An unprecedented influx of Muslim refugees precedes a widening rift between Shi’a and Sunni states in the Middle East.
It’s hard not to think the timing was orchestrated. What did the Sauds think the reaction would be after they brutally executed-beheaded a Shi’a holy man? Did they really think there would be no repercussion? I don’t think anyone is that stupid… and the only viable alternative to stupid is – ‘orchestrated’.
What would be the purpose if it was orchestrated?
Certainly it puts all of Europe on a very high alert as their Muslim population of both sects has risen exponentially. While the last actual population census was done in 2010 and estimated the total European contingent to be in excess of 44 million, the last five years we have seen unprecedented exodus from the Middle East and Africa into Europe. But more surprising is that upwards of 62% of all Muslims reside in Asia, the Middle East only accounts for about 20%, and Africa about 15%.
Pakistan and Indonesia account for the largest Shi’a populations. How they will respond to this division will determine whether this riff explodes.
That being said, if the Middle East were to implode into an all out sectarian war, what side would we take? What would happen to the ‘other’ side’s civilian population in foreign countries? Would the violence extend worldwide as Shunnis took to fighting Shi’a – everywhere?
Worldwide, the Sunni population is approximately 80% and the Shi’a about 20%. However, in the US, the Sunni population is 56%, a large disproportionate percentage despite our brackish affiliation with Saudi Arabia and Sunnis.
Iran in a Nutshell: The last time Iran was a world power was in the early 18th century. Prior to that their empire reigned in the 7th century when they were ruled by the Sasanians whose language was Aramaic and religion was a mixture of Babylonian, Christian, Jewish, Hindu and Buddhist. This Empire was defeated by Islam in a war that began in 633 and eventually ended in about 651 AD. The surviving Sasonian’s converted to Islam or fled to other countries, but were always considered inferior, of a lesser quality. Conquered by the Mongols and later the Tamirs, it was not until the fifteen hundreds that Safavids rose to form the Safavid Empire of Iran before being defeated in 1722.
They were later conquered by Russia, the Ottoman Empire and finally the British in the early 1900’s who sought their oil. In 1941 the Soviets, British and Commonwealth nations invaded Iran for the purpose of confiscating their oil. In 1946, the Soviets were expelled by the British and Commonwealthers who then revoked their portion of the oil and continued their reign over the country.
In 1953, the US and UK organized a coup to depose the Prime Minister of Iran, Musaddeq, executed the Foreign Minister, and propped up the Shah. The 1979 Revolution returned Iran to its Shi’a roots, nationalized the oil from the British and US, and returned the country to it’s fundamental religious societal economy.
And while the media continues to pummel us with the ‘threat of Iran terrorism’, let’s not forget that al-Qaeda, ISIS, al-Nusra, Hamas, The Muslim Brotherhood, and al-Shabaab are all Sunni… The terrorist organization that is Shi’a is the militant group known as Hezbollah.
Formed by Iran clerics in 1982, Hezbollah was created to battle the Israeli occupation of south Lebanon. Since then, their military aggression has grown, and their warring targets include Israel and the Saudi Arabia. Their main focus is feeling oppressed as a minority. The European Union, New Zealand and the UK do not classify Hezbollah as a terrorist organization. Their ideology desires the end of Israel as they see Zionism as a conspiracy for a One World Order and supreme domination.
So what would a complete implosion of war between Shi’as and Sunnis look like? Given the mass amounts of weapons sold over the course of the last decade by the US, Europe, and Russia – the countries most prolific include; Turkey, UAE, India, Afghanistan, China and of course – Saudi Arabia which took the world’s lead in 2014. Iran is not even making the list.
Paying attention to the details instead of the media propaganda is now a necessity. Who are friends? Who are foes? And who can we Trust?