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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Jacob Snyder who wrote (128535)	4/6/2004 2:07:43 PM
From: Harvey Allen	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 281500

In a related development, dozens of Sunnis from the north of Iraq have flocked southward to join Sadr's call for a revolt. Analysts are pointing to the converging of Sunni and Shi'a interests. yellowtimes.org

To: Jacob Snyder who wrote (128535)	4/6/2004 7:29:23 PM
From: boris_a	Respond to of 281500

These guys aren't dumb. Actually, they are as smart as Americans are. But their knowledge about mentality and habits in Iraq is far superiour.

To: Jacob Snyder who wrote (128535)	4/6/2004 11:56:52 PM
From: Hawkmoon	Respond to of 281500

Sistani and Sadr are playing a "good cop, bad cop" routine with us. Sistani pretends to be our friend (at least, he seems friendly, in comparison to Sadr). Then he extracts concessions from us, while Sadr keeps up the pressure. These guys aren't dumb. A distinct possibility Jacob, and probably one of the more astute theories you've ever proposed. But I'm not sure if I buy that. Sistani seems to genuinely believe that it's better to play the "power behind the scenes" and social conscience, rather than owning the problems of trying to run an entire economy and society along Islamic principles. After all, he's seen what kind of disaster the Iranian hardliners have made of their economy. And they have no one to blame but themselves, being unable to cast blame upon the Americans. And that's one of the reasons that Ayatollah Khomeini's grand-son has publicly sided with the CPA.. He personally saw what his grandfather's hardline government, well intentioned it might have been, has done to the Iranian people. I predict that, in Iraq, until the last American soldier is off their soil, no Shiite cleric will help us kill or capture any other Shiite cleric. Then it would be proper to ask exactly what "rule of law" and democracy Sistani would seem to be demanding. After all, what good is a constitution when power brokers can use violence and intimidation against rivals in order to usurp more power for themselves. That does nothing but initiate a deadly cycle of greater and greater violence. The bottom line is that no religion, Islamic or Chritian, should be permitted to use violence to convert and dominate a society. If these folks want to spread their religion, let them do it peacefully, based upon the merits of their faith. To resort to violence to maintain societal and religious dominance is a sure sign that they understand just how out of step their religious beliefs are with human nature. Hawk