Posted on 09/28/2005 4:55:08 AM PDT by OESY
Sometimes authors overwrite a story to such a degree that it become too tedious to get through. I never know if it’s my impatience or their attempt to make something out of nothing.
He's the best.
Fouad Ajami is a Shi'ite from Lebanon. I'm sure he's glad he got out the barbaric Arab world a few decades ago. He teaches in the USA and appears on TV a lot. Very cultured man.
'Over the horizon looms a referendum to ratify the country's constitution. Sunni Arabs are registering in droves, keen not to repeat the error they committed when they boycotted the national elections earlier this year. In their pride, and out of fear of the insurgents and their terror, the Sunni Arabs say that they are registering to vote in order to thwart this "illegitimate constitution." This kind of saving ambiguity ought to be welcomed, for there are indications that the Sunni Arabs may have begun to understand terror's blindness and terror's ruin...'
That's the bit I like the sound of. Writes well, doesn't he? Btw, so do you.
And that was an excellent article. We can hope, can't we?
With Sadr in the employ of Iran's government, and Al Zarkawi doing the bidding of AlQaida interests, I would suggest they do not have identical political ambitions or standing. If this involved European people I am sure you could discern some level of difference.
On the other hand, Shia is still typified by a shared leadership in the ranks of the Ayatollahs. It also is divided into different kinds of Twelver, Elevener and Sevener sects/denominations, each of which has it's own communal leadership elite.
This structure is vastly different than that of the orthodox Moslems referred to as Sunni. There the mullahs are almost all directly under political direction from the secular elements in the government ~
That's all we need to know regarding the argument allowing Iran to possess and manufacture nuclear weapons.
I am aware there are many more sects than just the Sunni and Shiia.
Your comment was "Amazingly Prof. Ajami was able to write this without once noting that ALL of the Islamofascists are Sunni." I take exception to that. I really don't think that religion plays that big a part in this. I think it's all about power and domination. Even following your comment, there are sects within the Sunni population that could be better classified as "Islamofascists" and others are quite peaceful and some are even quite secular.
You pointing out that Iran is behind Sadar makes my case. It's not religion....it's power and both sides are striving for the same thing to the point where they frequently work together.
Money and power are behind some of it, yet the Sunni, almost uniformly throughout the world, hold the Shia to be something other than Moslem.
Nor is there any political division involved, nor is any of it a laughable "French influence". It is an out and out tyranny, plain and simple, enforced by a secret police and paramilitary fanatics, serving the political power of the leaders. We have seen thousands of them, there is nothing special about the Iranian version. Tyranny is tyranny. It is bound by no law or principle. The personal bigotries and self aggrandizement of the tyrants themselves are the basis of the regime. There isn't an ounce of Merciful in the lot of them, nor a jot of Compassionate.
If instead they had a traditionalist regime, even one with some clerical authority, it might be another story. They don't - traditionalists put law above themselves and principle above expediency. Pretending all Shia are virtuous is pretending, and a lie, which concretely excuses the crimes of vicious men.
Which means, of course, that tyranny is a pretty normal situation there ~ it's not like they've had it better!
Although I much prefer the Seveners in any Moslem conflict, I will defend the Twelvers in Iran to this extent ~ they stick with the "forms" that include having a Parliament, holding elections, allowing a degree of multiple centers of authority (other Ayatollahs do exist), and so forth. This is vastly different than the sort of thing Hitler had with his "fuhrer" principle.
Remember, all totalitarian systems practice tyranny, but authoritarian systems practice tyranny counseled by tradition. I think Iran falls into the authoritarian class, although you think it's into full blown totalitarianism.
Concerning the French influence, you did know that during the ascendancy of the Shah and his cronies the leadership elite among the Ayatollahs spent their days in Paris ~ the garbage rubbed off ~
I'm sure they think the same of you ~
PING For great essay on liberating Iraq.
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