IRRC No. 868

A new sectarian threat in the Middle East?

Reading time 6 min read
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A Shiite resurgence in Iraq has generated a region-wide Sunni backlash. After discussing the schism's origins, manifestations and implications, the author concludes that the primary battle in the region is between the United States and Iran. The most effective long-term response to sectarianism itself, however, will likely come from systemic restraints that exist in the form of countervailing loyalties that prevent any single allegiance, such as religious adherence, from becoming paramount.

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A new sectarian threat in the Middle East? author: Joost Hiltermann

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Ethnicity, federalism and the idea of sectarian citizenship in Iraq: a critique author: Reidar Visser

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The Kurds as parties to and victims of conflicts in Iraq author: Inga Rogg, Hans Rimscha

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