now i can lay down - bedroom reveal

Grab your cocktail and lets get this party started! I'm happy to report that I'm done. I don't think the room is done (are they ever really done?) but <i>I</i> am done.<br /><br />There has been blabbing aplenty on this room so I'll try to talk (type) less and show more. Most of you know how hard it is for me <i>not</i> to talk, so this will be a challenge.<br /><br />To recap, here is what we started with. A sad little space. The space of a couple who was too tired working on the rest of the house to put much energy into said space (or apparently into proper pillow placement).<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQRgtFuq15DB1Q2f0oNlIQmRWtdN04jFRfesR_apctaoKvecxDk6xucEjxj9CGgO1xdQCcM6Q4C2l7VSh0ZmcMcDbgo5coL_eqC6S0eANslM0gQ6wQZVG75PgsVq1WB39clfWWNLvc1qwe/s1600/P4075800.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQRgtFuq15DB1Q2f0oNlIQmRWtdN04jFRfesR_apctaoKvecxDk6xucEjxj9CGgO1xdQCcM6Q4C2l7VSh0ZmcMcDbgo5coL_eqC6S0eANslM0gQ6wQZVG75PgsVq1WB39clfWWNLvc1qwe/s640/P4075800.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKhEiox_u9W3CxU7Um9HmFVZkTGS3O8AfX0sMy6eK0q5BnGIUGoEj0wj7H3tTvuknXGqEJhnslKVrcCRgm9hI5FYvJW72FUyqjJPBot1hxkCEczM8LI8ejLavfTBbI8nWPMJ9xYGfH3vCm/s1600/P4075801.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKhEiox_u9W3CxU7Um9HmFVZkTGS3O8AfX0sMy6eK0q5BnGIUGoEj0wj7H3tTvuknXGqEJhnslKVrcCRgm9hI5FYvJW72FUyqjJPBot1hxkCEczM8LI8ejLavfTBbI8nWPMJ9xYGfH3vCm/s640/P4075801.JPG" width="422" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhUoYyFKFVzhlaqql-fbTR0n9EKIdU6jdd3QOTfq8SYiPJD7fEpooaLQ1phBZpB1cpIYTB95kEaBjInj-Q2ZRQ6b5NuW0ZWI4N-RROqJ-WTTFl0nC_ApKkS3l-jBU08QjYIL2msk22SBx0/s1600/P4075798.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhUoYyFKFVzhlaqql-fbTR0n9EKIdU6jdd3QOTfq8SYiPJD7fEpooaLQ1phBZpB1cpIYTB95kEaBjInj-Q2ZRQ6b5NuW0ZWI4N-RROqJ-WTTFl0nC_ApKkS3l-jBU08QjYIL2msk22SBx0/s640/P4075798.JPG" width="422" /></a></div>Initially the plan was to just throw some lipstick on it. Add a bit of paint and maybe some new bedding. It was to take no time at all. Ha! I'm such a fool. When will I ever learn?!<br /><br />A little paint led to more changes and more changes. It was that whole 'and they told two people, and they told two people, and so on.' This turned into a lot of 'and so on's.'<br /><br />Here is my 'and so on' space.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAIZPxral_HsKmue9uem_e_GQktYpdUmOilJE37ELfjYP7cU0KhzCpxNgmVQ7bFNQLvOlpvMoikI7e32llUztFz85pzEIDwZWR1KP9jiVxkSsZqN8VXdU0Dq376J6Tz7Llh3n9NNKgj1z5/s1600/P5317089.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="606" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAIZPxral_HsKmue9uem_e_GQktYpdUmOilJE37ELfjYP7cU0KhzCpxNgmVQ7bFNQLvOlpvMoikI7e32llUztFz85pzEIDwZWR1KP9jiVxkSsZqN8VXdU0Dq376J6Tz7Llh3n9NNKgj1z5/s640/P5317089.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The <a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2012/04/gotta-know-when-to-fold-em.html" target="_blank">new paint color</a> was a bit darker than I had originally planned but it grows on me more every day. Its like Barry White, all warm and velvety. And there is no better room for Barry than the bedroom. Yep, I just went there.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>The <a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2012/02/gold-metallic-glow.html" target="_blank">gold spray painted lamp shades</a> were moved in here and I love their pop of black against the <a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2012/05/wrap-it-up.html" target="_blank">panels</a>.