ISIS Provides Some Spice for the Middle East / Persia

[Jimmy Higgins]

ISIS kind of disappeared... and now they reappeared after they attacked American bases in Iraq...

...wait...

a memorial service in Iran. Which has led to Iran and Pakistan returning military strikes on militant positions. Pakistan is notorious for its rivalry with Iran... I mean India. Which makes this tit for tat expected... unusual.

With Pakistan typically sabre ratting towards India, no one knows what the Muslim majority is in Pakistan because it was Hindu v Muslim. But now with Iran and Pakistan looking at each other, it is making people wonder... why type of Muslims live in Pakistan, Shia or the other kind? Turns out, it is the other kind relative to Iran. And if there is one thing Muslims hate more than anything, it is the other kind of Muslim, for some reason. It is worse than Michigan and OSU fans.

This turn of events adds an unexpected twist in the Middle East / Persian region, where it was generally a them vs us conflict, turning into a them vs us vs the other us.

 

[Elixir]

There’s probably some good reason that Muslims are so bellicose in general, and why they are so vehement in their hatred of Muslims that aren’t their own brand of Muslim. I just don’t know what it is.

 

[Gospel]

There’s probably some good reason that Muslims are so bellicose in general, and why they are so vehement in their hatred of Muslims that aren’t their own brand of Muslim. I just don’t know what it is.

The west is definitely one of the many ingredients if not the main one.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

There’s probably some good reason that Muslims are so bellicose in general, and why they are so vehement in their hatred of Muslims that aren’t their own brand of Muslim. I just don’t know what it is.

The west is definitely one of the many ingredients if not the main one.

While the West did exist, the Sunni and Shia have been at odds for well over one millennium. While western meddling and dishonest practices has helped sow dissent in regions, it isn't a prerequisite.

 

[Gospel]

I was about to edit and make the distinction that I'm talking about modern times. They've always been at war over political, territorial, and cultural factors.

 

[Elixir]

I was about to edit and make the distinction that I'm talking about modern times. They've always been at war over political, territorial, and cultural factors.

Right. There’s something endemic to their culture. I hope it’s not genetic.

 

[Gospel]

In reality, the primary tension between Iran and Pakistan currently stems not from their sectarian differences within Islam, but rather from Pakistan's perceived alignment with the United States. Iran views Pakistan as a proxy for U.S. interests, particularly concerning its alleged harboring of terrorist groups that are hostile to Iran. I mean, that's Pakistan's thing these days, if you remember, Osama was just chillin over there.

 

[Patooka]

There’s probably some good reason that Muslims are so bellicose in general, and why they are so vehement in their hatred of Muslims that aren’t their own brand of Muslim. I just don’t know what it is.

It's the Uncanny Valley of religious intolerance. The more similar you are to the other tribe the greater the resentment. It's hardly unique for Muslims. Belfast was the same with zero Mouhameds required during the 70s.

 

[Jarhyn]

There’s probably some good reason that Muslims are so bellicose in general, and why they are so vehement in their hatred of Muslims that aren’t their own brand of Muslim. I just don’t know what it is.

The west is definitely one of the many ingredients if not the main one.

While the West did exist, the Sunni and Shia have been at odds for well over one millennium. While western meddling and dishonest practices has helped sow dissent in regions, it isn't a prerequisite.

A lot of it is racism WRT Persians, but a lot of it is doctrinal over who they think their muslim popes were and one side does not recognize the other side's historical pope lineage

The issue here AFAICT is that a bunch of folks make pilgrimage to the burial sites of the popes/saints the other side doesn't even recognize, and the locals don't like the pilgrims OR the fact they are worshipping "people/images/sites".

Or at least that was my experience in Iraq, near one of those holy sites and having to plan around the "migration".

It is not different really from the Catholic/protestant divide insofar as this amounts to an "authority conflict" and both sides at the top are butthurt because they can't have power over everyone.

As authoritative and rigid as Islam is, this creates a bloody, racist rift.

