1400 years after the founding of Christianity, sectarian war
broke out across Europe and raged on for 125 years. In the Wars of Religion millions died,
roughly a third of the population, from war, famine, atrocities all carried out
in the name of Truth and God. Sure,
power and hegemony over land and treasure were at issue, as was the venality of
religious authorities, but religious belief was the rallying cry; the certainty
that my sect has the true interpretation fuels my hatred of the heretic and
justifies his or her destruction.
Imagine that an America existed in 1550 relatively as
powerful then as we are today, able to project its power and intervene in
Europe. Imagine what might have happened
if that hypothetical America had thrown its lot to the Protestants or to the
Catholics. What if it had to choose
between Lutherans and Calvinists, or behind this and that splinter sect? What added horrors would it have sown -- and
reaped eventually upon itself? Sectarian
war among true believers can only burn itself out; "reason" cannot be
imposed by outsiders, for the combatants "know they know the truth"
until they confront their folly.
Fast forward to today: Islam was founded some 1400 years ago. It now is becoming embroiled in sectarian
civil war -- Sunnis and Shiites; Wahabis, Salafis, Alewites, Assassins,
Pashtuns; Turks, Kurds, Arabs and Persians.
True believers all, and ready to kill Islamic heretics amongst them --
and yes, heathens amongst them as well, like Christians, Jews, Hindus.... True, the 1400 years is more coincidence than
meaningful parallel, but maybe all religions have to go through upheavals to mature to mutual tolerance.
Does our America of today dare risk being perceived as
supporting any side in this Islamic blood-bathing? Some say yes, let's support a Shiite dictator
against Sunnis and join Iran on that side; wait a minute, maybe we should
support Sunni opponents of an Alawite Shiite and thus be on the opposite side
from Iran; wait a minute, let's support Jews who both Sunnis and Shiites
hate; wait a minute, how about supporting Palestinians, half of whom are
terrorists aimed at Israel, half feared by Egyptian, Jordanian and Saudi sheikhs
as ready to turn on them, both halves supported by Arabs and Persians, who incidentally, distrust each other; or how about supporting Kurds, and have both Arabs and
Turks in opposition? Wait a minute ..! Wait
just a damn minute!
What the hell are we doing?
What is our goal? Aren't they so busy killing each other and struggling
for power and hegemony over deserts -- and yes, oil -- that these Islamic madmen aren't
about to invade us or launch an attack on Americans? Possibly, but can't we monitor that and be forewarned? Can't we quietly threaten any sectarian
leader with absolute destruction of what they hold dear? Do we have to take sides or even risk being
perceived as taking sides in fights among families, tribes, clans and sects we
don't begin to understand, folks driven by hatred, folks whose values are alien
to our own?
Malaki does not merit our support, nor does Sisi, nor
Rouhani, nor Karzai, nor Mashal nor Nasrallah nor Abbas -- nor even Netanyahu in my humble, minority
opinion. We Westerners, mainly the European colonialists, thank goodness, created these unnatural nations with artificial borders. It's Muhammad and Allah and their desert they
are fighting over. It's the "amongst us" that inflames them. For God's sake --
that is a blasphemy, not a claim -- stay out of it! As horrific as the bloodletting and inhumanity
will be, let's stand aside holding our nose, offer humanitarian aid to any and
all, and let the furor burn itself out.
