Religion: A Closer Look

1. Religion: A Closer Look

2. Iraqi Culture: The Five Religious Factions • The five Iraqi religious sects are: • The Sunni Islamic Kurds in the North • The Sunni Islamic Kurds in the Center (Baghdad) • Shi’a Islamic Kurds in the South • Assyrians • And the nomadic Marsh Arabs

3. Ethnic Groups • Muslims make up 97% of the Iraqi population. • Assyrians and Others make up the other 3% • Before the U.S invaded Iraq, the Baath Party ruled the country under Saddam Hussein and supported a secular Iraq. However, the vast majority of Iraqis are practicing Muslims.

4. Iraqi Democracy and Islam • In 2005 Iraq became a parliamentary democracy. • The elections held in December 2005 gave the largest share of the votes to the majority Shi’a parties. • Many secular Iraqis and Sunnis have claimed election fraud, and violence in the region continues.

5. Terrorism and Religious Fanaticism • Since the Invasion of Iraq by U.S forces and the removal of the secular dictator Saddam Hussein, the region has seen a dramatic up rise in terrorism. • Active terrorist groups in the region both religious and secular include: • Al-Qaeda in Iraq • Mehdi Army Militia • Al-Zarqawi Network • Ansar al-Islam

6. Secular Iraqis • Throughout the countries modern history, Iraq has been run by a secular government. • However, since the U.S. overthrew Saddam the nation’s elections have led the country towards religious factions battling for political power and teetering on the brink of Civil War.

7. The Kurds • Under the Baathist regime, Kurds found in both Northern and Central Iraq, were politically weak and the victims of atrocities. • Though they were left alone by the secular regime for most of its existence, when the Iraq-Iran war was taking place in the 1980s many Kurds were gassed by Saddam Hussein for implied Iranian sympathies. • Today the former dictator is facing these charges among others, on trial in Iraq.

8. Religion and Politics • Though clashing religious groups is a conflict in modern day Iraq, it is not the only nation with this problem. Many nations around the world and throughout time have seen religious factions engage in violence against one another, and have been able to restore peace. However, if Iraqis want the United States occupation to end they are going to need to cease fighting amongst themselves and look past ethnic and religious differences.