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkmeQtFeX1Jp0XqYHu9SeeU2CX_eqcyMAucKBabZ1sxHhwLHFbAJ8l3HX_byGLViJltG-CXMmcikKutR55cvY2sbQI40TMOZq76rSQA3jUZC2YIEpbauJfz0xU3XkZ1GmnmMMcamyOpye6/s1600/P5317069.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkmeQtFeX1Jp0XqYHu9SeeU2CX_eqcyMAucKBabZ1sxHhwLHFbAJ8l3HX_byGLViJltG-CXMmcikKutR55cvY2sbQI40TMOZq76rSQA3jUZC2YIEpbauJfz0xU3XkZ1GmnmMMcamyOpye6/s640/P5317069.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>Bedside tables are still a topic of discussion (in my head) but these are a good fit for now. Both are castoffs from the basement.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3-LPcG7NuScfUE6vnYweU_xgqTELXwNb9uB0kgShL-VHLs6iYAY45OsKPQUAQg5no3g_hgOkBJOf5ztE7FPTqpIfD-KBBs7VJNb8rWmV6A1Lk8QPrpZA0Z4PKJwsLJgTB5QLpfhbbL3Fs/s1600/P5317077.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3-LPcG7NuScfUE6vnYweU_xgqTELXwNb9uB0kgShL-VHLs6iYAY45OsKPQUAQg5no3g_hgOkBJOf5ztE7FPTqpIfD-KBBs7VJNb8rWmV6A1Lk8QPrpZA0Z4PKJwsLJgTB5QLpfhbbL3Fs/s640/P5317077.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>I shopped my basement and brought up this old iron headboard and added ribbon trim to bamboo roman shades (also from the basement) to soften them up a bit.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuIUfGkdORvV8N7sVbuw5PgQQvsEFX7eZmt60K_CueLWRzIVP0KruOqLnYrtmTVRx14RYmzZYZVHGu5ddzF7cTjw8ireaEr_uAh3ECevqhjr-SKcwzT-Cp9qBcbCpWh4IeoS-D47SHFWtH/s1600/LBDBed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuIUfGkdORvV8N7sVbuw5PgQQvsEFX7eZmt60K_CueLWRzIVP0KruOqLnYrtmTVRx14RYmzZYZVHGu5ddzF7cTjw8ireaEr_uAh3ECevqhjr-SKcwzT-Cp9qBcbCpWh4IeoS-D47SHFWtH/s640/LBDBed.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Giving the ribbon treatment to the existing <a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2012/05/there-is-something-on-your-skirt.html" target="_blank">bedskirt</a> and making my own <a href="http://news-these-days.blogspot.com/2012/05/whats-in-name.html" target="_blank">monogramed shams</a> meant that all I bought for the bed itself was a throw pillow from HomeGoods and new sheets (which I lurve) from TJMax.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY_nwq3KiDsF59qEhphTwdOAMg0Pm30wBhY0rIPvYO9yu0Pdl3y_Rgw-mFJ3GGa5-LMdSPUYVshHzD-l1grwvSUGAZrKCYu-2S1AovRH35EnVINpaGF6c41I2TnTkK2eqVIsIy5ZaYWJR9/s1600/LBDBedClose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="614" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY_nwq3KiDsF59qEhphTwdOAMg0Pm30wBhY0rIPvYO9yu0Pdl3y_Rgw-mFJ3GGa5-LMdSPUYVshHzD-l1grwvSUGAZrKCYu-2S1AovRH35EnVINpaGF6c41I2TnTkK2eqVIsIy5ZaYWJR9/s640/LBDBedClose.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOWpMhz7UKqgcezygef04oNSyLFeM0sFE_HF5a6XvekOXGwqdAWa5jc227urbulayawCEm04KOtT5JmUXYPTF0nE5KUu5YBLEy1jEbdTBrdGuzWozGNzP6wzTziS50QseI7qM6y6THKab9/s1600/LBDBedroomChair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="614" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOWpMhz7UKqgcezygef04oNSyLFeM0sFE_HF5a6XvekOXGwqdAWa5jc227urbulayawCEm04KOtT5JmUXYPTF0nE5KUu5YBLEy1jEbdTBrdGuzWozGNzP6wzTziS50QseI7qM6y6THKab9/s640/LBDBedroomChair.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">The lampshade came with the lamp</span><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"> (purchased from Target about 5 years ago) but I never used it as it had a big rip along one side. Hmmm, maybe that is why it had been on clearance? </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkH9PeM9dvzuBCM5adp44y_k7Sm0iLT-83TZCgoPsIMIvvCLKCcKWtbN2UWv3uU5ce65uvqJbyVX81z0mprzvp9A9mErTAqfV9Y98axVZhGSTZfO7SNHSOMukw6tz76qCQaXOqdu3Ps4J_/s1600/LBDDresser.