Similar to the wars of religion in Europe during the Middle-Ages when religion was used as a justification for dynastic expansionism, where the un-scrupulous exploited religion for personal gain, when "true-believers" whipped up hatred that often ended up in masacres. Everyone uses religion to further their own interests. The Saudi regime fears defining this as sectarian - their main oil producing area is inhabited by Shi'a & as a state, they want stability & no trouble with Iran. On the other hand, they don't appreciate Iranian influence in Iraq. But the Sunni clerics (who legitimize the Saudi state) see Shi'a as dangerous heretics. Separating the "national" (or ethnic) from the religious is to misunderstand the nature of Islam (which is political) & the general culture of the Middle-East which is tribal & clan-based. One should never discount as well that Sunni Islam is the ideological vehicle of Arab imperialism. The only thing that is certain is that both sides (Sunni & Shi'a) are hostile to the West. When necessary, they will cooperate against Western interests & then happily go back to murdering each other. And both will use "Arab" causes in their own cynical self-interest. All of these "Arab" or "Islamic" causes are basically pretexts for the innate hostility of the ideology - and they provide an artificial unity on a completely disunited mass of people.

Back in the eighties US supported Iraq in order to prevent Iranian shiites to become the strongest power in the middle east. In 2003 Saddam was deposed and Iran got much stronger. I wonder why in 2003 US policy makers failed to see what the us administration had seen back in 1980.

This reminds us that we should capture Kuwait in the foreseeable future. These dumb sheikhs talk, eat and have sex too much. By the way we don't have to take Kuwait by military means. We only have to wave at Kuwaiti Shias and they'll deliver these dummies to us.

The 20th century must go down in history as the most blood thirsty century in europe. The russian revolition, ww1 and ww2. Nothing (so far) in the middle-east compares to all the death and destruction among people as what happened in europe in the last century. The saturation fire-bombing of civilian populations, nuclear bombing of civilians, sending young men (knowingly) to be cut down by machine-gun fire, the shoah. And all for what? Just slaughter. Not in the babaric middle-east among babaric 'arabs' and muslims has such such whole-scale disregard of human life been seen. And this all among people who lacked a religion!! Lesson? People are people, and ego is ego, regardless of whether they are connected to religion or not. Humanity simply hasn't evolved yet to where it needs to be. But the answer to what will bring about this evolution obviously lies in the Torah.

which may take the heat off Israel and US. Unfortunately, for the Palestinians are stupid enuf to believe the Iranians are one of them. Well, let me get this straight. If the Iranian nuke is made for Israel, Palestinians are included as well. So, Hamas don't be so happy you got a fren in Iran.

Various attempts were being made,still being made and will continue to be made by vested interest to blow up this issue of sectarian 'crises'.However,since the Hezbollah's convincing victory in Lebanaon,the streets in various Muslim countries capitals will amply demonstrate the Iran has no desire or any reason to push Shiaism in the region.

there is no such thing as an exclusively or primarily nationalist foreign policy for the islamic republic. it is all about its triumphalist view of shia islam, which does not preclude the cynical use of sunni or infidel terrorist surrogates. and, iran will, without any compunctions, sell out any muslims for the sake of the cause. so, the aggressive atheism of the chinese or north koreans does not bother iran. not a bit. russian massacres of chechins do not bother iran. whole villages destroyed? thousands killed? tens of thousands of refugees? the mullahs will say a prayer, perhaps. the gulf states, iraq, syria, jordan, and saudi arabia will have more than problems from iran.

Palestine is not an Arab cause but its a cause for any human being who cares about justice and freedom. so yes its arabs who are being oppressed but its not an arab cause only. as for iranians and shia i have no problem with anybody who call himself a muslim. and neither should anybody else

the dirty arab dictators trying to get the arab peoples attention on Iran. and it should be on getting themselves free from their worst enemies the so called presidents and kings of the middle east.

unfortunatly we fell for it a million times please i beg everybody lets not make it a million and one

Do you talk about the war in Summer 2006? A "convincing victory" by Hezbollah? Only on their (and your) fantasy. They lost every village, where IDF infantry showed up, within some hours or one or two days. They lost hundreds of men. Had the war continued one or two more weeks, the IDF would have swept Hezbollah from every village south of the Litani. Hezbollah's headquarter in Dahiyeh was completely destroyed. Never before was such a well-armed guerrilla army losing so dramatically, within a few weeks. Hezbollah can thank the UNSC for their survival. And you call this a "convincing victory"? In the media perhaps, ok, but not militarily.

You seem to be in a different world altogether.No need for me to write and explain to you.Probably, as a matter of appeasment, someone did the guess work for you.The ground results were totally different,Tobias!!

Iran broadens it hegemony via shiite's patronage and persian nationality.Iran wants to conquer the persian Gulf, Iran gets wide support from the shiites especially in the arab world, you may eventually see persi on the streets in Iraq. Iran praises it's culture but using it to the wrong directions. Hence, Iran is a threat to arabic world neither, many Lebaneses assuming that one day the formal language will be a persi and not arabic.