How come Sunni and Shiite were not fighting each other until America went there to divide and conquer ?

Answer 1

You really don't have a clue, do you? Saddam's Sunni-regime literally terrorized, raped, murdered, tortured the Shiite majority daily. You don't remember the mass graves that were found in Iraq? The people who had to run for their lives when Saddam was in charge? The torture chambers that were found? The horror stories we all heard? When Shiite's tried to revolt after the 1st Gulf War, Saddam drained a marshland area to deny them a sanctuary. The Sunnis are afraid that they will be treated the way they treated others under Saddam's rule. There has never been a peaceful existence in Iraq, just intimidation and control. They have that chance now, but neither side is willing to give in so they are killing each other. Was it really better to have a dictator in place that suppressed one side? Why can't these Muslims believe in being fair to each other? No, they just believe in violence.

God Bless.

Answer 2

Because with a new regime in question, they are struggling for power. The hate between these to factions go back YEARS, but Sadam Hussein ruled through fear and intimidation.

If you caused problems you were likely to disappear in the darkness and end up in a mass grave somewhere. We are trying to instill democratic principles on top of the hatred and mistrust that was already very deep before we came.

If we left tomorrow, the civil war between these two groups would be unbeleivable. They don't want to vote and give one group power over the other and they have no idea how to work together. The biggest mistake is not the war, it's the assumption that you can force democracy on a culture in just a few years. This culture also has a concept of honor that is foreign to us. They do not forget, forgive, so every death/murder must be avenged. VERY hard to say, okay let's play nice and go to the voting booth............

Answer 3

That is a myth. The Sunni/Shiite tensions go back several centuries, and at the heart of their argument is how the Quran should be interpreted. Whatever alliances they have had in the past were for purposes of expelling a common enemy. Kind of like how the Chinese Communists led by Mao Tse Tung and the Democratic Chinese led by Chiang Kai Shek were able to set aside their differences to fight the Japanese during the 1930's.

The West's intervention and restructuring of their society has made us aware of their long standing tensions. They existed long before we got involved.

Answer 4

Because the Baath party had ties to the Sunnis, and ruled over and oppressed the Shiites with brutal force.

I am not in any way condoning the actions we took, nor am I saying that Sadaam's way was the right way. But it is obvious that we made a bad situation much worse by butting in where we had no business.

Answer 5

I think, if you feel inclined to do some research, Iran and Iraq had a war that lasted eight or so years - one's Sunni; the other Shiite.

Answer 6

Well, they did fight before that sometimes, but it was never that intense until the preachers of freedom had to come along and make everything worse.

In Shooter, the movie, the Senator (evil guy) says :
"The United States is a place where the senator can go on TV and tell the American people "This is not about oil, this is about freedom", and no one would question him, no one would doubt him, because they don't want to admit the truth to themselves."

Answer 7

Sunni and Shia Muslims have been fighting one another bitterly for 1300 years already.
These old traditional feuds often look new to an outsider, but when investigated you always find that they are very, very old.

Answer 8

Have you not heard of the Iran - Iraq war of the 1980s? The nastiest, bloodiest and most futile war on the planet during the last few decades?

Answer 9

They were and had been for as many years as Muhammaad has been dead.

They came about over who would rule the Islam nation after Muhammaads death. They are still fighting each other for suppossed control of the Islam/Muslim nation and will continue to do so long after our media directs its attention elsewhere.

Answer 10

Sunni and Shiite despite there political differences are still practising muslims who follow the fundamental principles of their faith, there is enough evidence to suggest that there was no need to fight even if they did so before America's interference. Afterall it is a political issue.