Team Infidel
Forum Spin Doctor
Wall Street Journal
March 26, 2008
Pg. 14
By Robert McFarlane
Ten days ago in Cairo, I participated in the fourth gathering of senior Iraqi religious leaders in a process designed to nurture political reconciliation, the missing element required for there to be any hope of a stable future for Iraq. This process was established by the Anglican priest Andrew White a little over a year ago.
Prior to last week's sessions the co-chairs of the process -- Sunni Sheikh Dr. Abdul Latif Humayeem (former personal Imam to Saddam Hussein), and Shiite Ayatollah Sayed Ammar Abou Ragheef (Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani's chief of staff) -- had been meeting every two weeks in an effort to define how best to bring the two major religious communities closer together. These meetings were profoundly important in producing the gains that did occur last week.
The meeting was notable because of the standing and influence of the participants, and because of the profound change in their apparent commitment to accelerating the pace of reconciliation among the religious communities.
In particular, I was very encouraged that Moqtada al-Sadr, Shiite leader of the Mahdi Army, chose to send an emissary. The active participation of his designee, Sheikh Salah al Obaidi, offers hope that the Sadrists may be considering participation in Iraq's political process and turning away from the violence to achieve their aims.
I was also immensely encouraged by the substance of what was actually said by the Sunni and Shiite leaders at this gathering. The evident change in tone, the absence of complaints about each other, and the acceptance of responsibility for shaping their country's future, were the first instances of realism and responsibility that I have witnessed. That tone is perhaps best captured by a simple excerpt from my notes taken at the meetings:
- Ayatollah Sayed Ammar Abou Ragheef (Shiite): "Today in Iraq we [religious leaders] are facing an ethical crisis, a human crisis called sectarianism that is responsible for profound inequity, injustice and suffering. Some say that it is the occupation that causes sectarianism, some say that the secular system we have lived under worked. But the truth is that factionalism has its origins in the Second Caliphate.
"It was then that the schism was created that endures to this day. Baghdad was partitioned by the Abbasids and division has been nurtured by Iraqis since that time. And the truth is that this schism was not nurtured by our ancestors on theological grounds; they advocated sectarianism as a culture.
"The only way that we will overcome this history is to move from sectarianism to the rule of law. Realistically there is little prospect of our being able to enact a just framework of law until we -- we clerics -- establish a climate of mutual trust and respect between our two communities. In my judgment, the only way we can establish such a climate is by creating a series of concrete, confidence-building projects in which Sunnis and Shiites work together to improve the welfare of both communities."
*Sheikh Dr. Abdul Latif Humayeem (Sunni): "We brought this [sectarian] crisis on ourselves. This shared cult of sectarianism bobby-traps our society. Throughout history we have nurtured factionalism -- first through differing interpretations of the Quran, then by making these differences sacred and inviolate. Then comes fanaticism and blind, unreasoned violence. It is urgent that we, the leaders of Iraq's religious communities, lead a move away from this depraved culture of sectarianism toward a culture of unity as an Iraqi nation."
*Sheikh Salah al Obeidi (Sadrist): "For the occupation to end we must stop sectarian violence. When the central government encourages sectarianism, it makes it more difficult to overcome. Further, for religious leaders to justify their position on the basis of having the exclusive support of God makes it harder still. Instead we must focus our attention on creating a basis for confidence among brothers of all sects.
"In order to rebuild the country, we must start with security -- an end to violence. We must also have a trained national army and police force. And this can only happen after we -- Sunnis and Shiites -- enter a genuine rapprochement."
The importance of the foregoing rhetoric lies in the power and standing of those involved. These are three of the most important political figures in Iraq today. Their edicts and counsel go out to millions of Iraqis every Friday at the mosques, and to members of the national government and parliament throughout the week. In short, if there is to be reconciliation in Iraq it must be led by these men. In the foregoing statements they are acknowledging that it is their responsibility to lead this process. The Maliki government has not done it, and in any event cannot do it alone. Neither can the paralyzed parliament. But clearly the most authoritative word in Iraq comes from its most respected institution, religion.
This is a very promising process and one deserving of our prayers -- especially at this special time of year for all religions.
