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Topic: Shortly before Iraq invasion Bush didn't know what Sunnis and Shia were

War_Is_Peace
recent-rabble-rouser
Babbler # 12992

posted 04 August 2006 01:41 PM

Right before the war and a year after the "Axis of Evil" speech Bush was shockingly ignorant of Iraq and Islam. He did not even know what Sunnis and Shia were, believing there was only one sect of Islam. This is very damning, for it means that he decided to invade a nation (we now know thanks to the Downing Street Memo that the decision to go to war was made by the middle of 2002 at the latest) without even bothering to look at a wikipedia entry on Iraq, let alone do some real research or talk to experts on Iraq.

Bush is simply unqualified for the job...

Read the damning article here

From: USA | Registered: Aug 2006 | IP: Logged

jeff house
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 518

posted 04 August 2006 01:50 PM

Actually, I posted a very similar story some months ago on babble.

That story was based on the reports made by several Iraqis who got an audience with Bush just a month or so before the war began.

They came out of the meeting shaking their heads. These people were glad that "regime change" was on the agenda, but quite amazed at Bush's ignorance.

They said he "didn't seem to be aware of" the fact that Sunnis and Shi-ites form different communities in Iraq.

From: toronto | Registered: May 2001 | IP: Logged

500_Apples
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 12684

posted 04 August 2006 01:52 PM

I wonder if the lesson in history will be plan invasions better or simply don't invade.

Is it a viable option to simply partition Iraq?

From: Montreal, Quebec | Registered: Jun 2006 | IP: Logged

Noise
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 12603

posted 04 August 2006 01:53 PM

For what it's worth... Tis quite obvious that many posters on the current conflict in Lebanon seem completely unaware of this as well. Though Bush being a leader should know these things, complete and utter ignorance regarding the region seems to be the primary driving factor for Western foriegn policy in the region.

quote:
Is it a viable option to simply partition Iraq?

Not really... which sect do you give the extreme oil wealth to then?

[ 04 August 2006: Message edited by: Noise ]

From: Protest is Patriotism | Registered: May 2006 | IP: Logged

500_Apples
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 12684

posted 04 August 2006 01:59 PM

In which lands is it distributed?

From: Montreal, Quebec | Registered: Jun 2006 | IP: Logged

Noise
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 12603

posted 04 August 2006 02:05 PM

Under Saddam, the ruling group were Sunni dominated... Most of their numbers are concentrated central Iraq, which is mostly resourceless. The Shi'a majority in the southern regions and the Kurds in the northern regions are the groups with the oil.

Though thats by memory, I'd have to research to confirm.

From: Protest is Patriotism | Registered: May 2006 | IP: Logged

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