Friday, June 28, 2013

Sunnis versus Shi`ites in the Economist

More lousy coverage of the Middle East from the Economist.  Look at this piece about the Sunni-Shi`ite conflict: 1) it is absolutely not true--not even time wise--that the lynching of Shi`ites in Egypt is related to what happened in `Abra, near Sidon.  2) the article misses a major element of the story: the doctrinal Wahhabi hatred of Shi`ites and the fact the Saudi Arabia and Qatar have been pursuing a blatant policies of anti-Shi`itism.  3) the notion that "mainstream" Sunni clerics have avoided endorsing the anti-Shi`ite rhetoric is so wrong unless you count the Senior Clerics of Saudi Arabia and Yusuf Qaradawi was marginal.