In the Iraq war, what's difference between Sunnis and Shiites?


If there is one issue surrounding Muslims that confuses
Americans, it is the difference between Sunnis and Shiites.
Often Media ignores any difference in their reporting.
While Jews and Christians have dozens of iterations of the same
religion, for the most part there is no killing of each other
anymore. In other words, Mormons and Catholics aren’t running
around blowing each other up. So the very concept of “sectarian
violence” is foreign, something for which we really have no
modern reference.

So…. what is the real difference between Sunnis and Shiites?
Well, both were founded by the prophet Mohammed in the seventh
century when he established the first Islamic state, a theocracy
in Medina (a city in western Saudi Arabia). Then they split
according to differences in belief, and as is typical when
governments know that God or goodness is on their side, wars and
atrocity followed.

In the Iraq war, what's difference between Sunnis and Shiites?

If there is one issue surrounding Muslims that confuses
Americans, it is the difference between Sunnis and Shiites.
Often Media ignores any difference in their reporting.
While Jews and Christians have dozens of iterations of the same
religion, for the most part there is no killing of each other
anymore. In other words, Mormons and Catholics aren't running
around blowing each other up. So the very concept of "sectarian
violence" is foreign, something for which we really have no
modern reference.

So.... what is the real difference between Sunnis and Shiites?
Well, both were founded by the prophet Mohammed in the seventh
century when he established the first Islamic state, a theocracy
in Medina (a city in western Saudi Arabia). Then they split
according to differences in belief, and as is typical when
governments know that God or goodness is on their side, wars and
atrocity followed.

In the study of comparative religion, the category of
"Abrahamic religions" consists of the three monotheistic
religions--Judaism, Christianity, and Islam--which claim Abraham
as a part of their sacred history. Sometimes called the
"desert religions," they have the expected adversarial world view
and relationship between self, nature, salvation, and God far
more in common with each other than with any other world
religion. For examples, God is seen as external to self and
nature, and is patriarchal. These and other assumptions are
foundations of "western thought."

But what's the difference in this war,
as far as our military is concerned?

The Arabian nations are Sunni-dominated.
The Persian nations are Shiites-dominated.

Depending on who you ask, 92 - 99 percent of all Americans have
been killed by Sunnis.
Al Qaeda is Sunni. Almost all suicide bombers are Sunni.
Bin Laden is a Sunni. Saudi Arabia is Sunni. 15/19 of
the 9-11 hijackers were Saudi Arabian.
Saddam and his government was Sunni.
Memory trick: SUnni - SUicide.
But the vast majority of Iraq is Shiite.

For these reasons some Americans have sided with the Shiites.
(But BushCo rules say: take no sides.)

But the Shiites also support the Iranians. So far, ironically
Iran and the United States have been on parallel paths. Both have
been supporting -- SCIRI and Dawa, who have formed the main
Baghdad/Washington government.
That is, Iran supports our Shiite Baghdad/Washington government.
But Iran also supports Hezbollah, enemy of Israel.

So if "insurgents" means "rebels against the Baghdad/Washington
government", then we are probably talking Sunni rebels.
Both Washington and Iran are also against them.

The Arabian nations are Sunni-dominated. But Iran is not Arabian
but Persian, and is Shiite (Shia). Similarly, Iraq is not
considered Arabian. The SUicide Sunnis are as opposed to Iran as
they are opposed to the Iraqi Shia.
They are to some degree funded and supplied by Saudi Arabia and
wealthy Iraqis Baathists.
Because Americans are mostly killed by Sunnis and the new Iraqi
government is mostly Shiite, and the other reasons, American
forces have mostly supported the Shia.
But Saudi Arabia has warned Cheney that they would be forced
to invade Iraq if there were a slaughter of the Iraqi Sunni
minority, hence our recent funding of Sunnis which has trickled
to Al Qaeda groups.

On the other hand, Iran has warned that if it's attacked, Holy
Hell would be unleashed into Iraq, even if they did not order and
supply this *new* insurgency with *real* weapons. Hence, as long
as the Baghdad/Washington government remains, Iran can thumb its
nose at Washington as long as it wants, -- Washington's paralysis
in Iraq is the perfect shield for Iran.

The Bush plan as stated can't succeed. We can kill all the
fighters we want, they are easily replaced. What about the
wealthy Baathists? They are supported by all of our so-called
regional allies who are Sunni. If we eliminate the wealthy
Baathists our allies will freak.

Again, the vast majority of Iraq is Shiite.
An estimated 80 per cent of Iraq's army is Shia.
The vast majority of the Middle East is Sunni.

These *generalizations* are not alwawys true however.
But some news services ignore all this and simply use the
undefined blanket terms "insurgents" and "terrorists," which is
why their viewers/victims are so confused by this war. Of course
ignorance is the perfect medium for propaganda cultivation.
A vacuum will greedily suck up any info available, true or false.

Long before Gulf War I, the tongue-in-cheek wisdom was;
"We need to replace Saddam with an equally brutal dictator."
Daddy Bush knew this, and saved a step.

========
" For examples, God is seen as external to self and nature, and
is patriarchal."
Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary --One entry found for
patriarchy.
Function: noun
1 : social organization marked by the supremacy of the father in
the clan or family, the legal dependence of wives and children,
and the reckoning of descent and inheritance in the male line;
broadly : control by men of a disproportionately large share of
power
2 : a society or institution organized according to the
principles or practices of patriarchy

...
--

When one gains a political certainty akin to
a loyal sports fan, one has achieved the final
tranquility of servitude, a joyous slavery.