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkH9PeM9dvzuBCM5adp44y_k7Sm0iLT-83TZCgoPsIMIvvCLKCcKWtbN2UWv3uU5ce65uvqJbyVX81z0mprzvp9A9mErTAqfV9Y98axVZhGSTZfO7SNHSOMukw6tz76qCQaXOqdu3Ps4J_/s640/LBDDresser.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>I covered it with a 1/2 yard of fabric purchased with a Hobby Lobby coupon and a can of spray adhesive. I mean I used the coupon to buy the fabric. I don't think you can pay for things with spray adhesive.<br /><br />The floor lamp was found at a garage sale while walking the dog. I only had $1 on me and the wonderful woman was happy to take it. Holla!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdbm8qJGZLLwRt4bzgD3x23XYJWFUD09zelNnaNzP5Ivt3USLphcO9utg0Tk7iVKH526VecINGEDkHN6CmgBjbmhp4CuSvypnZb1J-AsZxwJHVyZC3FKYSj4V-KqFoDFOor1T6X9dSXDb1/s1600/LBDChairClose.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdbm8qJGZLLwRt4bzgD3x23XYJWFUD09zelNnaNzP5Ivt3USLphcO9utg0Tk7iVKH526VecINGEDkHN6CmgBjbmhp4CuSvypnZb1J-AsZxwJHVyZC3FKYSj4V-KqFoDFOor1T6X9dSXDb1/s640/LBDChairClose.JPG" width="640" /></a><span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">Another gallery wall in the making, although this one is certainly in process and will grow over time.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGhyAPRJuvA1TUVt8u11Wp8XyHvZRSwai2Ydtz5sEBrT-GVX-PJDneyOcLJefyVhLD9Pz2PzjDE5qYwFeJ2lhN2HmuDOBF4KtUIWLf2US0Yf9gEHdkjBC4pSHR1Ceg7mHVX4EQCzMSRq-0/s1600/BedroomGallery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGhyAPRJuvA1TUVt8u11Wp8XyHvZRSwai2Ydtz5sEBrT-GVX-PJDneyOcLJefyVhLD9Pz2PzjDE5qYwFeJ2lhN2HmuDOBF4KtUIWLf2US0Yf9gEHdkjBC4pSHR1Ceg7mHVX4EQCzMSRq-0/s640/BedroomGallery.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />The old frames came from my parent's basement (what's with me and basements?) and my mom was nice enough to hand them over under one condition  - "don't you dare spray paint them!"<br /><br />A rug is still needed (I'm waiting for one to speak to me but I'm told rugs don't speak, so that might be part of the problem), and I'd still LOVE to talk the hubs out of chucking that ceiling fan in favor of a great old chandelier. But for now - I'm just going to enjoy.<br /><br />So in the words of the Beastie Boys - that's it that's all that's all there is.<br /><br />P.S. - I made a challenge to myself at the beginning of this project to try and take a second look at things I already owned rather than going out and just buying a bunch of new stuff. After all, if I bought it at some point, there must be something I liked about it - right?. Almost everything in here was something I already owned and just altered. As for the items I did purchase - paint, ribbon, wrapping paper, fabric and a few estate/garage sale items - I did this whole room for less than $125. And that makes me happy.<br /><br />P.P.S - For anyone who thinks my bed stays that straight all the time - here it is just 10 minutes after taking these pics.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzii-brfSklcRzMo3gLWFX881tk01XGRlX2b4rbLhCxsuZg2oaYKMI8YGF6q-9K_dORneIZc-OhCtbekMwm01WE3AGV0LDr_LJejq_Z86zKPz42ziZv1HSRzSMXO3mtwF5fHRMUH9qZNIY/s1600/P5317008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzii-brfSklcRzMo3gLWFX881tk01XGRlX2b4rbLhCxsuZg2oaYKMI8YGF6q-9K_dORneIZc-OhCtbekMwm01WE3AGV0LDr_LJejq_Z86zKPz42ziZv1HSRzSMXO3mtwF5fHRMUH9qZNIY/s640/P5317008.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />Now what am I going to do with all this free time?

