Which is *more* responsible for Sunni-Shia sectarian violence, 2003-2018

Which is *more* responsible for Sunni-Shia sectarian violence, 2003-2018

  • a) Shia Arab’s use of the state to abuse Sunni Arab Iraqis

    Votes: 5 50.0%
  • b) Sunni Arab Iraqi’s sense of entitlement to rule over Shias

    Votes: 5 50.0%

  • Total voters
    10
Status
Not open for further replies.

raharris1973

Gone Fishin'
Donor
Monthly Donor
Warning
a) Shia Arab’s use of the state to abuse Sunni Arab Iraqis

b) Sunni Arab Iraqi’s sense of entitlement to rule over Shias
 
a) Shia Arab’s use of the state to abuse Sunni Arab Iraqis

b) Sunni Arab Iraqi’s sense of entitlement to rule over Shias

Ehh... Well both have their share. But the problem is, when the Sunni's had power with the Secular Ba'ath Party they weren't doing it because of religion mostly. It was mostly Secular Nationalists versus Conservative (and sometimes pro-Iranian) population.

Now it is an (Shia) Islamic Government against conservative Sunni population. The discrimination on this one is mostly religious based.
 

Ak-84

Banned
The actual culprit is not mentioned. The United States.
The US empowered ethnic and secretarian elements in Iraq despite advice not to do so.
 

raharris1973

Gone Fishin'
Donor
Monthly Donor
The actual culprit is not mentioned. The United States.
The US empowered ethnic and secretarian elements in Iraq despite advice not to do so.

OK, US supports Iraqi Communist Party instead. Iraq evolves around non-sectarian lines? Was the Ayad Allawi experiment sectarian? What if the Americans stuck with him?
 

Ak-84

Banned
OK, US supports Iraqi Communist Party instead. Iraq evolves around non-sectarian lines? Was the Ayad Allawi experiment sectarian? What if the Americans stuck with him?
The US Government was obssessed with secretarian and ethnic classifications from the get go. And they supported leaders with such views. It needs a POD where the USG actively opposes such classifications.
Time and again, he refers to "the formerly ruling Sunnis," "rank-and-file Sunnis," "the old Sunni regime," "responsible Sunnis." This obsession with sects informed the U.S. approach to Iraq from day one of the occupation, but it was not how Iraqis saw themselves -- at least, not until very recently. Iraqis were not primarily Sunnis or Shiites; they were Iraqis first, and their sectarian identities did not become politicized until the Americans occupied their country, treating Sunnis as the bad guys and Shiites as the good guys. There were no blocs of "Sunni Iraqis" or "Shiite Iraqis" before the war, just like there was no "Sunni Triangle" or "Shiite South" until the Americans imposed ethnic and sectarian identities onto Iraq's regions.
 
I would say the Shiites, and not because I am ignorant of the Back to Faith campaign or the any of the issues with that.

Its more that the Shiites, broadly, won in 2006. They wiped out Sunni neighborhoods in the Baghdad area and became dominant in the region as a result. They could have just rested on their laurels, and allowed the Awakening to take care of business and call it a day. They had the numbers, the money, and the power to rule indefinitely. But the Maliki government decided that it wasn't enough and caused a bunch of needless problems later on.

It was an attempt to run up the score that was unneeded and it backfired.

Thankfully, Iraq does seem now to be in some bit of recovery, and that is to be commended.
 

CalBear

Moderator
Donor
Monthly Donor
a) Shia Arab’s use of the state to abuse Sunni Arab Iraqis

b) Sunni Arab Iraqi’s sense of entitlement to rule over Shias
DO NOT post obvious current/ongoing political issues anywhere except Chat.

Trying to avoid the Chat prohibition of Polls is NOT acceptable. You have been here almost from Day One. You KNOW the Board Policies, be a hell of a good idea to start following them.
 
Top
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top