Jodi Arias Versus the Emerging Regionwide Shia-Sunni Conflagration
Every channel-flipping news junky knows that “human interest” stories trump coverage of bigger, more complex issues that affect our world. It requires a concerted effort to avoid staying up to date on every twist of the never-ending saga of crazy Jodi Arias. But as the region-wide Shia-Sunni sectarian conflict breaks out of its containment shell, it is harder to ignore. Hopefully the 24-hour news networks will provide more extensive coverage.
Some news items you might have missed:
Hezbollah is now fully engaged in fighting for the Alawite regime in Syria. Numerous reports indicate that thousands (3000-4000 is the figure usually cited) of Hezbollah fighters are leading the regime’s assault on a strategically important town of Qusayr. Casualties on both sides are reported to be heavy.
The Alawites are regarded as an offshoot of the Shia sect. It is a watershed event that a foreign Arab militia backed by non-Arab Iran is now acting as Assad’s shock troops battling the regime’s own citizens. This confirms the precedence of religious sectarian loyalties over ethnic or national identification. And it appears to be fueling even further sectarian alignment in the region.
The Jerusalem Post reports that the Assad regime has now enlisted the support of Shia fighters known as Houtis from Yemen.
Not surprisingly, the war is spreading to Lebanon. The Jerusalem Post also reports that Hezbollah has ordered Hamas out of Lebanon. The sectarian strife is now so deep that even their shared enmity toward Israel can’t keep them on the same page. Apparently the enemy of my enemy can also be my enemy.
The pace of sectarian terror bombings has picked up in Iraq as well. During the month of May the number of fatalities exceeded 600 and fears of an all out Shia-Sunni sectarian war are increasing.
The situation is just starting to heat up. More will come. Who knows, maybe the news networks will actually deem it worthy of interrupting their coverage of the Jodi Arias saga.
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