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Originally Posted by Martin
I would like to ask those with experience in the Middle East or South Asia what nationality means for the moslems in the regions? I have only a shallow appreciation.
I am asking because of the merging of politics and religion in Islam, and the Brittish poll about supporting the insurgency due to the invasion of Iraq. From the outset, you may thus think that Iraq symbolizes a geographical area rather than a grouping of people. The support could come from both a relative unity in Islamic perception of war against Islam.
It would be interesting to hear and be corrected by somebody more knowledgeable than myself.
Thanks in advance.
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You have to understand that borders and boundaries are a completely western ideal. Up until the last century, all of these countries did not really exist on the modern map as far as boundaries and national terms were concerned.
Most of these people have no national identity, but more of a tribal allegiance to whichever secular sect that they belong to. I.E. Sunni/Shia/Kurdish/Pashto.
If you were to think about our country in terms of religious demographics, it might make more sense. Try Catholicism and Southern Baptism, and then think about where those people would gravitate towards, and you might get a clearer picture.........I'm thinking about Boston/N.E. and the South, and that might be a poor example, but thats just my $.02 and you kinda get the idea.
Now that's not to say that these people cant work together against a common enemy. For an example of this look back at the Dems and Republicans following 911........all support, look now.........separation.
I think that sometimes as westerners, that we make some mistakes by bringing our understanding of things into the equation, because we simply don't comprehend and process information the same way as native indig do. What I mean by that is that what is common sense stuff to us is not to them and vice versa.