's new, cool hot spots led one commentator to quip, "I [didn't] expect in a city that is 83 percent black to be in a crowded Detroit establishment and having nearly everyone be as white as me."...and now you know the gist. 

Abu Dhabi, The Gaurdian, and Human Rights

Abu Dhabi, The Gaurdian, and Human Rights  

The Gist

The Guardian ran an article hailing Jean Nouvel’s Abu Dhabi Louvre museum as an architectural masterpiece. The author goes on to say that, although "nothing excuses the inhuman working conditions" that Human Rights Watch says it took to build the structure, nothing should deter us from celebrating "an eye-opening new museum."  Are you joking?! To say that the architectural merit of a building is enough to overlook the grave human rights abuses it took to build because, "fifty years from now, when the Louvre Abu Dhabi has established itself as one of the world’s great museums, how clearly will its dark beginnings be remembered?" is ridiculous. The same fawning over a country simply because they are starting to do things like us is nothing new (think the Shah's Iran, Saddam's Iraq, and Sadat's Egypt). In fact, the same was said when the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art opened in 1977 (still the holder of the largest collection of Western art outside of the US and Europe). Yes, Mr. Nouvel's work is incredible and groundbreaking, but the Guardian should know better than to say that this "audacious new museum will be admired...as it should be" regardless of "the inhuman working conditions" it took to build....and now you know the gist. 

The Economics of International Women's Day

The Economics of International Women's Day  

The Gist

March 8th is International Women's Day. International anything days do very little, for sure, but the point of this day is very important. Forbes recently, and the Economist previously, highlighted the importance of women to the world economy. Evidence suggests that women are more likely to reinvest their profits in education, their family, and community. According to the United Nations, "an estimated $16 trillion in global output is currently 'invisible,' of which $11 trillion is estimated to be produced by women." Research by the International Monetary Fund shows that women (unlike men) who are given more access to capital use it to contribute directly to their children's development. This, in turn, indirectly adds to a nation's income growth. In the developing world, where agriculture is the economic mainstay, 43% of all farming and almost 100% (surprise surprise) of all household work is done by women. So, in a nutshell, women do more to keep the world going (and fed, nurtured, and healthy) than men....and now you know the gist. 

A Museum Expansion, the Astrodome, and Oil

A Museum Expansion, the Astrodome, and Oil. 

The Gist

A rendition of the eastern part of the new design
Image: Lake|Flato Architects.

The city of Houston has never had a reputation as the prettiest, nicest, or most cultured city in the country. It is undoubtedly the energy capital of the world (instead of being the Dubai of the Gulf of Mexico, Dubai is the Houston of the Persian Gulf). Although the price of oil keeps tumbling, the tremendous amount of petrodollars pouring into the city is a boon for Houston's cultural institutions. Already the largest museum in Texas, the Museum of Fine Arts will soon become one of the largest museum campuses in the United States. The MFAH recently announced its $450 million, of which $330 million has already been raised, expansion. The plan is meant to transform the entire museum district into a cohesive, pedestrian friendly, student populated environment. The plan includes three new buildings connected by landscaped walkways, a tony new restaurant, and moving all parking underground. Although widely praised and supported, the plan is not without its detractors with one critic questioning if the expansion is more  “related to the prestige of the institution [rather than] the civic pride of the community.” The demolition of the Seth Irvin Morris-designed  Glassell School of Art building, in particular, is seen as an unnecessary destruction of the city's architectural identity (another Morris-designed building on the chopping block: the Astrodome). The entire plan is intended to transform Houston into one of the premier art centers in the country, you know, as long as OPEC gets it together and stops flooding the oil market...and now you know the gist. 

World Hijab Day, Evangelicals, and Michelle Obama

World Hijab Day, Evangelicals, and Michelle Obama 

The Gist

Today is the first annual World Hijab Day. Everyone who has been to Houston's Galleria Mall has seen women in varying degrees of hijab with their expensive handbags, shoes and jewelry (ah, petrodollars). Interestingly, dressing modestly is required for both men and women in Islam (which is why it is ridiculously annoying when you see a woman, covered head to foot, and her husband wearing shorts, a ratty T-shirt and flip flops): "Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and be modest." For the most part, women say they voluntarily wear their headscarves; it makes them feel modest, safe, and free. Female reporters who have covered the Middle East for decades note that the headscarf can send different signals at different times. During the Iranian Revolution, women wore them as a sign, not of piety, but of defiance against the Shah's regime. Iran (see women in picture) and Saudi Arabia require some form of head covering for their female citizens, while Turkey only recently lifted its ban on headcoverings in universities. Recently, First Lady Michelle Obama made headlines for not wearing a headscarf while visiting Riyadh. She didn't actually make any statement (scores of Western first ladies and leaders have gone without the scarf because there is no law that makes them) and, even if she did, it would be of no help to the millions of Saudi women who don't get the choice to wear or not to wear a headcovering. Modesty for female dress can be found in every religion (and yes, I am including the Evangelical Christian call for women to dress modestly to 'help their fellow Christian brothers out'). What differentiates the Islamic headdress is that many women around get told how they want to express their piety by others...and now you know the gist. 

