Something Is Afoot In MENA

Chaitanya Jyothi Museum Opening, 2000

RAMANAM
In the Name of The Father, and of The Son and of The Holy Spirit, Amen.

Countrymen,

ORBIS NON SUFFICIT
SOLUS DEUS SUFFICIT

Something is afoot in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), some new alignments springing from reality’s and al-Sisi’s doctrine that Moslems cannot kill and loot everyone else in the world, so, better learn and practice peaceful living with non-Muslims. In other words, renounce so-called political Islam. Both the Israeli PM and the USA POTUS mentioned these new alignments sotto voce in their recent presser.

I am not sure of details, but I think the new alignments operate something along these lines: Moslem Brotherhood center of gravity moves from MENA to Turkey, which becomes center of gravity for rejecting al-Sisi’s doctrine; meanwhile, MENA becomes center of gravity for practicing al-Sisi’s (and reality’s) doctrine, and Israel, Jordan, Egypt and Saud (rejecting its Salafist origin and spawnings) agree to implement and lead practice of that doctrine. Gulf states, to include Qatar, will or will have to join the MENA alliance and reject the Turkey/MB/Salafist one.

This — plus Iraq’s steady march towards self-sustaining independence, to eventually join the MENA alliance — puts Iran and Syria in a vice and Turkey/MB in crossfire. I suspect Tillerson and Lavrov are figuring out, together, how they want to handle that VUCA. Both will align with the MENA side of the new alignments.

Were I to guess an outcome for that regional scenario, it would be (1) Turkey rejects Salafism (e.g., Moslem Brotherhood/Daesh/AQ/Hamas/Boko Haram, etc.) or has it beaten out of her (ditto so-called Palestinians), and (2) Iran/Syria’s ambitions get squished by their choice of the least painful but nonetheless successful methods.

Update 1: Equality And Nondiscrimination Through The Eyes Of An International Religious Organization: The Organization Of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Response To Women’s Rights And Sexual Orientation And Gender Identity Rights

Update 2: The Battle Over Al-Azhar

Update 3: Reynolds: Afghanistan and Iraq history lesson (reread often)

Update 4: VDH: Trump’s Anti-Cairo Speech

Update 5: BINGO!: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman visits Israel for secret state strategic — Arab cooperation with Israel — discussions.

Update 6: Egypt Goes About The Task Of Reforming Religious Rhetoric

Update 7: Spengler: The Bells Of Barcelona Toll For Europe

Update 8: Saudi Arabia’s Revolution From The Top Down

Update 9: Sundance: Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman Al Saud: “We Will Eradicate Extremism Very Soon” …

Update 10: Myron Magnet: Saudi Arabia’s Earthshaking Coup

Update 11: Saudi crown prince shocks Islamists with bold moves in Egypt