No to Sectarianism
The Muslim Sectarian Crisis
The strategy implemented after the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003 deliberately fostered deeper sectarian divisions, especially between Sunni and Shia Muslims, significantly impacting the Middle East. The current situation in Lebanon, Gaza, and other parts of the Arab world is not solely due to inherent tensions, but rather a deliberate manipulation by external forces, particularly the U.S., aiming to maintain fragmentation in the region for easier control. The strategy effectively prevents unity among Arab nations, thus hindering their ability to confront external threats or develop regional power.
Sectarianism, the deep-rooted division between Sunni and Shia Muslims, wasn’t always as pronounced as it is today. For centuries, people of different faiths and sects coexisted in the Middle East. The divide existed, but it wasn’t weaponized. That changed dramatically after the Iranian Revolution in 1979, when Shia-led Iran emerged as a significant power, influencing Shia populations across the region. This sent shockwaves through the Sunni-dominated Arab nations, and the U.S. quickly saw an opportunity to exploit these growing tensions.
The 9/11 attacks and the subsequent U.S. invasion of Iraq created an atmosphere that not only intensified sectarian divisions but also actively promoted them. The United States overthrew Saddam Hussein's Sunni-led regime and replaced it with Shia militias supported by Iran, creating a power vacuum. Iraq turned into a battleground for a proxy war between Sunni and Shia factions, with the United States manipulating both sides to maintain instability and dependence in the country.
In the years following the invasion, the U.S. continued to exploit these divides, ensuring that Gulf Arab states like Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Jordan, and Egypt, most of which are Sunni-majority and loyal to American interests, remained in power. These nations, while outwardly independent, have long acted as vassals of the U.S., doing Washington’s bidding in maintaining sectarian tensions. They have pushed the narrative of a Shia threat, portraying Iran and its allies like Hezbollah as existential dangers to Sunni dominance in the region.
Hezbollah, the powerful Shia militia based in Lebanon, has been a central player in this complex regional chessboard. Backed by Iran, Hezbollah emerged as a resistance movement against Israeli occupation, but its influence quickly grew beyond Lebanon’s borders. For the U.S. and its Sunni Arab allies, Hezbollah became a symbol of Shia expansionism that needed to be countered at all costs. This has only increased sectarian tensions in Lebanon, a country already fragile due to its diverse religious makeup of Sunnis, Shias, and Christians.
Meanwhile, in Gaza, we see the other side of this sectarian divide being exploited. While Hamas, the governing authority in Gaza, is a Sunni movement, its ties with Shia Iran have created an uncomfortable situation for the Sunni Arab regimes that publicly oppose Iran. The result is a fragmented resistance, where rather than uniting against common external threats like Israel’s occupation, regional divisions weaken the Palestinian cause, with Arab states like Egypt and Jordan playing along with U.S. policies that perpetuate the disunity.
What’s happening in Gaza and Lebanon today is the direct outcome of this empire-driven agenda. By keeping the region divided along sectarian lines, the U.S. ensures that no unified Arab front can emerge to challenge its dominance. While Shia militias were once used against Sunni insurgents in Iraq, the strategy has shifted again. Now, Sunni regimes and forces are being propped up to counter Shia power, particularly Hezbollah and the broader Iranian axis.
The reality is that many Arab nations, particularly the Gulf states, Egypt, and Jordan, have become complicit in this strategy. They act as proxies, advancing American interests in the region by maintaining the very divisions that weaken the Middle East. These countries may portray themselves as sovereign, but their actions clearly show they are part of a broader U.S. design to manage and manipulate the sectarian rift.
The instability in Lebanon and Gaza, along with the ongoing turmoil in the Middle East, is not solely due to religious divides, but is also a consequence of global powers deliberately exploiting these differences. The United States empire, along with its Gulf allies and other regional actors, persists in utilizing sectarianism as a means of exerting control, deliberately fostering division and weakness in the region to serve its own strategic and economic interests.