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(1) On the Sunni, the Shi'a, Terrorism, Iran and Saudi Arabia
Too much confusion and conflation of information.
Time to cut to the chase about some basic (yet often overlooked) elements of #MiddleEastern geopolitical dynamics, religion, language and culture.
Too much confusion and conflation of information.
Time to cut to the chase about some basic (yet often overlooked) elements of #MiddleEastern geopolitical dynamics, religion, language and culture.
(2) #Arabic is a language, not a #religion.
Many people utilize "Arab" and "Muslim" interchangeably; that is incorrect.
There are Arab #Jews, Arab #Christians and Arab #Muslims.
#Iranians, while #Muslims, speak Persian - not Arabic.
Iranians are not Arabs.
Many people utilize "Arab" and "Muslim" interchangeably; that is incorrect.
There are Arab #Jews, Arab #Christians and Arab #Muslims.
#Iranians, while #Muslims, speak Persian - not Arabic.
Iranians are not Arabs.
(3) The Persian culture and Arab culture while similar in some respects, have very distinct differences, as do their belief systems within Islam.
The Persian-speaking Iranians are adherents of Shi'a Islam, while the Arabic-speaking Sunnis of #SaudiArabia presently adhere to
The Persian-speaking Iranians are adherents of Shi'a Islam, while the Arabic-speaking Sunnis of #SaudiArabia presently adhere to
(4) an uber-fundamental interpretation of #Salafism and #Wahhabism.
The Shi'a population accounts for approximately 10-15% of the entire Muslim population worldwide.
Sunnis then by default account for 85-90% of the world's Muslim population.
As an aside, the majority
The Shi'a population accounts for approximately 10-15% of the entire Muslim population worldwide.
Sunnis then by default account for 85-90% of the world's Muslim population.
As an aside, the majority
(5) of the world's Muslims reside in #Indonesia and #Malaysia - not in the Middle East (which is a common misconception).
Now back to the Middle East.
The Imams in both Iran and Saudi Arabia are proponents of a radical interpretation of Shari'a ( #Sharia), within their
Now back to the Middle East.
The Imams in both Iran and Saudi Arabia are proponents of a radical interpretation of Shari'a ( #Sharia), within their
(5B) respective Shi'a-Sunni framework(s).
So you have crazy imams in both countries, utilizing #Islam as a political mechanism to control the masses with dire consequences should they disobey, as per their interpretations of the Shari'a.
So you have crazy imams in both countries, utilizing #Islam as a political mechanism to control the masses with dire consequences should they disobey, as per their interpretations of the Shari'a.
(6) Now lets diverge and digress a bit.
While the Saudi population and Iranian population are both subject to extreme interpretations of Islam and the Shari'a; there are huge differences.
In Iran, women can drive, they can go to university, become doctors and lawyers,
While the Saudi population and Iranian population are both subject to extreme interpretations of Islam and the Shari'a; there are huge differences.
In Iran, women can drive, they can go to university, become doctors and lawyers,
(7) and are an integral part of Iran's professional workforce.
In many respects, especially when compared with Saudi Arabia, the moderate Iranian population is more "Westernized," acclimated and accepting of Western culture.
As most people know, the population on the
In many respects, especially when compared with Saudi Arabia, the moderate Iranian population is more "Westernized," acclimated and accepting of Western culture.
As most people know, the population on the
(8) Arabian Peninsula is not as moderate.
There are a larger percentage of mainstream adherents to fundamentalist interpretations of (Islam) both Salafism and Wahhabism within the general population.
Women have less freedom, and the literacy level (despite biased publications)
There are a larger percentage of mainstream adherents to fundamentalist interpretations of (Islam) both Salafism and Wahhabism within the general population.
Women have less freedom, and the literacy level (despite biased publications)
(9) in Saudi Arabia is much lower than in Iran.
This in part is why the Saudi population is more beholden to extremist religious perspectives.
The Saudi population is not as informed, nor as well-educated as the Iranians (& let me emphasize that this is no fault of their own).
This in part is why the Saudi population is more beholden to extremist religious perspectives.
The Saudi population is not as informed, nor as well-educated as the Iranians (& let me emphasize that this is no fault of their own).
(10) Let's get down to some facts about #terrorism.
The number one Middle Eastern, State-sponsor of #terror in the world, hands down, is Saudi Arabia - not Iran.
Saudi-backed, Sunni Extremists have been responsible for violence in the following countries:
The number one Middle Eastern, State-sponsor of #terror in the world, hands down, is Saudi Arabia - not Iran.
Saudi-backed, Sunni Extremists have been responsible for violence in the following countries:
(11) Afghanistan, Libya, Somalia, Kenya, England, United States, Mali, Tanzania, Uganda, France, Germany, United Kingdom, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Phillipines.
These r the countries I am recalling off the top of my head. There r easily a dozen more.
Sunni-funded #madrassas
These r the countries I am recalling off the top of my head. There r easily a dozen more.
