What is it about Shiite dominated governments and protests that do not allow the two to coexist? I was struck by this question today when I heard that the forces of the new Houthi led regime in Yemen had opened fire on protesters and wounded many. The Houthis are Iranian backed Shiites in a Moslem country that is roughly half Sunni and half Shiite. Their control of the country is quite new as their forces just ousted the former government within the last week. The protesters, however, were not calling for a change of regime, however; they were upset about the death of another protester earlier in the week.
The attack on the protesters reminded me of the start of the Syrian civil war. At that time, the Shiite regime of Bashir al Assad sent snipers to shoot down random Syrians protesting in rallies against the government's actions. The killings of the protesters did not end the street demonstrations, but they spread anger which grew into the civil war.
Then there is the Iranian reaction to the protests held when the elections in that country were rigged. Those protests were ultimately ended by the use of extreme force by the government against the protesters. Again, Iran is a Shiite country.
The only other countries in the world with Shiite led governments are Iraq and Lebanon. In Iraq, Shiite militias forming part of the government's forces shot and killed a large number of people in a city that had just been liberated from ISIS. The shootings were of prominent Sunnis, not of people who aided ISIS. These people were shot without even first taking part in protests. In Lebanon, there was a long period of civil war during which every sect was killing the others. One cannot single out the Shiites there.
Basically, every Shiite led government in the world (except Lebanon) seems to think it appropriate to shoot down protesters. I guess they never heard of free speech or proportionate responses.
The attack on the protesters reminded me of the start of the Syrian civil war. At that time, the Shiite regime of Bashir al Assad sent snipers to shoot down random Syrians protesting in rallies against the government's actions. The killings of the protesters did not end the street demonstrations, but they spread anger which grew into the civil war.
Then there is the Iranian reaction to the protests held when the elections in that country were rigged. Those protests were ultimately ended by the use of extreme force by the government against the protesters. Again, Iran is a Shiite country.
The only other countries in the world with Shiite led governments are Iraq and Lebanon. In Iraq, Shiite militias forming part of the government's forces shot and killed a large number of people in a city that had just been liberated from ISIS. The shootings were of prominent Sunnis, not of people who aided ISIS. These people were shot without even first taking part in protests. In Lebanon, there was a long period of civil war during which every sect was killing the others. One cannot single out the Shiites there.
Basically, every Shiite led government in the world (except Lebanon) seems to think it appropriate to shoot down protesters. I guess they never heard of free speech or proportionate responses.
No comments:
Post a Comment