Today’s situation in Iraq is talked about in terms of a renewal of an inter-Islamic war, or the risk of Shia domination of the Middle East. The schism between Sunnis and Shias can certainly be viewed as a conflict which is being played out against a religious background, but there are also both historical and political issues at stake. This article puts the question of Sunni-Shia rivalry in a global perspective, while rejecting the overly simplistic view which concentrates on religious enmity.