Sunni-funded #madrassas
(12) have been built all over Africa, with their imams espousing the same violent interpretation of Islam that the Salafists and Wahhabists preach on the Arabian Peninsula.
The fundamentalist Islamic fire which is now engulfing the African continent, has it's genesis
The fundamentalist Islamic fire which is now engulfing the African continent, has it's genesis
(13) in Saudi Arabia - not Iran.
The Iranian Shi'a are not globally attempting to proselytize; as the Saudi Sunni are.
The Shi'a imams are out of control in their own country - no doubt. But other than violent rhetoric from those imams, their geopolitical sphere of control is
The Iranian Shi'a are not globally attempting to proselytize; as the Saudi Sunni are.
The Shi'a imams are out of control in their own country - no doubt. But other than violent rhetoric from those imams, their geopolitical sphere of control is
(14) relatively regionally limited, as are any "terror" operations they engage in.
So what is my point?
The primary #Islamist or #Islamic threat (from violent interpretations of Islam) are the Saudi-sponsored Salafists and Wahhabists; not the Iranians.
So what is my point?
The primary #Islamist or #Islamic threat (from violent interpretations of Islam) are the Saudi-sponsored Salafists and Wahhabists; not the Iranians.
(15) All of the Islamic-based terrorism in Europe and Africa is due to violent Sunni factions - not iranian Shi'a.
The line that "Iran is the world's largest state-sponsor of terrorism" is pure propaganda.
It's bullshit.
The line that "Iran is the world's largest state-sponsor of terrorism" is pure propaganda.
It's bullshit.
(16) The Largest State Sponsor of Terrorism in the Middle East is Saudi Arabia, and they have actively attempted to export their violent ideology to every occupied continent on earth.
Wahhabists and Salafists have taken global proselytizing to a whole new level.
Wahhabists and Salafists have taken global proselytizing to a whole new level.
(17) Issues of Shi'a violence are much more regionally-limited than the pan-global rein of terror sponsored by the Saudis.
Yes Iran has been involved in acts of terrorism, no doubt.
However, by comparison, one is looking at orders of hundreds (if not thousands) of incidents of
Yes Iran has been involved in acts of terrorism, no doubt.
However, by comparison, one is looking at orders of hundreds (if not thousands) of incidents of
(18) Saudi-sponsored terrorism (globally), compared to Iranian-sponsored operations (which are usually regional).
The United States should think carefully about how to handle Iran. The moderate Iranian population is not our enemy.
Can the USA afford to implement a #Libyan-style
The United States should think carefully about how to handle Iran. The moderate Iranian population is not our enemy.
Can the USA afford to implement a #Libyan-style
(19) regime-change in Iran? No.
Iran is a very "important regional keystone in an arch of relative geopolitical stability."
"Geopolitical Stability," one might say?
Notice I included the word "relative."
So what the US and its allies may try to
Iran is a very "important regional keystone in an arch of relative geopolitical stability."
"Geopolitical Stability," one might say?
Notice I included the word "relative."
So what the US and its allies may try to
(20) do is somehow snap the rule of the imams in Iran (coup or limited airstrikes), but that would open the floodgates of hell; pitting the world's largest Shi'a population against, war-proven, Sunni terrorists, imported from Syria, Libya and Yemen.
I smell a Western-proxy
I smell a Western-proxy
(21) alliance of violent Salafists and Wahhabists, organizing against the Shi'a, with funding from both the Arabian Peninsula and the West and other ME "allies" of the USA.
Notice that each generation of extremists (one growing out of another) becomes worse than the previous:
Notice that each generation of extremists (one growing out of another) becomes worse than the previous:
(22) Muslim Brotherhood -> Al Qaeda -> Taliban (+ Iraqi Ba'athists) became ISIS.
What will ISIS morph into as the proxy allies pull more combatants from terrorist theaters further abroad?
It ain't going to be pretty - and one of the most moderate populations in the Middle East
What will ISIS morph into as the proxy allies pull more combatants from terrorist theaters further abroad?
It ain't going to be pretty - and one of the most moderate populations in the Middle East
(23) may soon be subject to some really difficult times.
We need to re-evaluate our friends and "enemies" in the region.
To conclude, Iran is not the largest state sponsor of terrorism in the world. They probably wouldn't even make the top five.
The US needs to re-examine its
We need to re-evaluate our friends and "enemies" in the region.
To conclude, Iran is not the largest state sponsor of terrorism in the world. They probably wouldn't even make the top five.
The US needs to re-examine its
(24) foreign policy ASAP.
If Iran is goaded into a US-backed, regional conflict, the results have the potential to be far, far worse than what occurred in Libya or Syria.
This saber rattling will not do.
#MOOTW Military Operations Other Than Warfare
If Iran is goaded into a US-backed, regional conflict, the results have the potential to be far, far worse than what occurred in Libya or Syria.
This saber rattling will not do.
#MOOTW Military Operations Other Than Warfare
(25) . @threadreaderapp unroll #unroll
