What every American should know about the Middle East
March 31st, 2008
Daniel Miessler wrote a short, easy to read, one page article on his blog yesterday that impressed me. He gives a very quick and extremely basic introduction to the Middle East and Islam that I think is valuable. Rather than quote it, I’ll simply suggest you click the link and take two or three minutes to read it.
In addition, I’ll quickly add a few facts about Morocco, which, while not in the Middle East, may still be of interest for some (or at least for me as I currently live in the Kingdom). Morocco is is about 60% Berber and about 40% Arab, and is Sunni Muslim (Maliki school, for those who know what that means) with some Sufism as well.
Entry Filed under: General
10 Comments Add your own
1. tab gilbert | March 31st, 2008 at 9:03 pm
Thanks. BTW, Morocco is a wonderful country.
2. Russ | March 31st, 2008 at 9:50 pm
Most of the points are no-duh, but some are just stupid.
1. I think they missing the opportunity here to mention how many Muslims are *not* Arab.
2. This one is just definition, I’ve never heard anyone screw these up and I don’t understand how this fits into such a list.
3. No. Shia Muslims are not like Roman Catholics. Shia Muslims are like the medieval Roman Catholic church. The Pope is a leader of the Roman Catholic church, the leaders of the Shia religion also control entire nations.
Traditionally most Shia Muslims consider Ali ibn Abi Talib and the other 11 imams not only religious guides but political leaders, based on a crucial hadith where the Prophet Muhammad passes on his power to command Muslims to Ali. Since the last Imam, Muhammad al-Mahdi, went into "occultation" in 939 AD and is not expected back until end times, this left Shia without religiously sanctioned governance.
4. I like how Persians are always so particular about their race. What about Iranians that aren’t Persian? Dunno, I just sense a general racial superiority complex going on there.
5. Thats wonderful that the etymology doesn’t always make sense, but whats the point? Seriously, who cares.
Antisemitism (alternatively spelled anti-semitism or anti-Semitism, also known as judeophobia) is prejudice and hostility toward Jews as a religious, racial, or ethnic group. While the term’s etymology indicates that antisemitism is directed against all Semitic peoples, since its creation it has been used exclusively to refer to hostility towards Jews.
6. This is pretty common knowledge now too, along with Jesus being a prophet in Islam. I think there is a statistic somewhere about being more likely to be murdered by a family member. Maybe that applies here?
7. Ok.
8. I think people know this too.
9. Why leave out the most important aspect here? Establishing a world wide Caliphate and the hypocrisy involved in attacking Zionism while calling for a Caliphate.
10. ??? Every needs a top ten list.
3. Jillian York | March 31st, 2008 at 10:11 pm
@ Russ - I think you’re overestimating the intelligence/global knowledge of the average American.
@ Matthew - Thanks for the link, although I do think his explanation of Sunni vs. Shi’a is a bit oversimplified.
Also, as far as Morocco is concerned, the 60% Berber/40% Arab stat is skewed, given how many of the two groups have intermarried throughout the ages…aside from very rural areas, there are few pure Tamazight left.
4. Jillian York | March 31st, 2008 at 10:12 pm
Also just wanted to mention, although it’s statistically unimportant, Morocco still has a Jewish population of about 50,000 (that’s what I’ve heard, although in several years I only met four or five), down from far more pre-WWII.
5. matthew | April 1st, 2008 at 4:40 am
Russ: you are being a bit picky on the details for something intended to be an incredibly basic introduction for people who pretty much know nothing.
Jillian: I totally agree on both points. Again, it’s a gross oversimplification for the sake of giving an introduction to people who know nothing.
I’m certain all three of us could each write a book on the topic (and yours would probably be better than mine). Thanks for reading my blog and commenting, you two! I am thrilled to have such knowledgeable people stopping by!
6. Alberto Milone | April 1st, 2008 at 8:50 am
Thanks for the link Matthew. I must admit that I wasn’t aware of all the points listed in that link. I’m a bit less ignorant now
Alberto
7. Ryan | April 1st, 2008 at 10:45 am
Wow-that is incredible. It makes so much more sense now. Thanks for the great link!
-Ryan
8. nabil2199 | April 1st, 2008 at 1:52 pm
As a moroccan I think that people here merged into one moroccan ethnicity.
being moroccan superseeds religion,ethnic group or whatever.
9. matthew | April 1st, 2008 at 1:59 pm
nabil: I see more differences from language or from living in a city vs in the country than I do from ethnicity in Morocco, so I am with you there.
I haven’t seen enough diversity in religious backgrounds here to comment on whether that would make a difference.
10. mimoune djouallah | April 3rd, 2008 at 1:46 pm
Ethnicity and religion, what a complicated subject, in the case of my country ( Algeria), we have many ethnics group ( Arab, chaoui, kabyle, mouzabit, black people….) but we have something common, I can’t explain it, as I am not a sociologist expert, it is very easy to recognise an Algerian, by the way of speaking, acting. ( I don’t know, perhaps that’s what we call identity)
Ps: What a mess, speaking about this subject in English, is like trying to convince my wife why kde is so important for the humanity.
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