The Sushi War
The Sunni-Shiia quarrel is an increasingly pervasive, cross-border and high-stakes affair
This post picks up from where my friend LP from Lebanese Political Journal left. He testified that the word on the Lebanese Sunni street indicates that the Sunnis are starting to see Iran as a bigger threat than Israel.
In my opinion, calling this conflict a Sunni-Shiaa one is misleading because it implies a dogmatic confrontation. Instead, this is a high-stakes war between two ways of looking at the world and two ways of spending large amounts of money.
I made this argument before, but the heart of the conflict is really of the “Clash of Civilizations” nature. It’s a clash between two kinds of Moslems: One that wants to be part of the international trade system and live off oil-driven prosperity. They want to build new cities, modern schools, malls and banks in arms-free environments. The other group sees its way of life under threat. It sees the outside world as a predator who only understands the language of force. It wants to spread weapons, build nuclear bombs and protect itself. Both groups contain Sunnis and Shias, but it so happens that the first group is dominated by powerful Sunni countries, and the second by Shiaa ones.
The war was initially a cold one, but we are witnessing the various Sunni leaders coming out of their silence one after the other to denounce “Shiaa” designs. Why? because the Arab layman is increasingly believing the Iranian (and now Bin Laden’s) storyline, that the Americans are out to get Moslems. If you watch Aljazeera, which is the most popular T.V. station in the Arab world, you’d think its editorial team is Iranian.
The problem is, America and Israel are both real liabilities to the Sunnis’ vision of economic prosperity, and this is showing most profoundly in divided countries like Lebanon and Palestine. “You think America really wants free trade and democracy?” The Lay man asks, “Look at what they did with Dubai’s ports deal.” “look how they back the Saudi dictatorship.” “You think Israel wants peace?” Why is it that it only responds to power? Didn’t it withdraw from Lebanon and from Gaza only because of the heroic resistance? Doesn’t the United Nations ignore Israel’s wrongdoings? Why are they punishing the democratically elected Hamas? Don’t they want democracy?
The Sunnis are on the defensive. After Jordan’s King comments about the Shiia crescent and the Egyptian President’s comments about the Arab Shiaa’s loyalties, we find today that the Lebanese newspaper Almustaqbal, (which is owned by Lebanon’s most powerful Sunni), is co-publishing with a Jordanian newspaper an interview where Sunni-backed Palestinian President lashes out at Tehran-backed yet democratically elected Hamas. Congratulations, Palestine has officially been Lebanonized.
In the countries where both influences are strong, like Palestine, Lebanon and Iraq, we are witnessing the strongest schisms. Let’s hope is that this doesn’t spread to other countries like Saudi Arabia and Egypt, but the news so far are not very good:
Today, I read an article in Al-Arabiya entitled: “The Egyptian People is Sunni in Name but Shiaa in Nature.” Ouch!
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Hello, my name is Mustapha and I blog in The Beirut Spring about Lebanese society and politics. I started in February 2005 after the killing of P.M. Rafik Hariri.
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Let’s hope is that this doesn’t spread to other countries
Why not Steve? Should we be he only ones to eat shit year after year, while the other Arabs export it us (and to the Palestinians) and the West is content that Saudi and Egypt and Syria are “stable and safe”.
Otherwise good post, Stevie. ;)
I don’t think it’s shia versus sunni, I think it’s more Iran versus the Arab world. Iran has an idendity crisis where they are Moslems but they are not Arabs and they feel like they have something to prove in that they may not be Arabs but they are more true Moslems than Arabs themselves who created Islam. I think that they hate Arabs because they feel one down from them because to an Arab Moslem, if you are not an Arab then you are not a true Moslem. I think Iran should revert back to its own religion and accept that they are different and be proud of their difference instead of pushing their brand of religion on those who actually created the religion. For Gods’ sake, the Palestinian cause has now become more of an Iranian cause and these people don’t even speak the same language as the Palestinians. They have even hijacked the Palestinian cause!!! None of their business really.
My opinion is that is bound to have hostile policy about the others for domestic reasons. Iran is no so so united, it’s an ethnic puzzle, ready to explose. Shiism is partly uniting the country, but only because the govnernment has convinced the people that they are under siege because of their Shiism.
Teheran have always had bad relations with its Sunni Kurds and Balutch, and their relations with their own Arab and Azeri Shia minorities could be better. I think that Iran needs to find itself an enemy and a fight in order to hold together. So the regime is structurally hostile to the West.
Are the Arabs really against Iran? I mean the last Arab nationalist dictatorship is siding with Iran against the rest of the Arab world :) Ironic, don’t you think?
Good post. I agree that the this is not a doctrinal, dogmatic war. It’s entirely about world perspective. In Lebanon (and actually throughout the Middle East), there are still silly racist arguments being bandied about. However, as you note, the crux of the conflict is in world view.
One area in which I disagree: MBC 2 is by far the most popular channel in the Arabic speaking world. Al Jazeera is merely the most popular news channel.
Mustapha, I think that LP was referring to the Sunni grand salons rather than the Sunni street in Beirut.
You are right that it is not a Sunni-Shia divide . The conflict is really one determined by the relations of the rulers with the West particularly America and to some extent Israel.
The policies of these authoritarian Sunni leaders are often at odds with their populations. When their populations look across the Gulf at Iran they see a Muslim state that has lively public debates on national issues and regular elections where even a layman can be elected President in a theocracy.
Also why should any Muslim see Iran’s attempt to develop its nuclear technology as a threat when Israel has over 400 nuclear weapons pointed at every Muslim in the ME with America’s blessing and the UN’s ignorance.
Almost every Muslim has come to the conclusion that America is out to punish Muslims , steal or control their resources and help Israel annex all of Palestine. Is it any wonder why Muslims cheer anyone, Muslim or non-Muslim that stands up to the US and Israel.
The Arab Despots are just following their script and criticizing the “evil doers” . Their resort to sectarianism will not cancel ” the real liabilities” of America and Israel hanging around their necks.
When that heroic Neo-con Oliver North landed at Tehran airport bearing “gifts”, he didn’t care about the prosperity of Muslims. His only concern is that they , Sunnis and Shias , continue to kill each other in a conflict that benefited the US.
I want to comment on this issue later on the LP’s blog.
Issam
Perhaps tensions have increased, but commmunal relations in Lebanon in my opinion are too advanced at this stage to cause serious conflict between Shia and Sunni in Lebanon. Besides, there are other religious groups that can mediate between the two in times of crisis or bring forward a balance of power situation in which no group feelings cornerd, which is what the FPM-Hezbollah joint paper did.
“The policies of these authoritarian Sunni leaders are often at odds with their populations. When their populations look across the Gulf at Iran they see a Muslim state that has lively public debates on national issues and regular elections where even a layman can be elected President in a theocracy. “
Everybody can be president in Iran. Sure. If they can get the approval the council of gardians and the assembly of expert which are not elected. Every law must be confirmed by the assembly of expert which is not elected. There was the same kind of elections in the USSR.
Salam,
Really muslims should consider in this view that who really do true job? Is it good if all powers be under hand of Israel and US? Is it good that they make malls and shopping centers in muslims countries and when it is time of reaction to Israel or Iraq war, they be affraid of US and Israel? Is it true that muslim Governments make muslims abased this much that an idiot american diplomat talks about bombing islamic holy sites?
I am so sorry for we muslims, so sorry.. We have great and complete way for life, but day to day we go deeper in ocean of ignorance.It really irks me..
Thank you for your post. :)