Fuck Muhammad!!!

[HairOfTheDog]

Copied from another thread; fits better here.

Well, Obama got it wrong when it comes to Yemen, at least for more than a very short time.

He said back when the US was getting re-involved in Iraq:

"This strategy of taking out terrorists who threaten us, while supporting partners on the front lines, is one that we have successfully pursued in Yemen and Somalia for years."

One could argue that he was right for a while, though I think it was more the US drones than Yemeni forces that took out the most al-Qaeda terrorists. Or, that the Houthis in Yemen aren't terrorists, and al-Qaeda's terrorist network has indeed been weakened there. Or, that Yemen's been unstable for so long and it's good that now an ME coalition is taking military action, not the U.S.

I think there's some truth in all of those points, personally. But, there's no solid argument, in my opinion, that Obama's statement about Yemen being a model for counter-terrorism strategy was not premature and ill-advised, at best.

Iran and Iraq united might be a good thing for both of them and for the U.S. Iran is stronger. Iraq and Iran are the only two major Shiite players, surrounded by Sunni-dominated countries (Israel excepted). I'd rather see Iraq join Iran than be taken by the Sunni Islamic State unless the US occupies it. IS wants Syria too -- Syria's diverse religiously, but way more Sunni than Shiite.

Saddam was Sunni running a predominately Shiite country under secular (non-religious) laws. Forcing him out was a mistake, IMO.

Assad is Shiite (Alawite) running a predominately Sunni country under secular laws. The fact that he is Shiite is one of several reasons he has Iran's support, I imagine.

I don't think you can look at foreign policy in the Middle East without considering the Shia/Sunni make up and relationships between those countries in that context.

Let's say the whole region became Sunni-led under Sharia Law. For those of you who believe that all Muslims view non-Muslims as the enemy, where do you think the fundamentalists would turn their geographical take-over attention if they stopped fighting between and amongst themselves? Maybe the Middle East would be less volatile and more content as a region. Or, maybe they'd wanna branch out and out...