a post worth considering
Indeed it is. First the post itself. At this juncture, other than the forgeries at the UN existed, I have very little knowledge about them. But the point is that given those forgeries, the world will not believe the US claims of having found WMD. Only if some "unbiased outside source" (Blix?) verifies any US claims, will they now be believed. That's the legacy of the forgeries, pure and simple.
Second is the linked to Stratfor article. I'm planning on reading the article again tomorrow when I'm a little less tired. My initial reaction is that it is too US centric. It perceives how a US occupied Iraq can put pressure on governments in the region to in turn put pressure on Al Qaeda (and its fellow terrorist organizations). It fails to adequately address how occupying the home of the original caliphates will be viewed in the Arabic world. In that respect, it suffers from the same myopia as the neo-con vision. I’m appalled at how shallow is the understanding of Islam by the intellectually elite of this country. In five years, we’ll all know a lot more having learned the “hard way”.
Islamic scholars at Cairo's Al-Azhar University, the pre-eminent seat of Sunni Muslim learning in the Arab world, say a United States attack on Iraq would threaten all Arabs and Muslims and urged a "jihad" to defend their interests.
from your post
Message 18689131
is very significant. A significance that seems to be lost on Stratfor et al. Without a caliph to call for jihad, only the great religious schools have the authority. Al-Azhar have said they will make such a call. Given the pressure that both the Stratfor document implies and the neo-con statements verify, will be put on Iran, I expect a similar declaration will be forthcoming from the Shi’ite schools as well. Then the threat to the umma will require every Muslim male above age 16, to fight the infidels. This concept seems to be completely lost on the Stratfor group.
As usual, JMO
lurqer |
