PrintDecember 7, 2006
Islamic Wars MMVI: Return of the Shiites
A long time ago in a land far away the Prophet Muhammad, who had united the Arabian tribes under the banner of Islam, died. The ensuing battles over naming his rightful successor sparked a schism in the Muslim community which endures to this day. Two years ago, Jordan's King Abdullah II accused Iran of planning to hijack the then-upcoming Iraqi elections. He spoke of a sinister scheme to employ tactics of intimidation, vote rigging, bribery and militia training, in an effort to install a pro-Iranian government. Such an alliance, the King warned, would help further Iran's quest toward empowering a "crescent" of dominant Shiite movements and governments -- stretching from Iran to Lebanon. The Sunni monarch's words infuriated many Shiites, particularly those at the helm in Tehran, who rejected the accusations outright. Today, rapidly deteriorating events are bearing out Abdullah's sullen analysis of Iran's objectives. In fact, on November 26th the King...(Read Full Article)
