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| Iraq |
| Bin Laden Pleads for Mercy for Sunni Arabs |
| 2006-07-03 |
| July 3, 2006: While the suicide bomb attacks against Shia Arabs get lots of attention, hardly any notice is paid to the increasing number of smaller attacks against the Sunni Arab community. As a result, there is growing panic among Sunni Arabs. This has reached the point where even Osama bin Laden, in one of his latest taped messages, calls for the Islamic world to come to the rescue of Iraqi Sunni Arabs. Similarly, elected Iraqi Sunni Arab politicians are refusing to participate in the government unless the violence against them is halted, or at least reduced. The Kurds, and especially the Shia Arabs, after decades of Sunni Arab terror, are in payback mode. Big time. But since this terror largely involves cars or trucks loaded with gunmen, not suicide bombers, it is only really noticed by the Sunni Arab victims. And on the streets of Baghdad, and other Sunni Arab towns, the terror is there. You can feel it. And it does not appear to be going away, no matter how diligently Sunni Arab leaders negotiate for some kind of amnesty. The government is offering amnesty, but on the street, vengeful Kurdish and Shia Arab death squads continue taking revenge. The government is looking to Algeria, where, after over a decade of Islamic terrorism, the rebels were defeated and an amnesty deal imposed. But many Algerians are not ready for amnesty. Islamic radicals killed most of the 100,000 people who died during the violence, and vengeful kin watch amnestied rebels walking the streets. In Iraq, the government fears that the Kurds and Shia Arabs are not ready for amnesty either. The continuing Sunni Arab terror attacks, and the anti-Shia pronouncements of international Islamic terrorists like bin Laden, have made Sunni Arabs unwelcome in Iraq. After all, many Iraqi Sunni Arabs have made no secret of their goal of eventually regaining control of the country. Sunni Arab governments in neighboring countries have openly admitted they would prefer that. Al Qaeda has long preached, and practiced, violence against Shia (who are considered heretics). As a result, many Kurds and Shia Arabs would be content to see Iraq free of Sunni Arabs. That, however, would be a nightmare. Shoving four million Sunni Arabs into neighboring countries (mainly Syria, Jordan and Saudi Arabia) would create vengeful refugee populations (Arabs are reluctant to absorb refugees) that would cause problems for generations. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #2 After all, many Iraqi Sunni Arabs have made no secret of their goal of eventually regaining control of the country. Sunni Arab governments in neighboring countries have openly admitted they would prefer that. Al Qaeda has long preached, and practiced, violence against Shia (who are considered heretics). Crikey, no wonder the Shia are in payback mode... |
| Posted by: Tony (UK) 2006-07-03 16:20 |
| #1 Shoving four million Sunni Arabs into neighboring countries (mainly Syria, Jordan and Saudi Arabia) would create vengeful refugee populations (Arabs are reluctant to absorb refugees) that would cause problems for generations. Only for a single (short-lived) generation. I doubt Shias and Kurds would display the same patience and restraint that Israel has exhibited towards the Paleos. |
| Posted by: JFM 2006-07-03 10:27 |