now i can lay down - bedroom reveal

Grab your cocktail and lets get this party started! I'm happy to report that I'm done. I don't think the room is done (are they ...

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TURKEY – SHIITE PERSIANS VERSUS WAHHABI SAUDIS

<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7UESbLqWNokh6dNUWQIu9-NBw_SE4yKNrTOsw3CBgQXy7sPG2xJpqQkJ9ev-s_-b1YejmXv8V28gsuCDLmqEMDSo2jbplXELOYcsYM-ri0-apIOwOwaPbReJ_n4ekY8MkApMPxkcIJ-9J/s1600/tawhid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7UESbLqWNokh6dNUWQIu9-NBw_SE4yKNrTOsw3CBgQXy7sPG2xJpqQkJ9ev-s_-b1YejmXv8V28gsuCDLmqEMDSo2jbplXELOYcsYM-ri0-apIOwOwaPbReJ_n4ekY8MkApMPxkcIJ-9J/s320/tawhid.jpg" width="317" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></b></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">THE MIDDLE EAST IS PERVADED AND INCREASINGLY INFECTED BY THE SECTARIAN RIVALRY BETWEEN THE SHIITE PERSIANS AND THE WAHHABI SAUDIS, WHO ARE NOW FIGHTING PROXY WARS ALL OVER THE REGION</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.5pt;">By Barry Rubin</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Via STRATIM </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><b><span style="color: #233f55; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt; letter-spacing: 0.5pt;"></span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> <span style="font-size: large;">If you want a sense of where the MIDDLE EAST is going, consider this viewpoint from an unlikely source. Suat Kiniklioglu is not just a member of the TURKISH Parliament for the ruling (Islamist) AK party, he’s a member of the party’s Central Executive Committee and deputy chair of the party’s foreign affairs commission. In other words, he’s a very important person in TURKEY’S ruling establishment and especially foreign policy.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Yet rather than take an optimistic view about the advance of Islamic politics in the region, he’s very worried, worried enough to write a column entitled, “<a href="http://www.todayszaman.com/columnistDetail_getNewsById.action?newsId=280584" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Back to a Barbarian Age</span></a>” in the May 16 edition of the Islamist newspaper, <i>Today’s Zaman</i>.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">What is this barbarianism? It consists of rising group hatred and looking down on others as culturally inferior and uncivilized. One might think he’s about to launch still another attack on the West as evil, imperialistic, and anti-Muslim. Not at all.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">His complaint is:</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">“We are now back to the very primordial identities that once dominated our political behavior and determined the group to which we belonged or were seen as belonging. We are no longer socialists, conservatives or liberals. These days we are first judged by what tribe we belong to and more increasingly what faith we believe in.”</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Yes, he continues, “I am constantly reminded in Europe and the US that I am a Muslim.” It is interesting to note that he was born in GERMANY and clearly that played a role in making him identify himself as a Muslim (and not just a TURK) that he ended up in the AK party.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">But his complaints are about the MIDDLE EAST:</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">“When I travel in THE MIDDLE EAST, I am reminded that I am a SUNNI. The MIDDLE EAST is being ravaged by barbarians who want to divide the world into SUNNI and SHIITE. We can no longer make any political assessment without entertaining these ethnic, religious and sectarian identities. We are truly back to the Middle Ages. All of our accumulated knowledge, sophistication and political culture seems to have been lost. The Middle East is pervaded and increasingly infected by the sectarian rivalry between the SHIITE PERSIANS and the WAHHABI SAUDIS, who are now fighting proxy wars all over the region. As if we are all in agreement with the Saudis’ extremely harsh interpretation of WAHHABISM, we SUNNIS find ourselves in the same camp.”