In recent weeks heightened discussion in Washington, and in centers of Islamic debate I visited, such as Jakarta, focused on these claims. Muslims knew the Sunnis would prefer to take advantage of their new right to vote, and would favor a constitutional order in Iraq rather than continued violence. The meddling of the Saudis was considered gross and embarrassing. Muslim leaders I met were more interested in the future of the "Shia-con" phenomenon, i.e. of Iraqi Shias aligned with the U.S. neoconservatives.
What does it mean to be a "Shia-con?" Nothing very different from what it means to be an ordinary neoconservative: bedrock belief in governmental and personal accountability, entrepreneurship, popular sovereignty, and a place for religion in public life. Sunni intellectuals with whom I met pointed out that "neocon" has become a term of abuse in the Muslim world no less than in the West. But when exposed to the foundations of neoconservative thought, they expressed approval.
Shia-Cons! I never heard this until now. But back in June 2004, I wrote that we might see the Shias realigning to our side based on our actions since 9-11:
I think we can take advantage of what could be a Shia realignment to our side. See this piece for US Shias siding with America over Iraq. Based on freeing the Shias of Iraq and Iran (in 2005), with Shia-majority Bahrain on our side and the sizable Shia population in a friendly UAE, we could see Shias looking to us as friends. This friendliness could be the pressure point that helps us secure the oil-rich Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia where Shias and foreigners dominate; while the Sunni Wahhabis can enjoy their holy sites in the west uncontaminated by a Western presence. Heck, maybe we can toss some border areas of Saudi Arabia to the Jordanians, Iraqis, Yemenis, and Oman. Why should we be too upset if a family enterprise masquerading as a country is broken up? Saudi affluence and gaudy consumption may well keep the broader and far poorer Sunni world from getting upset too deeply—especially if the holy sites stay beyond our power.
One day we may need to deal with the hideous ideology that Saudi Arabia has spawned. If the Saudi rulers won't smother the jihadi ideology on their own, we may need to do it for them.
And the Shias could very well be the key to destroying the jihadi perversion of Islam.
