There are basically two divisions of Muslims. The Sunnis and the Shiites, and they are constantly at odds with each other. Islam was founded in 622 by Mohammed in Medina, a city in western Saudi Arabia, north of Mecca. What are the differences between the two branches?
Sunnis
Sunnis believe that the first four caliphs, who are Mohammed’s successors, rightfully took his place as the leaders of Muslims. They believe that the descendents of these four caliphs ruled continuously in the Arab world until the breakup of the Ottoman Empire after the end of WW I, and since then, they have been sort of leaderless, and the Muslim faith has been degraded. Osama bin Laden was a Sunni. Sunnis believe that the Mahdi, who is sort of the ’savior’ who will turn the whole world into Muslimism, has yet to come. Sunnis are about 90% of the Muslim world
Shiites
Shiites, who are concentrated in Iraq, Iran, and Lebanon, believe that only the descendents of the fourth caliph, not the other three, are the legitimate successors of Mohammed. They believe that the Mahdi has already been here, is in hiding, and will come out of hiding and do his conquering of the world. They also believe that Ayatollah Khomenini, of Iran fame, has been a legitimate ruler of Shiites since 1978.
A comparison can logically be drawn, in my opinion, between Jews and Christians. Jews believe the Messiah is yet to come, and Christians believe he came 2,000 years ago. Jews don’t hate Christians and plant roadside explosives to kill them. Catholics and Protestants have different beliefs, but don’t hate each other and kill each other. I don’t understand why Shiites and Sunnis have to be deadly rivals, as opposed to Christians and Jews or Catholics and protestants.
That’s a very brief synopsis of their differences, but all Muslims deeply resent non-Muslims, in the form of Americans and our allies, invading their nations, be they Shiite or Sunni, as we would resent their invading America, or Britain, Australia, or Canada. Any hope of ’Christianizing’ Muslim nations are as pointless as was trying to stop people from drinking during prohibition, or turning America into a Muslim Nation. Terrorism committed by Muslims as a way of ’getting even’ with us for our invasions of their lands, is a natural thing to do. Why can’t America mind its own business?
I think that any threat of nuclear bombing of Israel by Iran, is totally absurd. It would result in the destruction of Iran, and the beginning of WW III, whose radiation, chain reaction of violence and destruction, would kill the entire earth possibly. Iran may not be a friend of America’s, again thanks to stupid American government, as was mentioned in a previous column, but bombing Israel by anyone would be the apotheosis of ignorance on their part. Does Iran have a nuclear bomb? Obviously no, but India, Pakistan, Israel, North Korea, and a few other nations have them, including America and Russia, and no one has ever considered bombing another nation, as it would be suicide, and everyone knows it.
Drones
Of all the outrages being committed by America, the virtually invisible drones flying above Muslim nations and killing, as their pilots in America see fit, while sitting at their consoles seven thousand miles away in Indian Springs Montana, is shocking to me. It is a horrific war toy, which should be abolished before it backfires on us. Arabs have captured a couple of them, and are now busy copying their technical and mechanical properties, and will soon be flying their own drones I am sure. A Sheriff in America recently used a drone to capture someone. Would we like to have invisible drones flying over us and maybe killing at random, if the operator-pilot was told to do so? Pilot-operators of drones have a 30% rate of getting absolutely sick of what they are doing, and needing psychological treatment. I couldn’t do that for any amount of money. It would be a nice thing to have a mutual agreement of all nations on the abolition of drones. They are sick and outrageous. America should cease and desist immediately.
What has happened to America? In November, America will vote on whether it wants to be free, balance its budget, reduce government, and bring the troops home, or allow government and the military-industrial complex to grow ever more oppressive, expensive, and depriving it of its freedoms. A recent poll shows that 71% of Americans think government is out of control, and pays no attention at all to its citizens. The Tea Party House Members are the ones holding back the swell of socialism, unrestrained spending, and Obamacare. If we can’t change the occupant of the White House and Democratic majority in the Senate in November, I firmly believe there will be a mass exodus from America for those capable of doing so. They’ll take their money with them as well as their expertise and abilities, which will leave America without its intelligence, inventors, risk takers, job providers, and business people. Maybe they (we?) can all go to the same place, somewhere warm, and build a new society based on our Declaration of Independence and Constitution, and using real money for commerce, which is silver and gold.
I’ve watched Mitt Romney be interviewed twice on two different shows on Fox, and he’s a wimp, pure and simple. He never gives a straight answer to a direct question, and you certainly can’t say that about Newt or Ron Paul!
P.S. Part one of Atlas Shrugged is available in DVD. Everyone should READ the book, because no movie can ever be equal to a book from which it was taken. If you are illiterate, then watch the film, which may possibly convey Rand’s thoughts, but not with total clarity. Atlas Shrugged is a political theory in novel form, and was the beginning of Libertarianism, just like the Bible was the beginning of Christianity.