Mr. McFarlane was President Reagan's national security adviser.
March 26, 2008
Pg. 14
By Robert McFarlane
Ten days ago in Cairo, I participated in the fourth gathering of senior Iraqi religious leaders in a process designed to nurture political reconciliation, the missing element required for there to be any hope of a stable future for Iraq. This process was established by the Anglican priest Andrew White a little over a year ago.
Prior to last week's sessions the co-chairs of the process -- Sunni Sheikh Dr. Abdul Latif Humayeem (former personal Imam to Saddam Hussein), and Shiite Ayatollah Sayed Ammar Abou Ragheef (Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani's chief of staff) -- had been meeting every two weeks in an effort to define how best to bring the two major religious communities closer together. These meetings were profoundly important in producing the gains that did occur last week.
The meeting was notable because of the standing and influence of the participants, and because of the profound change in their apparent commitment to accelerating the pace of reconciliation among the religious communities.
In particular, I was very encouraged that Moqtada al-Sadr, Shiite leader of the Mahdi Army, chose to send an emissary. The active participation of his designee, Sheikh Salah al Obaidi, offers hope that the Sadrists may be considering participation in Iraq's political process and turning away from the violence to achieve their aims.
I was also immensely encouraged by the substance of what was actually said by the Sunni and Shiite leaders at this gathering. The evident change in tone, the absence of complaints about each other, and the acceptance of responsibility for shaping their country's future, were the first instances of realism and responsibility that I have witnessed. That tone is perhaps best captured by a simple excerpt from my notes taken at the meetings:
- Ayatollah Sayed Ammar Abou Ragheef (Shiite): "Today in Iraq we [religious leaders] are facing an ethical crisis, a human crisis called sectarianism that is responsible for profound inequity, injustice and suffering. Some say that it is the occupation that causes sectarianism, some say that the secular system we have lived under worked. But the truth is that factionalism has its origins in the Second Caliphate.
"It was then that the schism was created that endures to this day. Baghdad was partitioned by the Abbasids and division has been nurtured by Iraqis since that time. And the truth is that this schism was not nurtured by our ancestors on theological grounds; they advocated sectarianism as a culture.
"The only way that we will overcome this history is to move from sectarianism to the rule of law. Realistically there is little prospect of our being able to enact a just framework of law until we -- we clerics -- establish a climate of mutual trust and respect between our two communities. In my judgment, the only way we can establish such a climate is by creating a series of concrete, confidence-building projects in which Sunnis and Shiites work together to improve the welfare of both communities."
*Sheikh Dr. Abdul Latif Humayeem (Sunni): "We brought this [sectarian] crisis on ourselves. This shared cult of sectarianism bobby-traps our society. Throughout history we have nurtured factionalism -- first through differing interpretations of the Quran, then by making these differences sacred and inviolate. Then comes fanaticism and blind, unreasoned violence. It is urgent that we, the leaders of Iraq's religious communities, lead a move away from this depraved culture of sectarianism toward a culture of unity as an Iraqi nation."
*Sheikh Salah al Obeidi (Sadrist): "For the occupation to end we must stop sectarian violence. When the central government encourages sectarianism, it makes it more difficult to overcome. Further, for religious leaders to justify their position on the basis of having the exclusive support of God makes it harder still. Instead we must focus our attention on creating a basis for confidence among brothers of all sects.
"In order to rebuild the country, we must start with security -- an end to violence. We must also have a trained national army and police force. And this can only happen after we -- Sunnis and Shiites -- enter a genuine rapprochement."
The importance of the foregoing rhetoric lies in the power and standing of those involved. These are three of the most important political figures in Iraq today. Their edicts and counsel go out to millions of Iraqis every Friday at the mosques, and to members of the national government and parliament throughout the week. In short, if there is to be reconciliation in Iraq it must be led by these men. In the foregoing statements they are acknowledging that it is their responsibility to lead this process. The Maliki government has not done it, and in any event cannot do it alone. Neither can the paralyzed parliament. But clearly the most authoritative word in Iraq comes from its most respected institution, religion.
This is a very promising process and one deserving of our prayers -- especially at this special time of year for all religions.
Mr. McFarlane was President Reagan's national security adviser.