WILL US, WESTERN POWERS DEFEAT ISIL??? The apparent world at war scenario unfolding between the United States and Western powers against ISIL (Islamic State in the Levant), an extremist-Sunni-Muslim military initiative advocating establishment of a Caliphate to rule the world of Islam. The idea of a ruling Caliphate emerged 1400 years ago following the death of prophet, Muhammad, wherein a controversy of succession emerged between those who held that Muhammad’s successor must be a blood relation, and the opposing view. This ancient controversy bifurcated early Islam, in the framework of rival Sunni and Shea sectarian groups. The conflict with the United States and Western powers occurs because the United States, and the west, has economic and strategic interests in the Middle East, which is the primary theater of the 1400 year old schism in the world of Islam. Apart from hyperbole, political and media hype the ISIL phenomenon has little if any connection to Western powers beyond the imperatives associated with protecting and safeguarding economic and strategic interests. Although 11th century history, vis-à-vis, the Crusades outline a brief war between Christians and Muslims in the holy land. The Crusades were a military initiative authorized and financed by the papacy to regain the holy land that was lost to Islam during the 8th century when the forces of Islam conquered Egypt, the Middle East and Spain. The popular narrative references political and religious juxtapositions relative to the colorful historical accounts of antagonisms between, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. In fact the popular narrative high lights, an adversarial relationship that positions Islam against Judaism and Christianity. While there is sufficient evidence that the current brand of Sunni-Muslim extremism is inimical to the religion of peace, that the majority of Muslims adhere to, the Sunni-Muslim extremist represent an organic development within Islam. Consequently, some hold that the religion of Islam is in need of a reformation movement… Western powers have no links to organic Islam, as it is essentially an Arab and Middle Eastern religious phenomenon that spread throughout the world. Moreover, apart from their economic and strategic interests in the region the US and Western powers are well advised not to be perceived as being at war with Islam, or favoring one side or the other. ISIL (the Levant) refers to the greater Middle East region prior to WWI, when the contemporary boundaries, vis-à-vis, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Israel, etc., were established by the French and British powers. ISIL’s objective is to reclaim the region (Levant), which predates the boundaries imposed by the west, following WWI. Established Western economic and strategic interests in the region are based on post WWI arrangements and they are at risk. Western economic and strategic interests are at risk because the Sunni-Extremists oppose conventional leaders of the target countries, a/k/a regional allies of the west. Ultimately, the US and western powers cannot compete with the ideology of Sunni-extremism and every effort should be engaged in order to avoid a perception that America, et, al, is at war with Islam. The religious juxtaposition is like red-meat to media carnivores who feed sensational hype to their 24 hour cable news cycle. A general misunderstanding emanates from politically correct rhetoric and the popular sensational historical narrative. Hence, there is little information to satiate the intellectual appetite… But as a practical matter, the religion of Islam may be undergoing its first internal reformation following 14 centuries since its founding. Following 15 centuries of Roman Catholic domination of Christianity the faith was successfully challenged by the Protestant Reformation that bifurcated Christianity into Catholic and Protestant. Perhaps the Protestant Reformation is an analogue to what some say is occurring within Islam. The percolating Sunni-extremist component is a post 1400 century phenomenon that may be a harbinger of a fundamental reformation. Both Christianity and Islam are religions of patriarch Abraham and perhaps their popular earthly renditions require 14 centuries before internal reformation is inspired…
Posted on: Mon, 06 Oct 2014 20:40:15 +0000
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