What Does The Middle East Have To Fight For?

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The other day I was thinking about the United States and what it means to most of us. If we were at war on our own land we would have a great motivation to fight for this country — imperfect as it is.

We have more freedom coupled with protections than most places on earth. Most of us would not like to lose those things and would fight to defend them.

Can Middle Eastern countries say the same?

What Do Iraq and Syria Have To Fight For?

Iraq and Syria have been in turmoil for centuries. As have most countries in the Middle East. They are more a tribal makeup than a government.

Many have never been more than 50 miles from their birthplace. It’s all they know.

Their governments are in shambles, living in a dictatorship maintaining control by death and torture would be putting it mildly — but it’s all they know.

They have never had to fight to keep a way of life because while the dictator’s come and go the religious beliefs in their lives remain the same.

And they will fight to keep their beliefs rather than their borders but only against those with opposing beliefs.

Defeating ISIS

I keep hearing that the Muslim countries all need to band together to defeat ISIS. Why?

Isn’t ISIS practicing Sharia Law to the letter? Killing anyone who doesn’t think or believe the way they do? Convert or die seems to be their main message.

They burn Christians in cages, drown them in cages, or behead them whichever gets the most press and confirms how deadly serious they are to any one opposing them.

Shiite Vs. Sunnis

The group now known as Sunnis chose Abu Bakr, the prophet's adviser, to become the first successor, or caliph, to lead the Muslim state.

Shiites favored Ali, Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law. Ali and his successors are called imams, who not only lead the Shiites but also are considered to be descendants of Muhammad.

And these two groups don’t really like each other very much.

Where is the central signup line where Shiite and Sunnis sign up to fight side by side for the good of both?

You would have a better chance of getting the Hatfield’s and McCoy’s to fight side by side.