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. 

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. 

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.