Sunni & Shia Affairs

The State of Sunni-Shiite Relations in Saudi Arabia and Why it Matters

Reza Zia-Ebrahimi — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 15:17:04 -0400

The ‘Shiite crescent’ has become a popular intellectual shortcut in media and policy circles to explain Muslim affairs. Yet, it is a flawed theory that ignores the complexity of religious, national, local and tribal allegiances that include, exclude or overlap each other in the Middle East. It does not account for a number of factors including the occasional inter-Shiite fighting in Iraq.

Saudi Arabia, Iran and the US

Thu, 3 Jul 2008 12:10:00 -0400

Saudi Arabia has been a strategic ally of the United States for more than 60 years. Despite occasional differences, Riyadh was a firm – and generous – partner of American policy in the Cold War and in distant conflicts from Afghanistan to Nicaragua. President Bush and King Abudullah reaffirmed the two countries’ ties during Bush’s two visits to the Kingdom this year.

But the Saudis are putting a good deal of distance between themselves and the United States in one of the most important arenas of American Middle East policy – Iran.

Shia Iran Versus Different Shades of Sunnism

Wed, 2 Jul 2008 16:49:34 -0400

Shia Iran is publicly unwavering in its commitment to forge unity among Muslim states. Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is again reaching out to Arab Salafists and Wahhabists and has declared the present Iranian year as the Year of National Unity and Islamic Solidarity. Sunni Saudi Arabia is also emphasizing dialogue. Two recent pan-Islamic conferences have been held in Tehran (May) and Mecca (June) to lessen intra-Muslim differences. However, neither conference produced concrete steps toward achieving this goal.

Lebanon: Back on Track?

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 15:04:03 -0400

The recent agreement in Doha to end Lebanon's 18-month political stalemate begins the process of re-establishing a functioning government and addressing the legitimate concerns of the Lebanese people. It postpones the discussion about the future role of Hizbullah in Lebanese society until after the election of the president, which brings us to the genius of this agreement: it separates the concerns of the Shi'a community from those of Hizbullah.

This is a crucial development because political equilibrium cannot be restored in Lebanon so long as these two issues are treated as one.

Iraq: Muqtada al-Sadr Still in the Game

Wayne White — Tue, 13 May 2008 11:02:32 -0400

Iraqi militia leader Muqtada al-Sadr remains a force to be reckoned with, regardless of his recent reverses. Unlike other militia leaders, he is more charismatic and has a large popular street following in locations extending from Baghdad through Iraq’s heavily populated Shi’a south. Ever since the surge, Sadr has been waiting out Washington, biding his time until the balance of political and street power is more to his liking.

Iraq: Dark Shadows of Things to Come

Thu, 3 Apr 2008 13:08:32 -0400

The Nuri al Maliki government’s failure to defeat Muqtada al-Sadr’s Mahdi Army in Basra is yet another indication that beneath the widely acclaimed “success” of the surge is a country largely bereft of the legitimate governance required for genuine stability. Iran’s intermediary role between Maliki and Sadr suggests that what passes for an Iraqi central government is, in fact, little more than another actor on an Iraqi political scene still badly fragmented along factional lines.

Lebanon’s Shia Deserve a Greater Voice

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 11:29:00 -0400

American objectives in Lebanon are clear, reasonable and honorable. The United States wants an independent, democratic Lebanon free from foreign interference, particularly from Syria and Iran. It also wants a prosperous Lebanon at peace with its neighbors, including Israel.

Can Iraqis Beat the Ticking Clock?

Tue, 27 Nov 2007 14:59:03 -0500

Violence finally has declined enough so that an atmosphere more conducive to deal-making has emerged for Iraq’s rival ethno-sectarian groups. However, so far the tenor of politics in Baghdad does not appear to have changed much. Washington must make clear to the Iraqi government that as the surge begins to wind down, the opportunity to set in place durable stability must not be squandered. Otherwise, all involved will pay the consequences.

A Call for Early Elections in Iraq

Dr. Louay Bahry — Wed, 3 Oct 2007 13:19:38 -0400

“Dysfunctional” is the word reportedly used by Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki to describe his own government. Today, this description can be used to refer not only to his cabinet but to the parliament and judiciary. The result has been an ever more serious deadlock on the question of national reconciliation between Shi’a and Sunnis that prevents the formation of a functional government and parliament, where ministers regularly attend cabinet meetings and deputies appear at parliamentary sessions.

Iraq: Maliki in Crisis

Wayne White — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 16:00:28 -0400

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki appears to be trying to address the serious divisions in his cabinet and a parliament in disarray amid questions as to whether there is any real hope he can ever deliver on key American goals that might draw Iraq’s Sunni Arabs back into the political mainstream.