[andy_card]

But culturally and politically it is extremely islamo-arab nationalist.

No it isn't. The Ba'ath party is Arab Nationalist. Pious Islam is the enemy of Arab Nationalism. Look at Iraq. The Sunni Muslims are the secular majority, whereas the Shi'ites, our allies and Saddam's sworn enemies, are fundamentalist loonies of the Ayatollah Khomenei variety. The Middle East is not a monolothic entity.

I haven't followed this thread and I don't know what's going on, but just wanted to clear that up...

[Non-Sequitur]

So...is GOPCapitalist claiming that Lincoln invaded Kuwait?

[WhiskeyPapa]

But culturally and politically it is extremely islamo-arab nationalist.

No it isn't. The Ba'ath party is Arab Nationalist. Pious Islam is the enemy of Arab Nationalism. Look at Iraq. The Sunni Muslims are the secular majority, whereas the Shi'ites, our allies and Saddam's sworn enemies, are fundamentalist loonies of the Ayatollah Khomenei variety. The Middle East is not a monolothic entity.

Thanks. I knew that GOPCap's statement wasn't ringing true.

Walt

[GOPcapitalist]

No it isn't. The Ba'ath party is Arab Nationalist.

It is Arab nationalism that is inextricably tied to Islam. They seek a renaissance of the high marks of islamic culture in arabia. Though it is true that certain strains of mohammedan fundamentalism are at odds with Ba'ath politics, this in no way precludes the inescapably islamic nature of arab nationalism.