Shots Across The Bow

So, You're Against President Bush's Policy in Iraq.

Ok.

What are you basing your opposition on? Here's a few questions that anyone who wants to hod an intelligent informed opinion should be able to answer easily.

1. What's the difference between a Shia and a Sunni Muslim?
2. What is Wahabbi Islam?
3. What is the majority in Iraq, Sunni or Shia?
4. Which was Saddam Hussein and his riuling Ba'ath party?
5. Which flavor of Islam dominates Iran?
6. Who is Muqtada al Sadr?
7. Are the militias running about in Iraq Shia or Sunni?
8. Are the Kurds Muslims?
9. Who is Nouri al Maliki?
10. Is he Sunni or Shia?
11. Who is Abdul Aziz al Hakim?
12. What is Sharia?
13. Define dhimmi.
14. What are America's stated goals in Iraq?
15. What are the difficulties facing us in reaching those goals?
16. How does the current strategic proposals enable the US to meet those goals?

If you can answer these questions, then you are qualified to hold an opinion on the relative merits and weaknesses of the Bush administrations approach in Iraq. If you can't, your opinion, whether for or against, is codswallop.

But don't feel bad; you're in good company. The new Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee can't answer most of these questions either.

By the way, the first 14 questions can be answered in less than an hour using your favorite search engine. The last two require a little more effort and logical analysis, but for anyone who hasn't rotted their brain with 4 years of institutionalization, it shouldn't prove to be too difficult.

Posted by Rich at January 22, 2007 8:58 PM | TrackBack