House intelligence chair calls al Qaeda Shi'ite

[rodeodance]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20061211/pl_nm/usa_shiite_dc

House intelligence chair calls al Qaeda Shi'ite

Mon Dec 11, 6:15 PM ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Is al Qaeda a Sunni organization, or Shi'ite?

The question proved nettlesome for Rep. Silvestre Reyes (news, bio, voting record) of Texas, incoming Democratic chairman of the House of Representatives Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

"Predominantly -- probably Shi'ite," he said in a recent interview with Congressional Quarterly, a periodical that covers political and legislative issues in Congress.

Unfortunately for Reyes, the al Qaeda network led by
Osama bin Laden is comprehensively Sunni and subscribes to a form of Sunni Islam known for not tolerating theological deviation.

In fact, U.S. officials blame al Qaeda's former leader in
Iraq, the late Abu Musab al Zarqawi, for the surge in sectarian violence between Sunnis and Shi'ites........

[IndianaGreen]

1. I doubt if many Americans know the difference.

How many of our compatriots think that Iranians are A-rabs?

Hint: Black turban = Shia or Taliban cleric, white turban is Suni cleric.

[Jacobin]

3. in his position, one would hope he would know

Sadly, that is one hope too many

[IndianaGreen]

5. I am more concerned about our embassy in Iraq only having 6 Arab speaking

employees. That's an outrage!

[Kelvin Mace]

7. He is not "most Americans".

He is the incoming chair of the House Intelligence committee.

He should resign this position immediately.

[IndianaGreen]

8. I doubt that Jane Harman was any better at telling the differences

after all, she thought Saddam was pals with Bin Laden. That makes her one stupid bottle blonde!

[INDIA]

9. Yes, and "many" Americans are completely ignorant of world events..

This guy is paid 160k to be knowledgeable about ME affairs. I'd say most high school current events class students could answer that question, as could anybody who reads a newspaper once in a while. Do you see the problem with that? There is no way to spin this, the guy messed up.

Does Nancy really not have anyone better to appoint? Is there not ONE congresscritter who isn't completely braindead?

[IndianaGreen]

12. Well, Bush doesn't know the difference either

and I didn't see the Congressional Quarterly asking the same questions when the GOP held the chairmanship.

Referring to Hizbollah as a terrorist organization, rather than a major political party in Lebanon, is also a sign of ignorance.

[INDIA]

15. I agree....

this guy is as ignorant as Bush. They are both ignorant. And whether of not Hezbollah is a terrorist organization is debatable, so saying that it is a terrorist org DOES NOT make you ignorant, it just means somebody has a different viewpoint than you. There are good arguments on both sides. BTW: most Dem politicians would classify Hezbolla as terrorist.

[IndianaGreen]

17. Most Dem politicians take money from AIPAC and/or pander to it

hence Hezbollah is a terrorist organization while the IDF is the "most moral army in the world."

[Jacobin]

2. We have not a clue what we are doing in the M.E.

not even a speck of a clue.

Which is why, among other reasons, we are doomed to failure there

[IndianaGreen]

6. The Bible is our guide

and Jesus won't let us down (even though he doesn't speak Arabic either!).

[The Magistrate]

4. A Poor Showing, That, Ma'am

We must hope the gentleman proves a quick learner: at this point he seems only on a par with the FBI....

"Better to keep silent and be thought a fool than speak up and remove all doubt."

[aquart]

10. Oh, dear.

I expect he will not make that mistake again.

[Vogon_Glory]

11. Reyes Can Always Bone Up Between Now And January

Representative Reyes can bone up on the differences between now and January. I suspect he'll be conscientious enough to do it, too.

A pity for us here in the USA that Dear Leader didn't bother to do HIS homework on Iraq before "the Decider" sent in the troops back in 2003.

[cigsandcoffee]

13. That's pretty sad. n/t

[I_Make_Mistakes]

14. And a Wahhabi Sunni at that! It really does concern me that

our representatives are lacking a basic understanding of those trying to destroy, so, what they say can be really damaging.

Anyone remember, the Crusade misspeak?

[hang a left]

16. Embarrassing!!

Let us hope it is not a sign of things coming.

[xchrom]

18. ok -- crap like that is inexcusable.

i'm sorry -- i don't care if he is a dem -- it is inexcusable that an important piece of what is really common knowledge seems to be beyond mr reyes.

[CJCRANE]

19. Sorry but this guy is a dunce

when it comes to foreign affairs. Has he not been paying attention since 9/11?

[independentpiney]

20. I think Pelosi should start looking for a replacement for him

That's inexcusable for anyone in that position to be so ignorant about one of our major problems, democrat or rebublic. There has to be someone in the congress way more informed, committee seniority be damned.

[pushycat]

21. Jeez Louise, you'd think he would have studied a little before

going public with his comments!!! crap - we've been in there for years and this guy doesn't even know the basics? Does this guy read the papers just for the pictures?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/04/AR2006120400462.html

Oversimplified but accurate:

Osama (Saudi) = sunni = Saddam
Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria = Shiites = Abdul Aziz al-Hakim