DUMB ANSWERS OF INTELLIGENCE CHIEF- Times Online: He is expected to have an acute understanding of terrorist groups and their threats to American interests. But the incoming chairman of a congressional intelligence committee was yesterday struggling to explain his ignorance of al-Qaeda and Hezbollah. Silvestre Reyes, the Democrat chosen to head the House of Representatives committee, was asked whether members of al-Qaeda came from the Sunni or the Shia branch of Islam. “Al-Qaeda, they have both,” he answered, adding: “Predominantly probably Shi’ite.” In fact, al-Qaeda was founded by Osama bin Laden as a Sunni organisation and views Shia Muslims as heretics. The centuries-old now fuels the militias and death squads in Iraq. Jeff Stein, a reporter for Congressional Quarterly, then put a similar question about Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shia group. “Hezbollah. Uh, Hezbollah . . .” replied Mr Reyes. “Why do you ask me these questions at five o’clock? Can I answer in Spanish? Do you speak Spanish?” Go ahead, said Stein. “Well, I, uh . . .” said the congressman. [EXCERPT] The report from the Iraq Study Group expressed amazement that more was not being done to “understand the people who explode roadside bombs”. Only six people in the US Embassy in Baghdad are fluent in Arabic, about two dozen of its 1,000 employees having some familiarity with the language.A.POLE: "Al-Qaeda, they have both," he answered, adding: "Predominantly probably Shi’ite." This is a very common view. Many people believe that 9/11 bombers came from Iraq, Iran and Syria.
HUMINT: Do you suppose it is safer to understand or ignore the world around us? Should there be a citizen quiz, and if one fails it, are they nothing more than slaves to the citizens that passed it? Maybe that's how the world works... In terms of knowing the difference between Sunni and Shi'ite and who subscribes to either, what exactly would that qualify a person to do anyway? Let's look at it another way. What if I offered you a method, 84% accurate under almost every circumstance, that could determine if a man or woman was a threat to your predefined "interests"! Then told you, it didn't make a difference if the person was Shi'ite, Sunni or Kurd? Of course I'm surprised this guy didn't know the difference, but does it make a difference that he didn't know the difference? Does it make a difference that Imam Ali was assassinated and his story has much to do with the divisions? Would it not be easier to blame Hollywood for not making a feature length film on the subject? In this era - what alternative is there to Borat? Why wouldn't Silvestre Reyes just spend a minute on WIKIPEDIA? Too many questions... today. I'll stop here.
WIKI: According to tradition, three Muslim zealots (purists later termed Kharijites) had agreed to assassinate Ali, Mu'awiyah and `Amr, as the authors of disastrous feuds among the faithful. The assassins sent against Mu'awiyah and `Amr failed as on the day Muawiyah happened to be wearing his armour underneath his clothes and Amr did not attend the mosque as he was ill; the only assassin who succeeded was the one who attacked Ali. This event has always been shadowed by speculation of a plot masterminded by Muawiyah. The fortuitous coincidence that saved Muawiayah and Amr, both bitter enemies of Ali, is considered to have the mark of Muawiyah's shrewd planning. [24] Ali suffered a mortal head wound on the 19th of Ramadan while he was performing morning prayers in mosque in the city of Kufa. Some say that the sword that wounded him was poisoned. According to the Shi'a tradition, as he was being struck Ali said "By the Lord of the Ka'bah, I have succeeded!" [25] Ali died on the 21st of Ramadan (three days after receiving the head wound) in the city of Kufa (Iraq) in 661 CE.
