"A very interesting change has taken place, especially after this Gaza conflict: that is, the alliance of all the Islamists, be they Shi'ite or Sunni, against the so-called moderate Arab regimes, who are the allies of the US," Yamani says. Full Story »
Posted by Kaizar Campwala
While I think he's on to something in writing about how the Shi'a-Sunni divide is playing out with Hamas, I think the analysis is off. He should have interviewed more scholars.
The article is broadly based across the middle east, with a significant number of instances and examples of the Gaza atrocities uniting the many activist factions of Islam in a common sympathy. It is interesting in the perspective that this is mainly being turned upon the Arab governments that are seen as supporting Israel and the United States either actively or passively. Donovan does misquote Ahmadinejad, as Canning notes.
This seems to suggest that the Israel/US/AIPAC slaughter in Gaza threatens to overturn some of the aristocratic governments that the US empire has worked so hard to maintain in the Middle East. Imagine popular movements like Hamas/Hazbola/Sadr taking control of Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Afghanistan, and others. Israel's aggression looks very counterproductive to their interests. Israel and the Palestinians are married in the same geographic house (shotgun-married) and the angry ... More »
This report is rather confused, and its assumption that Iran is the driving force behind Hamas is dead wrong. My scepticism meter ticked strongly when I saw the assertion that Ahmadinejad had said Israel should be "wiped off the map". The Iranian president did not say this and this has been conclusively demonstrated (by multiple translations of what Ahamdinejad had said). The writer seems to wish to lead the reader to believe that a radical Iran seeks nuclear weapons and threatens the entire Middle East, and that this threat is made greater by the activity of Hamas. Again, this is rubbish because Iran seeks minimum justice for the Palestinians which aligns closely if not precisely with the "Arab peace plan" promoted by Saudi Arabia.
Iran is demonised by Israeli militarists and religious zeolots hoping to oppress the Palestinians for decades to come, even if it costs the US taxpayer hundreds of billions of dollars to protect Israel. Israel is threatening the national security of the US and undermining its own long-term stability with its insane wars in Lebanon and Gaza. I recommend Jimmy Carter's piece in the Washington Post today.
While this is an early report on the "friendly" relations of the Shi"tes and Sunnis, this is good if it facilatates the U.S. leaving Iraq ASAP.
A trillion dollars, over 4000 Americans dead, over 30.000 wounded, and insurmountable damage to our returning Soldiers, and we'er odd man out?
Two weeks of agreement that the US is the number one enemy probably won't settle a thousand years of religious hatred. Everything that the Bush administration has done has strengthened the hand of Islamic fundementalists at the expense of the Islamic/secular Arab moderates.
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