"If ye love wealth better than liberty,
the tranquility of servitude better than
the animating contest of freedom,
go home from us in peace.
We ask not your counsels or arms.
Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you.
May your chains set lightly upon you,
and may posterity forget that ye were
our countrymen."
- Samuel Adams, August 1, 1776

In the Iraq war, what's difference between Sunnis and Shiites?

If there is one issue surrounding Muslims that confuses
Americans, it is the difference between Sunnis and Shiites.
Often Media ignores any difference in their reporting.
While Jews and Christians have dozens of iterations of the same
religion, for the most part there is no killing of each other
anymore. In other words, Mormons and Catholics aren't running
around blowing each other up. So the very concept of "sectarian
violence" is foreign, something for which we really have no
modern reference.

So.... what is the real difference between Sunnis and Shiites?
Well, both were founded by the prophet Mohammed in the seventh
century when he established the first Islamic state, a theocracy
in Medina (a city in western Saudi Arabia). Then they split
according to differences in belief, and as is typical when
governments know that God or goodness is on their side, wars and
atrocity followed.

In the study of comparative religion, the category of
"Abrahamic religions" consists of the three monotheistic
religions--Judaism, Christianity, and Islam--which claim Abraham
as a part of their sacred history. Sometimes called the
"desert religions," they have the expected adversarial world view
and relationship between self, nature, salvation, and God far
more in common with each other than with any other world
religion. For examples, God is seen as external to self and
nature, and is patriarchal. These and other assumptions are
foundations of "western thought."

But what's the difference in this war,
as far as our military is concerned?

The Arabian nations are Sunni-dominated.
The Persian nations are Shiites-dominated.

Depending on who you ask, 92 - 99 percent of all Americans have
been killed by Sunnis.
Al Qaeda is Sunni. Almost all suicide bombers are Sunni.
Bin Laden is a Sunni. Saudi Arabia is Sunni. 15/19 of
the 9-11 hijackers were Saudi Arabian.
Saddam and his government was Sunni.
Memory trick: SUnni - SUicide.
But the vast majority of Iraq is Shiite.

For these reasons some Americans have sided with the Shiites.
(But BushCo rules say: take no sides.)

But the Shiites also support the Iranians. So far, ironically
Iran and the United States have been on parallel paths. Both have
been supporting -- SCIRI and Dawa, who have formed the main
Baghdad/Washington government.
That is, Iran supports our Shiite Baghdad/Washington government.
But Iran also supports Hezbollah, enemy of Israel.

So if "insurgents" means "rebels against the Baghdad/Washington
government", then we are probably talking Sunni rebels.
Both Washington and Iran are also against them.

The Arabian nations are Sunni-dominated. But Iran is not Arabian
but Persian, and is Shiite (Shia). Similarly, Iraq is not
considered Arabian. The SUicide Sunnis are as opposed to Iran as
they are opposed to the Iraqi Shia.
They are to some degree funded and supplied by Saudi Arabia and
wealthy Iraqis Baathists.
Because Americans are mostly killed by Sunnis and the new Iraqi
government is mostly Shiite, and the other reasons, American
forces have mostly supported the Shia.
But Saudi Arabia has warned Cheney that they would be forced
to invade Iraq if there were a slaughter of the Iraqi Sunni
minority, hence our recent funding of Sunnis which has trickled
to Al Qaeda groups.

On the other hand, Iran has warned that if it's attacked, Holy
Hell would be unleashed into Iraq, even if they did not order and
supply this *new* insurgency with *real* weapons. Hence, as long
as the Baghdad/Washington government remains, Iran can thumb its
nose at Washington as long as it wants, -- Washington's paralysis
in Iraq is the perfect shield for Iran.

The Bush plan as stated can't succeed. We can kill all the
fighters we want, they are easily replaced. What about the
wealthy Baathists? They are supported by all of our so-called
regional allies who are Sunni. If we eliminate the wealthy
Baathists our allies will freak.

Again, the vast majority of Iraq is Shiite.
An estimated 80 per cent of Iraq's army is Shia.
The vast majority of the Middle East is Sunni.

These *generalizations* are not alwawys true however.
But some news services ignore all this and simply use the
undefined blanket terms "insurgents" and "terrorists," which is
why their viewers/victims are so confused by this war. Of course
ignorance is the perfect medium for propaganda cultivation.
A vacuum will greedily suck up any info available, true or false.

Long before Gulf War I, the tongue-in-cheek wisdom was;
"We need to replace Saddam with an equally brutal dictator."
Daddy Bush knew this, and saved a step.

========
" For examples, God is seen as external to self and nature, and
is patriarchal."
Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary --One entry found for
patriarchy.
Function: noun
1 : social organization marked by the supremacy of the father in
the clan or family, the legal dependence of wives and children,
and the reckoning of descent and inheritance in the male line;
broadly : control by men of a disproportionately large share of
power
2 : a society or institution organized according to the
principles or practices of patriarchy

...
--

When one gains a political certainty akin to
a loyal sports fan, one has achieved the final
tranquility of servitude, a joyous slavery.

"If ye love wealth better than liberty,
the tranquility of servitude better than
the animating contest of freedom,
go home from us in peace.
We ask not your counsels or arms.
Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you.
May your chains set lightly upon you,
and may posterity forget that ye were
our countrymen."
- Samuel Adams, August 1, 1776