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December 31, 2006
SouthAmerica: This is a very interesting article and if the information is correct it has major implications regarding the sectarian civil war in Iraq.
If the Iraq population has 60 percent Sunnis instead of the 20 percent number that the United States has assumed all along then no wonder the Americans are completely lost regarding the size of the insurgency and everything else that is happening in Iraq.
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Aljazeera â December 28, 2006
Is there a Sunni majority in Iraq?
By: Faruq Ziada
The United States based its policy on Iraq on two primary so-called facts:
1. The Sunnis are a 20 % minority.
2. The Sunni minority and Saddam Hussein ruled the Shia majority in Iraq.
Thus, the U.S. Iraq policy -- as set by the Bush Administration, and the Neoconservatives â both before and after the 2003 war and occupation, was based on this false premise.
Because of this, the Sunnis were marginalized and power was handed over to the Shia religious parties and Kurdish parties by the occupation force CPA, Ambassador Bremer, and later Ambassador Negroponte.
Based on this false premise, the U.S. policy failed miserably. Still, the Bush Administration continued and still is continuing this policy. Bush called it "Stay the courseâ¦"
For this reason, and to bring to light information that should help inform a new policy, it is of the utmost importance to correct this fallacy. We need to put the facts in front of all who will try to correct the course, find the correct necessary policies to end the bloodshed, and end the catastrophe that has befallen Iraq.
The Correct Percentages of Sunnis, Shias, Arabs, and Kurds - The actual, real percentages of various groups in Iraq is outlined below.
Percentage of Sunnis, Shias, Arabs, and Kurds
As Nationalities:
Arabs = 82 - 84%
Kurds, Turks, etc. = 16 - 18%
Religions
Muslims = 95 - 98%
Christians and others = 2- 5%
Muslim Sects
Sunnis = 60- 62%
Sunni Arabs = 42 - 44%
Sunni Kurds and Turks = 16 - 18%
Shias = 38 - 40%
Shia Kurds and Turks = 2 - 4%
Statistics come from the Al- Quds Press Research Center, London Study (www.qudspress.com) and, with reference to the map on the distribution of religious groups, from the Baker â Hamilton Committee report page, 102).
Faruq Ziada served as an ambassador in Iraqâs Foreign Ministry from 1992 to 2000.
Source: http://www.aljazeera.com/cgi-in/review/article_full_story.asp?service_ID=12491
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December 31, 2006
SouthAmerica: This is a very interesting article and if the information is correct it has major implications regarding the sectarian civil war in Iraq.
If the Iraq population has 60 percent Sunnis instead of the 20 percent number that the United States has assumed all along then no wonder the Americans are completely lost regarding the size of the insurgency and everything else that is happening in Iraq.
************
Aljazeera â December 28, 2006
Is there a Sunni majority in Iraq?
By: Faruq Ziada
The United States based its policy on Iraq on two primary so-called facts:
1. The Sunnis are a 20 % minority.
2. The Sunni minority and Saddam Hussein ruled the Shia majority in Iraq.
Thus, the U.S. Iraq policy -- as set by the Bush Administration, and the Neoconservatives â both before and after the 2003 war and occupation, was based on this false premise.
Because of this, the Sunnis were marginalized and power was handed over to the Shia religious parties and Kurdish parties by the occupation force CPA, Ambassador Bremer, and later Ambassador Negroponte.
Based on this false premise, the U.S. policy failed miserably. Still, the Bush Administration continued and still is continuing this policy. Bush called it "Stay the courseâ¦"
For this reason, and to bring to light information that should help inform a new policy, it is of the utmost importance to correct this fallacy. We need to put the facts in front of all who will try to correct the course, find the correct necessary policies to end the bloodshed, and end the catastrophe that has befallen Iraq.
The Correct Percentages of Sunnis, Shias, Arabs, and Kurds - The actual, real percentages of various groups in Iraq is outlined below.
Percentage of Sunnis, Shias, Arabs, and Kurds
As Nationalities:
Arabs = 82 - 84%
Kurds, Turks, etc. = 16 - 18%
Religions
Muslims = 95 - 98%
Christians and others = 2- 5%
Muslim Sects
Sunnis = 60- 62%
Sunni Arabs = 42 - 44%
Sunni Kurds and Turks = 16 - 18%
Shias = 38 - 40%
Shia Kurds and Turks = 2 - 4%
Statistics come from the Al- Quds Press Research Center, London Study (www.qudspress.com) and, with reference to the map on the distribution of religious groups, from the Baker â Hamilton Committee report page, 102).
Faruq Ziada served as an ambassador in Iraqâs Foreign Ministry from 1992 to 2000.
Source: http://www.aljazeera.com/cgi-in/review/article_full_story.asp?service_ID=12491
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