“The violent tragedy of Mahdism has been visited upon the Islamic world many times in history. Let us pray that the American attempt to re-create Iraq does not unleash Mahdism upon the world again, this time as even bloodier farce.”
The instance of Mahdism that I recall is from the Sudan back in the day. That was indeed a tragedy but as I recall it eventually ended very badly for the clowns who danced madly to that particular tune. As I recall most of them ended up as cordwood courtesy of a British Army.
Mahdism is merely a symptom of the structural illness infecting those societies that provide a feeding ground for its lunacies. As Roseanne Rosanada once said —- ‘It’s ALWAYS something’.
If it wasn’t the Iraq thingy it would be some other ‘reason’(excuse). Things like Sadr are a product of their cultures. Would that he was merely an aberration, and hanging him from a nearby lampost would solve the social problem he represents.
Would even that WE could be blamed for him and his like. Then WE could prevent them.
But WE can’t and WE can’t.
Only a fundamental restructuring of the breeding grounds will ever put an end to Mahdism. That is why we must all really hope that eventually Iraq does indeed serve as a NEW direction in the region. Until that day, there remains the Sudan example to fall back on.
You really can’t cure a worrying common cold, but you can usually deal with pneumonia if you really have to. And want to.
Bloody Mahdism might be and might become again. Suceessful —– Not So Much.