 

[Gospel]

My hood senses tell me that Pakistan is vulnerable due to its military's preoccupation with domestic issues (the political elites VS the people). This situation presents an opportune moment for their Ops (Iran) to confront terrorist groups within Pakistan's borders. Iran's actions mirror the U.S. strategy in Yemen, exploiting the fact that Pakistan is currently not in a position to mount a significant retaliation due to its internal political and security challenges. It also doesn't help that the Pakistan military is rubbish anyway.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Regarding racism WRT to Persians... am I mistaken in thinking Pakistan is also Persian?

Regarding Pakistan lacking an ability to mount a significant retaliation, I wouldn't lump Pakistan with the Houthis. Pakistan might not have a great military, but it probably shouldn't be overlooked in the region. They aren't taking anyone over, but I think they probably can defend itself.

 

[Elixir]

I wouldn't lump Pakistan with the Houthis.

Right - they're Houthis with 170 nuclear warheads.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

What's the old joke? What is the difference between a Houthi and Pakistani?

Spoiler

I have no clue, I'm an American.

 

[Gospel]

The US has around fifty-three hundred warheads that didn't help in Afghanistan. The Pakistan military at this moment in time is a joke.

 

[Elixir]

The US has around fifty-three hundred warheads that didn't help in Afghanistan. The Pakistan military at this moment in time is a joke.

I just hope the joke doesn't have a nuclear punchline.

 

[Elixir]

There’s probably some good reason that Muslims are so bellicose in general, and why they are so vehement in their hatred of Muslims that aren’t their own brand of Muslim. I just don’t know what it is.

It's the Uncanny Valley of religious intolerance. The more similar you are to the other tribe the greater the resentment. It's hardly unique for Muslims. Belfast was the same with zero Mouhameds required during the 70s.

Yeah, it’s just that the USA was founded by a plurality of seekers of freedom from religious persecution. So much so that the Constitution prohibits the government taking any stance regarding religion. And that used to mean something not too long ago.

Now we gots red hatted Murkin Xtian Taliban holding the purse strings to the fruits of American taxpayers’ labor. Kinda sucks.

 

[Gospel]

The US has around fifty-three hundred warheads that didn't help in Afghanistan. The Pakistan military at this moment in time is a joke.

I just hope the joke doesn't have a nuclear punchline.

They did get a punchline for their nuclear weapons after the soviets fell. The US sanctioned the hell out of them and they've a hand with USA Tattoo that's been up there asses & puppeteering them ever since.

 

[T.G.G. Moogly]

I was about to edit and make the distinction that I'm talking about modern times. They've always been at war over political, territorial, and cultural factors.

That's pretty much a moot distinction. Religions, particularly their modern expressions, are and have always been businesses. Businesses deal in money and wealth and the power it brings. Religions don't survive without money and never have. Competition for resources is what drives religious differences, same as any other business.

 

[bilby]

There’s probably some good reason that Muslims are so bellicose in general, and why they are so vehement in their hatred of Muslims that aren’t their own brand of Muslim. I just don’t know what it is.

It's mostly "being a few hundred years behind Christendom".

Christians were exactly the same. Look at the Thirty Years War. From 1618 to 1648, most of Europe was embroiled in a war that devastated much of the central portion of Western Europe (roughly coincident with today's Germany). The war was over the vitally important matter of whether the Protestants or the Catholics had the more accurate version of their "religion of peace".

There's nothing new under the sun. Particularly not when it comes to religious conflict, where the smaller the differences are, the more violent the conflicts become.

That holds true whether it's Shia vs Sunni, Catholic vs Protestant, or Liverpool vs Everton.

 

[bilby]

I was about to edit and make the distinction that I'm talking about modern times. They've always been at war over political, territorial, and cultural factors.

Right. There’s something endemic to their culture. I hope it’s not genetic.

It's certainly genetic; It afflicts anyone with the genes for "being a Homo Sapiens"