Middle Eastern politics can seem hopelessly complicated at times, but a key to understanding much of what happens is the sectarian conflict between Sunnis and Shiites, as it permeates almost every aspect of the region's politics.
Briefly, the divide between Shiites and Sunnis began when Islam's Prophet Muhammad’s died in 632 A.D. SHIITES believed that Mohammad's successor should come from his family, and thus believed his son-in-law Ali was the rightful heir. SUNNIS, on the other hand, were more motivated in expanding Islam politically, and believed Mohammad's friend Abu Bakr would make a better leader. The Sunnis won and Abu Bakr became the second leader of Islam. The Shiites didn't believe in his rule, and thus a rift was born that persists today.
Here's an important thing to know right now:
Saudi Arabia is a Sunni country and supports the growth of other Sunni entities.
These two countries are essentially fighting a proxy war for control in the Middle East by giving support to smaller countries and terrorist organizations who share their beliefs. As policy expert Rami G. Khouri explained in an Al Jazeera op-ed, "the Saudi-Iranian face-off is not just a leading example of regional troubles; it directly influences localized conflicts in Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Iraq and elsewhere."
Recently, Saudi Arabia and Iran have formally cut diplomatic ties after Saudi Arabia executed a Shia cleric. The ramifications have rippled throughout the rest of the region, as Sunni states like Sudan, Somalia, Bahrain, UAE have also cut off ties with Iran.
| Iran supports | Saudi Arabia supports |
|---|---|
| Iraq and Syria | Many Arab countries in the region including Egypt, Sudan, UAE, Kuwait |
| Syria's Assad regime | Sunni rebel fighters in Syria |
| Hezbollah | Al Qaeda |
| Yemen's Shia Houthi rebels | Yemen's Sunni government |
Here's a run-down of Sunni and Shia relationships in the Middle East, including that of Iran and Saudi Arabia. This isn't an exhaustive guide, but these are some of the main players on the scene today.
0 comments:
Post a Comment