They have, to a degree, been both part of Iraq's salvation but also the most serious threat to the all-important effort of once again getting the Sunni Arab population in Iraq to feel that it has a stake in the success of Iraq rather than a stake in its failure, longer term, Iranian-backed Shia militia could emerge as the preeminent power in the country, one that is outside the control of the government and instead answerable to Tehran.
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David Petraeus
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ISIL's focus on justifying killing Shiites is because it is being pressed by Shiite forces in Iraq and Syria, iSIL is hoping to enlist Sunnis by framing its jihad as part of a prophetic battle where the Shiites and Jews eventually unite behind the Antichrist. Fanning the flames of the Sunni-Shia split, which dates to shortly after the death of Mohammad, benefits ISIS by helping it recruit Sunnis, Mauro said. And the terror group's leadership appears to believe a final battle has been prophecized. Worldwide, Sunnis make up about 85 percent of the world’s 1.6 billion Muslims. Sunnis, who believe the true lineage of Mohammad lies with those who most closely followed his teachings, control powerful Muslim nations including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkey and Pakistan. In addition, most Muslims in Africa are Sunnis. Shia Muslims are a relatively small minority of Shia Muslims, concentrated in Iran and Iraq. Shia Muslims believe bloodlines, not devotion, dictate the prophet’s line of successors. Throughout history, Shia Muslims have rejected the authority of Muslim leaders elected by the people, instead following a line of clerics Shia Muslims consider to have been appointed by Mohammad or Allah. The divide goes back to the period following Mohammad’s death in 632, when his close confidante Abu Bakr became the first Caliph of the Islamic nation. Shias believed the rightful heir was Mohammad’s cousin and son-in-law, Ali bin Abu Talib. Both sects have spawned more than their share of terrorists, though the terror organizations operate differently. Al Qaeda, ISIS, Al-Shebab and Boko Haram are Sunni organizations, while Iranian-sponsored terrorist groups, including Hezbollah, are Shia. The 13th issue of Dabiq, a copy of which was provided to FoxNews.com by the Middle East Media Research Institute( MEMRI), is titled The Rafidah : From Ibn Saba' To the Dajjal. The Rafidah is derogatory term for Shia Muslims that translates to.
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Ryan Mauro
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I'm hopeful that Shia Muslims can work to see more religious freedom taking place in Saudi Arabia, for years Shia Muslims've reported on the state of religious freedom in Saudi Arabia.
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Sam Brownback
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Short term, they may win, the long-term solution for Iraq may not be a unified state if the only message they (Sunnis in Anbar province) get is either join ISIS, which will behead you, or support the government, which brings in rival Shia militias to oust the Sunnis. It's a very difficult political situation.
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Philip Mudd
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In my judgment, Daesh is responsible for genocide against groups in territory under its control, including Yazidis, Christians and Shia Muslims.
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State John Kerry
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We are not going to see any major break in these heavily Sunni areas in Iraq until the U.S. is able to get the Sunnis back on board. And that is also going to involve some arm-twisting on the Shia leadership in order for them to give a little bit to the Sunnis.
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Scott Stewart
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I've seen them, i've seen Sunni and Shia fight together on top of a roof in Tikrit.
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James Reese
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We claim responsibility for the attack in Quetta, we targeted the Hazara Shia Muslim community.
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Qari Saifullah
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We need the U.S. government to continue to lend its political and logistical support to the legitimate government and the Arab coalition, this will, in turn, help reinstating the government institutions, which will curb AQAP operations and lead to its demise. The conflict, according to the U.N., has claimed the lives of more than 10,000 people, displaced millions and gutted the infrastructure of the country, already considered the poorest in the Middle East before the war began. Over the past few months, Yemen has been devastated not only by bombs and bullets, but has experienced a severe return of the once almost extinct – and under normal circumstances highly treatable – cholera. American involvement in the fight is increasing. Although the U.S. was forced to shutter Yemen Embassy in Washington D.C. in Yemen in 2015 and pull out special operations forces pursuing AQAP operatives as the conflict spiraled, the American military isincreasinglyembroiled in the embattled nation. U.S. troops have returned in small numbers, and the Trump administration has vastly accelerated the number of operations in the region in recent months. America’s engagement inside Yemen and its backing of The Saudi-led coalition, which supports Mubarak and the rest of the internationally-recognized government, is steeped in controversy. Government forces, Houthi rebels and Al-Qaeda factions control different parts of war-torn Yemen Much of the international media and human rights bodies have accused the U.S. of propping up a bloody Saudi-initiated war, a criticism Mubarak sharply denies. Some of the criticism may reflect a misunderstanding of the history and nature of the conflict. While many have framed the war as a Sunni-Shia sectarian conflict, Mubarak insists the two groups of Muslims, Shia and Sunni, have co-existed in Yemen for a very long time. ISIS, SQUEEZED OUT OF IRAQ AND SYRIA, NOW' REGROUPING' IN LIBYA, ANALYSTS SAY AL QAEDA IN AFGHANISTAN : HOW TERROR GROUP SURVIVES, THRIVES YEMENI REBELS SAY TARGETED UAE SHIP OF The Saudi-led coalition.
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Ahmed Awad
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In the short term, you have the immediate threat of ISIS. But in the long term, the deeper threat is to Iraq’s ability to be free and independent of Iran, dependence on the Shia militias, who have sworn allegiance to the ayatollah, is a problem. The Popular Liberation Forces number about 70,000, including a core of 15,000 hardened fighters who most recently did battle at Tehran’s behest in Syria, where they fought Al Qaeda, ISIS and the Free Syrian Army, Rick Brennan said. Iraq may need their help now, but giving them an official role in the fight against ISIS could further entrench them as both a political and military force within Iraq, Rick Brennan said.
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Rick Brennan
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