Question - which countries are mostly Shia?

[elfin]

I know Iran is - what about Syria and Lebanon and the Palestine area? Is that affiliation a dynamic within Hezbollah and Hamas? Or is it just their mutual hatred of Israel?

[Terran1212]

1. "Mutual hatred of Israel"

I wouldn't call it hatred; most of their rhetoric is overblown and they certainly don't have a hard time dealing with Jews or Westerners when they have to

[maxsolomon]

2. Syria is a Sunni dominated Baathist regime

Assad inherited the state from his authoritarian father.

[Rex]

3. It's another holy war.

People won't admit it, but that is what it is. They don't just give lip service to America being 'the great satan'. This is about different government systems some obeying holy laws verses others obeying secular laws. A variety of systems, monarchies, dictatorships and whatever the fuck America is creating in Iraq. This goes way beyond Israel.

It's all a huge shit sandwich.

[existentialist]

4. Iran and Iraq

Iran and Iraq are the only two countries that have Shiite majorities.

There are, however, important Shiite minorities in other countries, certainly including Lebanon, and, I think, Syria.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

As I understand it,

Shia are mostly found in Iran and Iraq. Syria, Lebanon, and Palestine all have more Sunnis than Shias, though they also have Christian populations-lots of Roman Catholics in Lebanon and Palestine; Syria has Orthodox churches.

[Sir Jeffrey]

5. Try this...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shia

Scroll down to the bottom and you'll see where the concentration is.

Hizbollah was formed to get the IDF out of southern Lebanon. It was backed by Iran because of their Shia connection. "Mutual hatred of Israel" is secondary...the Middle East will continue to rage so long as non-Muslims occupy Muslim lands. Israel is just the face of naked aggression in the region, and Lebanon gets the most Palestinian refugees IIRC.

Lebanon and Syria are former French "spheres of influence"...as such there are elite and protected christian groups in both countries. Syria exercises lots of control of Lebanon's govt, but has little control over Hizbollah.

[Fleshdancer]

6. Hezbollah is a political/military organization of Shia Muslims in Lebanon

This doesn't answer everything, but this is a good place to start I think:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4314423.stm

...It emerged with financial backing from Iran in the early 1980s and began a struggle to drive Israeli troops from Lebanon.

In May 2000 this aim was achieved, thanks largely to the success of the party's military arm, the Islamic Resistance. In return, the movement, which represents Lebanon's Shia Muslims - the country's single largest community - won the respect of most Lebanese.

It now has an important presence in the Lebanese parliament and has built broad support by providing social services and health care. It also has an influential TV station, al-Manar.

But, it still has a militia that refuses to demilitarise, despite UN resolution 1559, passed in 2004, which called for the disarming of militias as well as the withdrawal of foreign (i.e about 14,000 Syrian) forces from Lebanon.

As long ago as 2000, after Israel's withdrawal, Hezbollah was under pressure to integrate its forces into the Lebanese army and focus on its political and social operations.

But, while it capitalised on its political gains, it continued to describe itself as a force of resistance not only for Lebanon, but for the region.

[elfin]

7. Thanks all

You have confirmed that this is one "unholy" mess no doubt exacerbated by our presence in the region.

I am so glad I do not have a loved one over there and send heartfelt good thoughts to all those who do.