(New York Times) Michael Slackman - Iran, the world's only Shiite Islamic government, is hoping to unite Arab Muslims, the vast majority of whom are Sunni, beneath an overarching banner of Islam to fight common enemies in Israel and the West. It is a difficult sell, though, after centuries of distrust between the two sects. Moreover, a wide gap separates the Arab and Persian cultures, and a general sense of distrust lingers among Arab leaders who saw post-revolutionary Iran try to instigate unrest within their own borders.
2006-02-06 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive