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Handy list of who is who in the Syrian and Middle East conflict (Original Post) dixiegrrrrl Nov 2015 OP
OMG - no wonder I get confused!!! n/t RKP5637 Nov 2015 #1
Even more confusing is Syria is ruled by Shia minority dixiegrrrrl Nov 2015 #3
But Sunni and Shia are mixed together in Syria CJCRANE Nov 2015 #5
Still don't get why Turkey shot down the Russians flamingdem Nov 2015 #8
Thanks for the summery!!! n/t RKP5637 Nov 2015 #9
Weekend reading list. Wilms Nov 2015 #2
I don't even think that's complete Rose Siding Nov 2015 #4
Yeah, now, it would have. Article is probably not quite up to date. dixiegrrrrl Nov 2015 #6
IOW, the same old fratricidal batshit clan/religulous wars hifiguy Nov 2015 #7
Big picture video here: hay rick Nov 2015 #10
Interesting site... KoKo Nov 2015 #15
Thanks for this! elias49 Nov 2015 #11
We should be able to clear that up pretty quick, eh? nt Bigmack Nov 2015 #12
Couple weeks at the most.......... dixiegrrrrl Nov 2015 #13
K&R..! KoKo Nov 2015 #14
Gee thanks underpants Nov 2015 #16

dixiegrrrrl

(60,010 posts)
3. Even more confusing is Syria is ruled by Shia minority
Tue Nov 24, 2015, 06:28 PM
Nov 2015

but majority is Sunni, which explains why ISIS targeted it.


The Middle Eastern countries with the greatest proportion of Sunnis are Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, with Sunnis making up 90% or more of the population.
Turkey is majority Sunni.

Shia make up roughly 10% of all Muslims, and globally their population is estimated between 154 to 200 million.
The Shia majority countries are Iran, Iraq, Azerbaijan, Bahrain. They also form the plurality in Lebanon.

Russia supports Iran, and has had an uneasy alliance with Turkey.
Turkey depends on Russian gas.

Takes a hell of a mental juggling effort to figure out who is doing what to whom and the implications of something like today's attack on a Russian plane.

CJCRANE

(18,184 posts)
5. But Sunni and Shia are mixed together in Syria
Tue Nov 24, 2015, 06:56 PM
Nov 2015

more than in Iraq.

Most of the Syrian army are Sunnis.

Rose Siding

(32,623 posts)
4. I don't even think that's complete
Tue Nov 24, 2015, 06:40 PM
Nov 2015

France would have been added to the intervention airstrike list, right?

dixiegrrrrl

(60,010 posts)
6. Yeah, now, it would have. Article is probably not quite up to date.
Tue Nov 24, 2015, 08:13 PM
Nov 2015

I do not know what the MSM is saying about the conflict in the ME, but I am willing to bet they use the term "Muslim" to identify everyone living there, and make no distinction between the Sunni/Shiite clash at the heart of the matter.
As do the Reich Wingers here.

 

hifiguy

(33,688 posts)
7. IOW, the same old fratricidal batshit clan/religulous wars
Tue Nov 24, 2015, 08:52 PM
Nov 2015

that have been going on in that part of the world for 1200 years. But with modern weapons and vehicles instead of camels and scimitars.

The ME has been the slaughterhouse of the world for more than a thousand years, save when the Ottomans imposed peace by force of the biggest army around.

One is seriously tempted to say build a wall around the whole shitaree and let them all kill each other off.

 

elias49

(4,259 posts)
11. Thanks for this!
Tue Nov 24, 2015, 09:56 PM
Nov 2015

It's a cluster f*** over there and this provides a nice reference. Bookmarked for whenever I need it.

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