why is iraq so important to moslems and jews?
Iraq is incredibly important to both Moslems and Jews because Abraham - the ancestral father of both the Jews and Moslems through his two sons, Ishmael and Isaac - was born c. 1860 BC in Ur, southern Iraq, to a wealthy family headed by his father, Terah.
The family had lived in that area for generations but was forced to flee to Haran in Canaan when Abraham aroused the king's wrath.
Through the generations, the family of Abraham never lost touch with its homeland in present day Iraq which, for a brief period in later Jewish history, was also a place of exile.
In that the Jews, the descendants of Isaac, have already re-established themselves in Israel - the land in which they settled after Abraham's flight from Ur - they may also have an historical claim not just to the southern land of Ur in Iraq but also to Babylon, 90km south-east of Baghdad, the place of their exile in 597BC.
That Iraq was converted to Islam many years ago means that the historical claim to the southern lands of Iraq that the descendants of Ishmael share, too, is fait accompli.
The current situation in Iraq - the invasion of Iraq and the deposition and execution of Saddam Hussein by the USA, its allies and Iraqis opposed to him - and the resultant insurgence by fundamentalist Moslems offended by the presence of non-Moslems on their hallowed land, has opened a new chapter on an old theme that could be bloodier than anything yet seen in history.
The best possible outcome is that a solid democratic system is established without too much further bloodshed, and the Americans and their allies depart leaving the nation in the hands of capable liberal Iraqis who are not hostile to Israel and will strive to maintain a buffer zone to protect Israel from Iran and Saudi Arabia.
Bearing in mind that America is run by big business, especially the oil barons who want their interests in Iraq protected, it is difficult to imagine that after all the blood, guts and money that has been poured into the war that the Americans will leave without strings attached that may anger both the liberal and the fundamentalist Moslems.
The worst possible outcome is that the fundamentalist Moslems continue to prevent a western-style democracy operating in their country by upping the ante - possibly bringing Iran into the picture.
The fundamentalist Moslems know that once Iraq becomes an open society it will not only be polluted by western values that will reduce the power of the Mullahs but it may also become a 'Mecca' for Jewish settlers and tourists wanting to lay claim to Ur and Babylon.
Forget weapons of mass destruction, democratic fervor and oil - the real reason for invasion of Iraq may go right back to Abraham!
The family had lived in that area for generations but was forced to flee to Haran in Canaan when Abraham aroused the king's wrath.
Through the generations, the family of Abraham never lost touch with its homeland in present day Iraq which, for a brief period in later Jewish history, was also a place of exile.
In that the Jews, the descendants of Isaac, have already re-established themselves in Israel - the land in which they settled after Abraham's flight from Ur - they may also have an historical claim not just to the southern land of Ur in Iraq but also to Babylon, 90km south-east of Baghdad, the place of their exile in 597BC.
That Iraq was converted to Islam many years ago means that the historical claim to the southern lands of Iraq that the descendants of Ishmael share, too, is fait accompli.
The current situation in Iraq - the invasion of Iraq and the deposition and execution of Saddam Hussein by the USA, its allies and Iraqis opposed to him - and the resultant insurgence by fundamentalist Moslems offended by the presence of non-Moslems on their hallowed land, has opened a new chapter on an old theme that could be bloodier than anything yet seen in history.
The best possible outcome is that a solid democratic system is established without too much further bloodshed, and the Americans and their allies depart leaving the nation in the hands of capable liberal Iraqis who are not hostile to Israel and will strive to maintain a buffer zone to protect Israel from Iran and Saudi Arabia.
Bearing in mind that America is run by big business, especially the oil barons who want their interests in Iraq protected, it is difficult to imagine that after all the blood, guts and money that has been poured into the war that the Americans will leave without strings attached that may anger both the liberal and the fundamentalist Moslems.
The worst possible outcome is that the fundamentalist Moslems continue to prevent a western-style democracy operating in their country by upping the ante - possibly bringing Iran into the picture.
The fundamentalist Moslems know that once Iraq becomes an open society it will not only be polluted by western values that will reduce the power of the Mullahs but it may also become a 'Mecca' for Jewish settlers and tourists wanting to lay claim to Ur and Babylon.
Forget weapons of mass destruction, democratic fervor and oil - the real reason for invasion of Iraq may go right back to Abraham!
Labels: abraham, babylonian, baghdad, canaan, haran, iraq, jews, moslems, ur
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