The Holocaust and the Righteous Among Nations.

The Holocaust and the Righteous Among Nations.  

The Gist

Today is Holocaust Memorial Day. Eleven million people were slaughtered at the hands of the Nazis (six million European Jews and five million homosexuals, Roma, Jehovah's Witnesses, Slavs, mentally disabled persons and other so-called 'undesirables'). For the most part, the world did nothing. The most blatant example of world inaction was at the 1938 Evian Conference. The conference was called BECAUSE world leaders knew that Europe's Jews were in trouble. Yet, the United States and Great Britain REFUSED to increase their immigration quotas. At one point, the US State Department tried to keep reports of Nazi atrocities out of the press.The fact that governments didn't do anything, however, didn't stop hundreds upon hundreds of being what Israel has dubbed The Righteous Among the Nations. Stories of Albanian Muslims, Bosnian Muslims, Turkish Muslims, and Iranian Muslims saving Jews are especially poignant. Recently, Human of New York interviewed a man who said the following, 

"Moral absolutism keeps us from learning from the past. It's easy to say: 'Hitler was a demon. Nazis were all bad seeds.' That's simple. It's much harder to say: 'Is that humanity? Is that me?'" 

Although a bit melodramatic, it is important to realize that the death of 11 million fellow humans could easily have happened under out watch (think Rwanda, where one million people died in 100 days, while we did nothing)....and now you know the gist. 

Bipartisanship, a Marathon, and King Abudullah

Bipartisanship, a Marathon, and King Abudullah 

The Gist

President Obama said he had the courage of his convictions and President Bush said he was a force of modernization. My favorite, however, came from former Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel who said King Abdullah was, "a powerful voice for tolerance, moderation and peace." King Abdullah ruled a country that lashes bloggers for defending an atheist (obviously he was a peaceful man). Women are outright banned from certain professions, driving, most sports, and need to get male permission to travel abroad and obtain certain medical procedures (obviously King Abdullah was a modernizer). Saudi Arabia forbids public worship of any religion other than Islam (obviously King Abdullah was tolerant). According to a leaked memo by former Secretary of State Clinton, Saudi donors constituted “the most significant source of funding to Sunni terrorist groups worldwide." Our country's love for tyrants that benefit our interests is certainly nothing new: the Shah of Iran, Mobutu Sese Seko of then-Zaire, Suharto of Indonesia to name a few. But the praise lavished by CNN, Fox News, NPR, MSNBC and others is ridiculous. I guess it shouldn't come as a surprise: Houston's half marathon is sponsored by Saudi Aramco and large wings of top American institutions are named after Saudi royalty. Our foreign policy still seems to adhere to Secretary of State Kissinger's oft repeated quote, "he is a bastard, but he is our bastard." ...and now you know the gist.

YOU WENT TO JUAREZ?!

YOU WENT TO JUAREZ?!  

The Gist

"You are going to El Paso? How nice. DON'T GO TO JUÀREZ."  Without fail, that is the advice that is given to someone who is visiting the second largest bi-national metroplex in the world. No matter that hundreds of Americans travel to their management jobs there every day or that the vast majority of the 120 Americans killed there in the past decade were somehow connected to the cartels (and let's face it NOT WHITE)...obviously people who hadn't been there in years (if ever) know best. Ciudad Juárez, a city of 1.5 million souls, was once a glamorous place that attracted the likes of Ernest Hemingway, Elizabeth Taylor and Steve McQueen. Residents like to boast that the burrito and margarita were invented there (the former at a place all too familiar to American high school students: the Kentucky Club). Its over 350 “maquilas” contribute approximately $23 billion in imports and $43 billion in exports to Mexico’s economy annually. American companies such as Ford and Delphi are investing heavily in Juárez and the city is on track to having its best fiscal year in decades. One need only travel down its cleaner-than-before main boulevards to see thing are getting better (I mean, no place can be THAT bad if there are Starbucks' every six blocks or so). The restaurants and nightclubs are once again filled to capacity. Some time soon, residents hope, American tourists will return as well...and now you know the gist.