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McCain explains Sunni/Shiite
'confusion': Al-Qaeda 'not necessarily just Sunni'
David Edwards and Mike Sheehan
Raw
Story
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Sen. John McCain, defending his recent troubles differentiating
between the two major branches of Islam, suggested today that
the terror network al-Qaeda encompasses both Sunni and Shi'a.
When asked today by a Fox News host about recent gaffes in which
he confused Sunnis and Shiites, the presumptive GOP presidential
nominee smiled, shook his head and replied, "I've been to
Iraq eight times, I know the leaders, I know the situation on
the ground, I know that Sunni and al-Qaeda are closely tied...
The question I was asking and the question that needs to be answered
is, How widespread is al-Qaeda's influence in the region as well
as in Iraq?
"I believe that al-Qaeda does a lot of things," McCain
continued, "including with organizations and parts of the
populations that are not necessarily just Sunni." McCain
did not elaborate.
(Article continues below)
Al-Qaeda is a decidedly Sunni organization, having been founded
in 1988 by an alliance of Sunni militant groups around the world.
Iraq, and Iran in particular, are on the other hand predominantly
Shiite nations. Sunnism and Shi'ism are ancient and distinct denominations
of Islam.
Some are concerned that the hawkish McCain, a vociferous supporter
of the war on terror, is unable or unwilling to clearly discern
whom it is allied forces are battling.
Less than a month ago, while visiting Jordan with Sen. Joe Lieberman,
McCain said several times that Iran was supplying al-Qaeda, prompting
Lieberman to correct him on-camera.
Just in the last week, McCain has misstated details of the ceasefire
in Basra and again confused Sunnis and Shiites while referencing
al-Qaeda during a Senate hearing with U.S. commander of allied
forces Gen. David Petraeus.
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