On Wednesday following the President’s State of the Union speech, John Kerry went on a live feed to announce his decision to not seek the Democratic nomination for President in 2008. In announcing his position he went on to explain that a book he had read while en-route to the Middle East earlier opened his eyes to what we actually injected ourselves into in Iraq. Almost 4 years into this American military and diplomatic mistake and a key Senator is just now explaining, if not coming to understanding, the complex and historically long battle between Sunnis and Shiites. Anyone not in a coma these last few years knows that – or do they?
It is not enough to recognize the names of the players and to be aware they are in an “insurgency” that is a civil war, or not, on a day-to-day reckoning by the press. As in all matters in the region the problem is much more complex. So much more complex that it’s not really a matter of being a single problem but more of a large set of problems. Add to this list of problems the time it has evolved over and it becomes clear that any hope, at any time, of establishing a democracy or anything resembling one is so far away as to need binoculars to possibly catch a glimpse of it.
Former President Jimmy Carter, in an interview last year, was questioned on his experiences in dealing with Iran over the hostage taking when Islamic “students” took over the American embassy in Tehran. One question asked by the interviewer regarded the former President’s understanding of Islam. Carter stated clearly and shortly that before the incident he knew very little about the religion and its followers. When asked how he learned more, Carter explained how he hired scholars and brought them to the White House. He immersed himself in their teaching, wanting to hear everything pertinent to the religion and as to why we were now obviously and deeply involved.
He was not aware until these lessons that there are 2 major denominations of the religion based on teachings by the prophet Muhammad. It’s important to Muslims that all understand that Muhammad did not start a religion. He was simply the last of the prophets whose arrivals were foretold in the Old Testament. Muslims also “believe” in Jesus in that they believe he was one of the prophets. They do not, however, believe he was the Saviour as believed by the religions of Christendom. The religion that ultimately came about as a result of, and using the teachings of, the revered prophet Muhammad was not simply the Islamic religion but more specifically the sect known today as Sunni. Mohammad’s teachings were based on the message he believed that God wanted men to return to a monotheistic way, the belief in one God, the God of Adam and Abraham. The God who sent the 5 prophets – Adam, Noah, Moses, Jesus and Mohammad – with the first 4 sent to a different nation each with the mission of spreading this desire by God. Mohammad was sent to deliver the messages of the first 4 to all nations.
On the subjects of the first 4 prophets, all the religions rising from the Middle East – Christianity, Judaism and Islam (listed alphabetically) – all basically agree on or accept as an integral part of their beliefs. However, while Judaism accepts the birth of Jesus and believe he was a prophet they do not believe he was sent as the Saviour. Their view of Jesus is like that held by Islam with both in conflict with Christianity. And when it comes to Muhammad, Christianity does not even give a nod to the Prophet. This view puts all of Christianity in conflict with Islam. Judaism’s belief that the last prophet has yet to be sent puts that religion in direct conflict with Islam and Christianity. A recipe for obvious conflict since these respective views are not likely to ever change – a recipe that could turn conflicts in beliefs into conflicts that send lead flying. And all the ingredients are conveniently located closely, too closely it seems now, in the region we call the Middle East.
The Sunni denomination is the largest of the religion. Sunni beliefs include the recognition that the prophets were actual men – normal men – until they heard the messages from God or Allah that they believed to be sent for them to teach. As such the Sunni believe that these men, being mortal, were not perfect. But they believe that their sins or indiscretions were all minor since no one would follow a teacher with glaring character flaws or defects. In that light man can then believe that if these men can accept God, or Allah, and recognize His supremacy and adhere to His teachings as sent by the Prophet, he may have hope of ascending to paradise after his death.
On the death of Muhammad in 632 AD, the Caliphate was established as a form of government akin to a federal government today. The Caliph was the man who assumed the leadership of the Muslim world as a “head of state” ruled this government. This was the only form of Islamic government overall from its establishment after the death of Muhammad until the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire in 1923.
The first 4 Caliph’s were disciples of Muhammad during his lifetime. They were, in order, Abu Bakr, Umar ibn al-Khattab, Uthman ibn Affan, and Ali ibn Abi Talib. Those names play a major role in today’s Sunni – Shiite conflict in Iraq.
The fourth Caliph, Ali, was the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad. While Sunnis adhere to the teachings of Muhammad, the Shiites believe the teachings continued by the direct descendants of the great Prophet including the grandsons who were the issue of Ali and Muhammad’s beloved daughter, Fatima Zahra. In other words, the Shiites do not recognize the first 3 Caliphs as legitimate. Only from Ali on do they recognize the Caliphs as being legitimate heads of the government ruling the Islamic world.
Result? Major conflict. The Sunnis do not recognize the Shiites as true Muslims and, as such, they have sought to rule supreme as they believe Allah would have it. Sunnis believe the teachings of God through man ended when Muhammad died – the Shiites believe the teachings are still coming but just through their acting Caliph. Since the death of Ali in 661 AD, the conflict has been open and ongoing. The friction actually began with the passing of the great Prophet and the ascension to first Caliph of Abu Bakr, a close follower of Muhammad. Islamic law and leadership powers came into play with the division and assignments of the estate of Muhammad. What the first Caliph did to remove property from some heirs, including Fatima and Ali, were restored in part by the second Caliph.
The third Caliph was elected by a group of senior scholars and leaders but was soon felt to be acting as more of a king than the exalted leader he was intended to be. He was murdered, after which Ali was selected and, in the eyes of todays Shiites, the true leadership of Islam was reestablished for the first time since the death of Muhammad. That alone was cause for major conflict. And so it began.
Six years after assuming the position of Caliph, Ali was killed along with some followers as a result of grudges and feuds started by rulings Ali had made in his short tenure as Caliph. His followers immediately blamed the foul deed as an act by followers of another sect of Islam. This conflict, started by actions after the death of the Prophet and brought to a boil by the assassination of his son-in-law, has never ceased. It’s latest site of open warfare is Iraq. The Sunni, the largest sect or denomination of Islam, is a minority in Iraq. Iran, a familiar name long before Bush came into play, is also a Shiite-majority country. This does much to explain Iran’s willingness to assist Iraq’s Shiites. Also a huge factor that drags the US deeper into this bloodbath so ignorantly started by a US government is the aid given Saddam Hussein in his war against Iraq. Hussein did not use force only against Iran – he filled mass graves with the bodies of any who opposed him and many who were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Graves our troops searched for and found – found and helped excavate to gather evidence for use against Saddam. Graves that uncovered long dead bodies and fueled a much longer hatred.
What does this have to do with the Neo-Con political movement? Rather than have me try to explain it to you, if you have made it this far and don’t know already, go to newamericancentury.org. Like the Bible and Quran are to Christianity and Islam, the site is the home of the Neo-Con movement. Within the site you will find posted papers, many written long ago, that Bush spits out in the poorly delivered speeches he’s known for. Listed to are the proponents and adherents to a philosophy that names America as the rightful inheritant’s of the world and all its riches and resources. Guides on areas we need to intervene in and gain control over in some way.
Go to it – look carefully at the contents. Very carefully. For inside you will find out what we must do next to take over as the rightful rulers of the world that the Neo-Cons recognize us to be. The power God intended as the rightful leaders. Then take what you learned to the polls each and every time you can.
