Mohamed Ali
Period 5
November, 15, 2010
IRAQ: SHIITES VS. SUNNIS
The Islam religion was founded by Mohammed in the seventh century. In 622 he founded the first Islamic state, a theocracy in Medina, a city in western Saudi Arabia located north of Mecca. There are two branches of the religion he founded. The Sunni branch believes that the first four caliphs; Mohammed’s successors rightfully took his place as the leaders of Muslims. Shiites, in contrast, believe that only the heirs of the fourth caliph, Ali, are the legitimate successors of Mohammed. Hostility starts between the two groups when Ali is murdered and Hussein’s family is massacred, which were all blood relatives to Mohammed. The Shiites believed that the Sunnis were responsible for the murder of the family. Ever since then the two groups have been bitter rivals.
As a result of the American invasion of Iraq in 2003 there has been a deep Sunni-Shia divide in the Islamic world. The Sunni first targeted American troops, but soon, with the involvement of Al-Qaeda in Iraq, it attacked the Shiites as well. The Sunni target Shiite holy sites, Shiite neighborhoods in Baghdad and elsewhere, and ordinary Shiite civilians. But the attack on the Askariya Shrine, a mosque directly connected to the story of the Twelfth Shiite Imam drove the Shiites to war with the Sunnis. The Shiites fought back through militia attacks and murder. With American involvement now Shiite-Sunni violence predominates in Iraq. Shiite militia even attack American troops due to their interference in their country.
The Essay on Wounded Knee War Iraq Americans
Over one hundred and ten years ago a battle was fought at Wounded Knee. Thousands of Native Americans were tortured and killed in this horrifying event. Nearly forty years later Black Elk, a Sioux medicine man, told the story of his nightmare titled, "The Butchering at Wounded Knee." Throughout the reading of his story one can easily relate the Battle at Wounded Knee to the attack on Iraq that is ...
The political masters of Iraq are discussing whether American soldiers should stay beyond the 2011 deadline or for a complete U.S withdraw. There has been a security agreement between the two nations’s that calls for the U.S troops to leave Iraq by the end of 2011. But defense secretary Robert Gates left open the door that troops could stay in Iraq as long as Baghdad asks for them. The Kurd who commands Iraq’s military believes his army is not ready to defend the nation until 2020. He believes that it will be a decade until his soldiers can take full control of the security in Iraq. The prime minister believes American soldiers will be needed far beyond 2011 to make Iraq safe. But ultimately its political leaders who make the final call and they believe that there is little reason to budge from the 2011 timeline.
It is believed that if the American troops are withdrawn, Iraq would become a battlefield of chaos. It has also been predicted that if America leaves Iraq it will become targeted by terrorist. Even though the level of violence has changed since American troops arrived; the civil war and the insurgency have been suppressed and the terrorist have been marginalized. There has been a study that showed that 50 percent of the time, war will recur within five years of a cease fire. It is also believed that if American troops depart there would be a deepened Sunni-Shia divide and Iraq would become a battlefield.
I believe that some arrangements should be made to keep U.S troops in Iraq for a longer period of time. I agree with the prime minister that it will take more time for Iraq to become a safer nation. I also believe that if America leaves Iraq it will become targeted by terrorist. So it is better to stay there and take full control, rather than being attacked again. I also believe that American soldiers should not leave until Iraqi soldiers can take full control of the security in Iraq and that is estimated to be done by 2020.
