If you're like me, you've never heard a good explanation of why this issue in Iraq is such a difficult one to resolve. MSNBC has posted an excellent website outlining this. It's definitely worth your time to check it out.
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Luke, that was a great link. The Iraq situation is so convoluted, and that's one of the better explanations I've read about the Kurd / Sunni / Shiite conflicts. It's amazing to think that after World War II the European powers just drew lines in the Middle East and thought the states would get by just fine. It will definitely be interesting to watch how this plays out. I like how the reporter brought the presentation together at the end by talking about how important diplomatic action is that brings in all the neighbors of Iraq. Since the neighbors have a huge influence on the fighting and supplying militants and supplies, I would have to agree that trying to figure something out with them is going to be essential to near term stability.
I do think the reporter down played the religious aspects of Iraq a bit much. From other articles that I've read, there is a lot of conflict and tension over religious differences as well as geopolitical reasons (not to downplay geopolitical reasons at all).
So anyways, thanks for the link. I think many people will benefit from a greater knowledge of what is going on in Iraq and why it's going on.
Dan: Yeah, I really enjoyed his explanation of the conflict too. I know I didn't have a grasp on it at all.
If you click on some of the other links on the page it gives a brief run down of the Shiite / Sunni split. It wasn't even over religious differences, but rather over supporting different leadership of Muhammad's empire.
That wasn't meant to dispute your claim that the religious differences are a large part of the problem. After I posted it and read it I realized it kinda sounded that way. I agree with you on that point.
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