Word: sunniness
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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...climate of Lebanon to suit their needs. "The Israelis have created several Shiite Moslem militias, armed the Lebanese Forces. Christian militias which has units here, promoted former Lebanese Army Major Salid Haddad, whose forces they have armed and equipped for five years, and are now attempting to form a Sunni Moslem militia here in Sidon," (Washington Post, March...
Meanwhile, Saddam Hussein has fended off Khomeini's appeals to Iraq's Shi'ite Muslims, who make up 55% of the population, to rise against the Sunni-dominated regime. To counter the appeal of religious confraternity with Iran's Shi'ites, Saddam Hussein has exploited traditional Arab-Persian enmity. But he realizes that Iraqis are sick of war. "We have tried all means, we have knocked on all the doors [to try to end the fighting]," he said last week. Iraq has repeatedly stated that it was willing to negotiate a peace treaty with Iran...
...roundup began only one day after Gemayel had reappointed Chafik al Wazzan, 57, a soft-spoken Muslim lawyer, as Prime Minister. In accordance with an unwritten 1943 accord, the President is always a Maronite Christian and the Prime Minister is a Sunni Muslim. Even so, Wazzan's appointment was a reassuring sign to Lebanon's Muslims, including the Palestinians, who are wary of Christian rule. During the siege of Beirut, Wazzan earned the admiration of his fellow Muslims for his defiance of the Israelis...
...political power was divided among the various religious groups according to a 6-to-5 ratio of Christians to Muslims in the population. Under the National Covenant, an unwritten agreement reached at the time, the country's President is always a Maronite, the Prime Minister a Sunni Muslim, and the Speaker of Parliament a Shi'ite Muslim. But the Maronites overwhelmingly dominated the setup through their power in the military and their economic influence. Moreover, the Muslims are now believed to be the majority in the population...
Back in Basra, I talked to one of that city's leading citizens, a Sunni merchant. He said he had no plans to leave, although almost all foreigners have already fled and business has come to a standstill. He is counting on a cease-fire by the end of October, although he agrees that the Iranians will not easily give up their dream of capturing Basra. "Most of the Iranians are members of the Shi'ite sect of Islam, and they want Basra," he explains, "because they know the Shi'ites here will welcome them with open...