PERSPECTIVES:
PERSPECTIVES:
Akbar Ahmed
April 9, 2004 Episode no. 732
Current StoriesCover Story: DNA Testing and CrimeFeature: Evangelicals in SudanTribute: World War II U.S. Military ChaplainsBook Review: KILLING THE BUDDHAHeadlines: This Week in Religion News
BOB ABERNETHY, anchor: First, Iraq, where it's been a week of upheaval and bloodshed. The latest outbreak of violence began last weekend. The militia of Moqtada Sadr, a young, firebrand Shiite cleric, took to the streets after U.S. forces closed down Sadr's newspaper and arrested one of his aides. Sadr's militia has been fighting U.S. forces in several Iraqi cities. And in Fallujah, Sunni Muslims allegedly fired on American soldiers from a mosque.
In retaliation, the U.S. dropped a bomb on the mosque compound, causing some damage. Reports of a mosque under U.S. attack have been broadcast across the Islamic world.
An analysis of the insurgency in Iraq now from Professor Akbar Ahmed, a former Pakistani ambassador, now chair of the Islamic studies department at the American University in Washington and the author of ISLAM UNDER SIEGE.
Dr. Ahmed, what is your sense of the situation in Iraq now?
Dr. AKBAR S. AHMED (Author, ISLAM UNDER SIEGE): I believe this is a turning point. The mosque has been attacked; the Shiites and the Sunnis, for the first time, have united in armed resistance against the coalition troops; and the resistance has a face -- this fiery, relatively obscure cleric, Moqtada Sadr.
ABERNETHY: A turning point, from what to what?
Dr. AHMED: Well, it's a year since Saddam was toppled, and we had America very much seen as liberators. From now on, I am afraid, Americans will be seen as occupiers because there is widespread resistance. It's not quite an entire nationwide revolt, but it is in significant pockets, and there has been a lot of killing. Fallujah itself, according to official estimates -- maybe three, 400 people killed.
ABERNETHY: What's the religious component in all this?
Dr. AHMED: The religious component is now coming to the fore: the mosque being attacked, and then, more significantly, Sadr, who is a very shrewd political creature, moves his base of operations to Najaf in the south, which is the heart of the Shia holy territory, which means he is identifying his movement with Shia martyrdom, Shia commitment, and Shia passion.
ABERNETHY: So is there then something developing like a holy war?
Dr. AHMED: It could. It could. This is a very dangerous moment in Iraqi history for coalition forces.
ABERNETHY: And what would that mean?
Dr. AHMED: That would mean that ordinary Iraqis who may not want to be involved in armed resistance against coalition troops would begin to see Americans and American troops in a very different light. They may begin to see this as a holy war, so we are transforming something that does not exist into a very inflammatory situation.
ABERNETHY: What would you recommend if somebody came to you and said, "Okay, we have got this terrible situation there. What should we do?" What would you say?
Dr. AHMED: Three things, Bob. Number one, the commitment to transfer power in June -- that must be maintained. The President of the United States has made a commitment. That must be maintained. Number two, the figures within Iraqi society like Sistani -- this very respected ayatollah -- they must be brought into the loop. And, number three, Iraqis must be made to feel that there is respect, that there is dignity for their local culture, for their traditions. At this moment in time, with the mosque being attacked and so on, there is a great sense of turmoil in Iraqi society. That must be contained.
ABERNETHY: Is the key to this the Grand Ayatollah, Ali al-Sistani?
Dr. AHMED: One of the keys. He is one of the keys, but there are other figures like this who must be brought in so that they automatically contain and marginalize the firebrands like Moqtada Sadr. Otherwise, Sadr, the relatively obscure, unknown figure, will have center stage. And that is not good news.
ABERNETHY: Thanks to Dr. Akbar Ahmed, of the American University.
Dr. AHMED: Thank you, Bob.
Akbar Ahmed
April 9, 2004 Episode no. 732
Current StoriesCover Story: DNA Testing and CrimeFeature: Evangelicals in SudanTribute: World War II U.S. Military ChaplainsBook Review: KILLING THE BUDDHAHeadlines: This Week in Religion News
BOB ABERNETHY, anchor: First, Iraq, where it's been a week of upheaval and bloodshed. The latest outbreak of violence began last weekend. The militia of Moqtada Sadr, a young, firebrand Shiite cleric, took to the streets after U.S. forces closed down Sadr's newspaper and arrested one of his aides. Sadr's militia has been fighting U.S. forces in several Iraqi cities. And in Fallujah, Sunni Muslims allegedly fired on American soldiers from a mosque.
In retaliation, the U.S. dropped a bomb on the mosque compound, causing some damage. Reports of a mosque under U.S. attack have been broadcast across the Islamic world.
An analysis of the insurgency in Iraq now from Professor Akbar Ahmed, a former Pakistani ambassador, now chair of the Islamic studies department at the American University in Washington and the author of ISLAM UNDER SIEGE.
Dr. Ahmed, what is your sense of the situation in Iraq now?
Dr. AKBAR S. AHMED (Author, ISLAM UNDER SIEGE): I believe this is a turning point. The mosque has been attacked; the Shiites and the Sunnis, for the first time, have united in armed resistance against the coalition troops; and the resistance has a face -- this fiery, relatively obscure cleric, Moqtada Sadr.
ABERNETHY: A turning point, from what to what?
Dr. AHMED: Well, it's a year since Saddam was toppled, and we had America very much seen as liberators. From now on, I am afraid, Americans will be seen as occupiers because there is widespread resistance. It's not quite an entire nationwide revolt, but it is in significant pockets, and there has been a lot of killing. Fallujah itself, according to official estimates -- maybe three, 400 people killed.
ABERNETHY: What's the religious component in all this?
Dr. AHMED: The religious component is now coming to the fore: the mosque being attacked, and then, more significantly, Sadr, who is a very shrewd political creature, moves his base of operations to Najaf in the south, which is the heart of the Shia holy territory, which means he is identifying his movement with Shia martyrdom, Shia commitment, and Shia passion.
ABERNETHY: So is there then something developing like a holy war?
Dr. AHMED: It could. It could. This is a very dangerous moment in Iraqi history for coalition forces.
ABERNETHY: And what would that mean?
Dr. AHMED: That would mean that ordinary Iraqis who may not want to be involved in armed resistance against coalition troops would begin to see Americans and American troops in a very different light. They may begin to see this as a holy war, so we are transforming something that does not exist into a very inflammatory situation.
ABERNETHY: What would you recommend if somebody came to you and said, "Okay, we have got this terrible situation there. What should we do?" What would you say?
Dr. AHMED: Three things, Bob. Number one, the commitment to transfer power in June -- that must be maintained. The President of the United States has made a commitment. That must be maintained. Number two, the figures within Iraqi society like Sistani -- this very respected ayatollah -- they must be brought into the loop. And, number three, Iraqis must be made to feel that there is respect, that there is dignity for their local culture, for their traditions. At this moment in time, with the mosque being attacked and so on, there is a great sense of turmoil in Iraqi society. That must be contained.
ABERNETHY: Is the key to this the Grand Ayatollah, Ali al-Sistani?
Dr. AHMED: One of the keys. He is one of the keys, but there are other figures like this who must be brought in so that they automatically contain and marginalize the firebrands like Moqtada Sadr. Otherwise, Sadr, the relatively obscure, unknown figure, will have center stage. And that is not good news.
ABERNETHY: Thanks to Dr. Akbar Ahmed, of the American University.
Dr. AHMED: Thank you, Bob.
posted by Thaqalain | Tuesday, June 01, 2004
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