SAN FRANCISCO, Dec 27: A new study of the Rand Corporation
- a leading US think tank - advocates that Sunni, Shia and Arab,
non-Arab divides should be exploited to promote the US policy
objectives in the Muslim world.
One of the primary objective of the study was to "identify
the key cleavages and fault lines among sectarian, ethnic, regional,
and national lines and to assess how these cleavages generate
challenges and opportunities for the United States."
The Study pointed out that the majority of the world's Muslims
are Sunni, but a significant minority, about 15 per cent of the
global Muslim population, are Shias. It went on to say that the
expectations of Iraqi Shia for a greater say in the governance
of their country presents an opportunity for the United States
to align its policy with Shia aspirations for greater freedom
of religious and political expression, in Iraq and elsewhere.
The study maintained that with the moves toward rapprochement
between Tehran and Riyadh, there are reports that Saudi Arabia's
Shias are now turning from Iran and placing their hopes on the
United States.
It believes that a Shia government in Iraq will increase
their ability to help their brethren in Saudi Arabia. "Such
expectations could present an opportunity for the United States
to align its policy with Shia aspirations for greater freedom
of religious and political expression and a say in their own affairs
in countries controlled by others." [...]
http://www.iraq-war.ru/tiki-read_article.php?articleId=34822
This is something to keep in mind in light of "get the Saudis"
spin that continues to be directed at 9/11-related issues, and which
has been noticably ramping up again lately.