</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTjyGGGucKhv421yDf2t9jXwTdauHlz9_fipHyACpJ1RZzYLMch_clg9mOlPohdnt1PYmH_Uo462KRTAyNTD-XMHvxZnZ3t87bzpDd3uDt8TQv_2TZQcOPjOhZpfh3O8_JFTKZMCrPTyVn/s1600/Shia-Sunni+percentages.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="417" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTjyGGGucKhv421yDf2t9jXwTdauHlz9_fipHyACpJ1RZzYLMch_clg9mOlPohdnt1PYmH_Uo462KRTAyNTD-XMHvxZnZ3t87bzpDd3uDt8TQv_2TZQcOPjOhZpfh3O8_JFTKZMCrPTyVn/s640/Shia-Sunni+percentages.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Note what he’s saying here. On one hand, there is a SHIA bloc led by IRAN; on the other is a hardline SUNNI ISLAMISM which he blames on SAUDI ARABIA but might just as well refer to the MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD. These two camps are now waging war in SYRIA for their “primordial and primitive agenda.” These “barbarians” (Islamists) “have blatantly hijacked the push for a normal democratic order in SYRIA,” instead committing acts of terrorism that must be condemned.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">And then he concludes:</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">“With all its sins and shortcomings, the secular order we [TURKS] established over the last eight decades has taken hold and promises to support our sociopolitical order.”</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Why would a leading figure in an Islamist party identify the era of rising Islamism as a “great shame…[in which the Middle East ] fell prey to the thirst of barbarian bloodshed”?</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Part of the answer is specifically TURKISH:</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">– Kiniklioglu is one of those moderates swept up into the AK, in his case an expert on communications and foreign affairs, who may not be comfortable with the party’s program.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">– In addition, he is (correctly) asserting that (up to now) TURKISH ISLAM has been more moderate than the versions in IRAN and the ARABIC-speaking world. This is common, however, among others — I’ve often heard it from EGYPTIANS — seeking to blame everything on the SAUDIS and IRANIANS. Ironically, (perhaps subversively?) he is praising the (secular) TURKISH republic which his own party is now dismantling.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">– He’s describing the biggest headache for TURKISH foreign policy since a battle between SUNNI (ARAB) MUSLIMS AND SHIA (IRANIAN-LED) MUSLIMS is crowding TURKEY out of any real influence in the region.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">But I note something else here, too: Genuine fear of what ISLAMIC and ISLAMIST politics have unleashed. Not the utopian brotherhood of the international Islamic community (umma) pushing out competing nationalist conflicts, but rather the evil genie of hatred, jihad among “brothers,” war, murder, and intolerance.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">It involves the persecution of Christians and turning them into refugees, as well as the threat of renewed war with ISRAEL. But it also puts a fuse to set off bloody conflicts in IRAQ (as we have already seen), LEBANON, SYRIA, and BAHRAIN. Just as Arab nationalism pledged unity and brought decades of strife among Arab regimes, political Islam is the weapon and motive for new conflicts.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">We have already seen its devastating role in AFGHANISTAN, IRAN, the GAZA STRIP, IRAQ, LEBANON, and SUDAN. Many in the West are in denial. (Even the use of the word “barbarian” in this context would bring down charges of second-degree hate crime upon a non-Muslim.) But I think Kiniklioglu and a lot of other Muslims are beginning to see the scary new world that he and his counterparts have set into motion.</span></span></div>

TURKEY – SHIITE PERSIANS VERSUS WAHHABI SAUDIS

THE MIDDLE EAST IS PERVADED AND INCREASINGLY INFECTED BY THE SECTARIAN RIVALRY BETWEEN THE SHIITE PERSIANS AND THE WAHHABI SAUDIS, WHO ARE N...

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