Would bin Laden prefer Ayatollah Sistani or Saddam Hussein running Iraq?

[NNN0LHI]

[Mikimouse]

1. bin Laden considered Hussein to be an infidel...n/t

[Straight Shooter]

2. Sistani, because it reinforces that Allah is blessing Islam in the M.E.

Spin that, bush.

[Spazito]

3. I don't think it would matter...

bin Laden has already achieved success due to the bush cabal and it's actions. His intent was to ruin the US economically and politically and it seems both those aims are well on their way to fruition.

Whoever is in charge in Iraq is of little consequence, imo. bin Laden is/was a fanatic with a singular goal in mind, to destroy the US and create chaos in countries like Saudi Arabia and all those he and his followers considers US puppet governments.

To be honest, I don't think bin Laden is still alive in reality but is still a great 'tool' to bring out when needed as was shown prior to the recent election in the US.

[LynnTheDem]

4. Hussein was one of OBL's top enemies. Any Hussein votes will = RW trolls,

because all progressives knew a long time ago the fact that Hussein & OBL were absolute enemies.

[Dhalgren]

6. OBL doesn't think in terms of who is an enemy and who isn't.

He thinks in terms of what best promotes his agenda. OBL is no fan of the Shi'ite regime in Iran and he wouldn't be of one in Iraq, either - it doesn't help his cause. The Shi'ite are cut off from his influence and are fundamentalists of a different persuasion. Saddam was a good devil to point at and whip up hate against. Just because OBL might prefer Saddam as a foil doesn't in any way support the Bush gang's lies.

[LynnTheDem]

10. Well yeah he does, actually

Read some of his speeches.

[Dhalgren]

13. His speeches are for a particular audience, for particular

reasons. His speeches are no more reflective of his real self or nature than Bush's are of his. The Shi'a are schismatics, heretics and are enemies of Wahabis. Bush said back in 2002, that if Saddam would rid himself of WMDs he could stay in power. But that wasn't Bush's real intention or plan - it was what he needed to say at the time. There is no reason to believe OBL doesn't work in the same manner.

[Old and In the Way]

5. Saddam was a threat to the House of Saud.

Of course OBL is much happier with the regime change. That was plan all along.

[K-W]

7. Saddam was no threat to Saudi Arabia

We had to lie to the Saudi's about Iraq being a threat to sell that idea during gulf war 1. Iraq was never a threat to Saudi Arabia because Iraq knew the US was in Saudi Arabia. Iraq NEVER would have messed with the US. Saddam fought Iran because he had backup, he fought Kuwait because... its Kuwait. And after gulf war 1 he couldnt have attacked a woodshed.

Sistani is more of a threat to Saudi Arabia. Having populist Islamic leaders in Iraq will only make the monarchy in Saudi Arabia stand out more as an injustice to those who see it that way.

[Old and In the Way]

14. In terms of westernizing the ME?

When I say threat, I'm not necessarilly talking military. I'm talking about society that was a radically different model than the society that Saudi Arabia operates under. The House of Saud has used Wahhibism to repress secularism in their society. They've used this religion to act as a both a social hammer to keep the have-nots in their society in place and to refocus their attention on external threats to Islam. Meanwhile, the princes of the Kingdom enjoy their wealth and investments in the US and Europe. {Sort of reminds me of what the Bush administration is doing in this country today.}

Maybe OBL is a serious religious wingnut....or maybe he's just the most cynical of the Saud's. Given his past association with the CIA and the vested interest of the bin Laden family in the continuation of the status quo in SA, I'm not convinced that this image of OBL is not pure fiction.

If it is fiction, than the last thing they'd want is a secular society in Iraq that was promoting women's rights, healthcare, and a growing middle-case. In the late 80's, before DS1, Iraq was the most democratic society (relative to the rest of the ME) and had the highest per capita income in the region (in terms of real income per person).

[napi21]

8. Sistani because he a theocracy in Iraq.

Thats one reason Bin Laden didn't like Hussein...he was a secular ruler.

[Igel]

9. Shi'a = apostate (and among the worst); Hussein = apostate.

But Hussein didn't wear the trappings of a Muslim nearly as well as Al-Sistani does.

If OBL is motivated by religion--and everything he's said pretty much says that he is--he'll go against the Shi'a in power at least as much as against apostate Sunnis in power.

[paulk]

11. that's a point many miss

as a Wahabbi, Bin Laden would consider the Shi'a Sistani just as much of a heritic as Hussein.

[K-W]

12. Yes, but at least he wont be as easy a friend with the west as saddam

I dont think we can really conclude anything here from waht little we know about his state of mind.

[geek tragedy]

15. I agree. Saddam was corrupt, and could be bought. Not so with Sistani.

[CJCRANE]

16. Neither.

A stable Iraq under Saddam Hussein or Sistani wouldn't really interest OBL - he draws his support from muslim countries that are considered under occupation.