Word: shying
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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...government of Pakistan, and the average Pakistani citizen, looks at Iran as a friendly nation," Pakistan's Deputy Foreign Minister, Malik Amad Khan, told TIME in an interview. After Iran, Pakistan has the second largest Shi'ite Muslim population; its 33 million Shi'ites constitute nearly double the number in Iraq. Before the 1979 Islamic revolution, both countries were members of the anti-Soviet CENTO security pact, and despite the Islamic Republic's aggressive anti-U.S. stance, Pakistan became one of the first countries to recognize Ayatullah Khomeini's regime. (See the top 10 players in Iran's power...
...Pakistan's weak civilian government also views Iranian influence as a potential foil to that of Saudi Arabia, which has stronger ties with the opposition. Government officials privately accuse the Saudis of being prejudiced toward Zardari because of his Shi'ite background. (Shi'ites are an embattled minority in Saudi Arabia, whose dominant Wahabi strand of Islam deems them heretics.) But Pakistan's response to Iran will ultimately be determined by the all-powerful military establishment. And, analysts say, the army is a great deal more wary of Iran's regional aspirations. "They are not really allies," says Christine Fair...
...election victory in June by Hariri's U.S.- and Saudi-backed alliance seemed to promise the closing of a three-year chapter of war and political upheaval. Ever since it fought a 33-day war with Israel in the summer of 2006, the Shi'ite Hizballah movement has challenged the legitimacy of the Lebanese government, accusing it of secretly trying to disarm the anti-Israeli "resistance." For its part, the ruling coalition has accused the Hizballah-led opposition of attempting a coup d'état at the behest of Iran and Syria. After Hizballah prevailed decisively in a brief armed...
...lung cancer in May 2007, the younger al-Hakim has been in charge of the party's day-to-day activities. He has worked to create a "strategic alliance between Najaf and Washington." Najaf, about two hours south of Baghdad, is the holiest city for the world's Shi'ites, who make up 60% of Iraq's population...
...Reeling from losses in local elections to Shi'ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's followers early this year, members of the SIIC joined forces in August with the Sadrists and Sunni factions to form the Iraqi National Alliance - excluding Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's Dawa party. The Alliance is expected to mount a challenge to al-Maliki in the January 2010 elections. (Read "With U.S. Pullout, Iraq Takes Ownership...