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WHAT ROLE DOES RELIGION PLAY IN THIS USA and ISRAEL vs IRAN WAR?

 By now you know that the United States joined Israel in the air strikes against Iran.

  • Seven B-2 Spirit stealth bombers left Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, the only operational home of these planes, flew to Iran, re-fueled in mid-air multiple times, dropping 14 GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators, also known as bunker buster bombs, on two targets in Iran.  Other bombs also fell at a third nuclear site. These same bombers then turned around, again after mid-air refueling, to Whiteman on a 37 hour flight.
  • As a decoy, at the same time, six B-2s went to Guam.  We have 19 of these bombers, made by Northrop.
  • These B-2s are the only planes capable of carrying bunker busters, and these 19 are the only ones still operating.
President Donald Trump remarked that the U.S. strike on Iranian nuclear facilities were spectacular.  Yes, but not totally.  Bunker busters are good for destroying as deep as 150 feet.  Fordow could well be near 300 feet deep.  Chances are that as Israel has air superiority, they will send landing teams into Fodor, Natanz and Isfahan to finish the job.  The U.S. could help with blitz bombing of those facilities in Iran equipped to prevent ground invasion.  No need for American boots on the ground for this completion.
Three days ago, an Economist/YouGov poll showed that 60% of Americans think that the U.S. should not get involved in the conflict between Israel and Iran.  Only 16% supported U.S. military action.  Amazingly enough, even 53% of Republicans also oppose U.S. intervention in Iran.  However, a Washington Post survey showed that 70% of those in the country believe that Iran's nuclear program poses a threat to to us.
So what will be the repercussions to President Trump's action?
  • Democrats will grumble, grumble, grumble.
  • Republicans will be universally supportive.
  • Most Americans will actually not be much concerned, if not relieved, that Iran has been diminished.
  • Iran can't really do all that much in response.  Perhaps make travel through the Strait of Hormuz perilous.  But this will just mean another air pounding or two and more on Iran.  By the way, that tip of the UAE in a different kind of peril is in Dubai.  Was there twice the past couple of years.  Don't go  there until things settle.
  • If there is any kind of military action in the Strait, oil prices could jump back up into the triple digits per barrel.
  • Russia and China sort of also condemned the U.S., but seem satisfied in just calling for a ceasefire.
  • European leaders, too, also showed minor umbrage, but also pled for peace.
  • Similarly, non-Iran Arab leaders expressed concern, but not much more.
So next to the matter of what role religion plays in this USA and Israel vs Russia War?
  • First, some history.
    • In the period around 1450 BC, Jews were largely enslaved in Egypt.
      • Moses was born and led the Exodus of 2 to 3 million Israelites, where the Ten Commandments and parting of the Red Sea are mentioned in the Bible.
      • The marching column was more than 10 miles long, and they wandered for 40 years trying to reach the Promised Land, Canaan, located in southern Levant, today parts of Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.
  • People like Jesus, Abraham and King Solomon were Jewish.
  • In the time of Jesus, the region of current Israel was divided into several territories under Roman Rule.  The term Israel referred to the people in this area.
  • Jewish communities came under Muslim rule as early as the 7th century in the time of Muhammad.  
    • Jews were the majority population in Jerusalem around 638 AD.
    • There was also major Jewish influence in Babylonia, which is today Iran.
  • During this period, intolerance led to Jewish migration from the Holy Land (area where Israel is now located), Mesopotamia (now Iraq) and Egypt into other parts of the Mediterranean. Treatment of Jews varied significantly in the subsequent years, from harsh persecution to some tolerance.
  • Jews largely fought besides Muslims in the Crusades against Rome.
  • From 900 to 1492, Spain became a significant center of Jewish life.
  • A scan of the population of Jerusalem is educational.
    • 1500-1700s:  2,000 Jews, 10,000 Muslims, and 2000 Christians.
    • 1845:  7500 Jews, 15,000 Muslims and 10,000 Christians.
    • 1851:  5,580 Jews, 12,286 Muslims, 7,488 Christians.
    • 1853:  8,000 Jews, 4,000 Muslims and 3,490 Christians.
    • 1856:  5,700 Jews, 9,300 Muslims and 3,000 Christians.
    • 1874:  10,000 Jews, 5,000 Muslims and 5,500 Christians.
    • 1876:  13,000 Jews, 15,000 Muslims and 8,000 Christians.
    • 1885:  15,000 Jews, 6,000 Muslims and 14,000 Christians.
    • 1922:  33,971 Jews, 13,413 Muslims and 14,669 Christians.
    • 1931:  51,200 Jews, 19,900 Muslims and 19,300 Christians.
    • 1944:  97,000 Jews, 30,600 Muslims and 29,400 Christians.
    • 1967: 195,700 Jews, 54,963 Muslims and 12,646 Christians.
    • 1987:  340,000 Jews, 121,000 Muslims, 14,000 Christians.
    • 2015:  524,700 Jews, 307,300 Muslims and 12,400 Christians.
    • 2020:  570,100 Jews, 353,800 Muslims and 16,300 Christians.
  • In 1933, approximately 9.5 million Jews lived in Europe, mostly in the eastern countries, representing 60% of the world Jewish population.
    • 6 million Jews died in the Holocaust.  
    • The 525,000 Jewish population in Germany in 1933 dropped to only 37,000 in 1950
    • In 1950, North and South America had 51% the population of Jews, with 33% in Europe.
  • Prior to Israel, that land had been called British Palestine since 1920, provided at the end of World War 1.
  • The United Nations divided Israel and the state of Palestine in 1948, but this never really happened because Israel declared independence that year when the British left.
  • Since this declaration, more than 3 million Jews made the Aliyah (not called the new Exodus or anything like that), meaning ascent, 686,000 just from 1948-1951.  Just in 2022 and 2023, 120,000 have immigrated to Israel.  The the 1960 film, Exodus, so-called because the ship carrying Jewish refugees was called the Exodus 1947, which was an old 1928 ship which participated on D-Day, sold for scrap, but acquired by the Jewish underground to transport Jews from Europe to Palestine.
  • In 2018, there were 27,000 Jews living in Muslim countries, with 7.2 million in Israel, 77% of all residents.  18% are Muslim, around 1.8 million.
  • There are 7.5 million Jews living in the U.S., 2.4% of the total population.  On the other hand, this figure is obscure, and there might well be double that many in the the country, or as few as 6.3 million.
  • There are probably about 2.2 million Jews in other countries around the world.
About the Muslim world.
  • Muslims are followers of the Islamic faith.
  • Sects.
    • 87-90%, or 1.7 billion are Sunni.
    • 10-13%, or 200 million are Shia
    • 0.25%, 5 million, are Ibadi.
  • Shia majority countries are Iran (95%), Iraq (70%), Azerbaijan and Bahrain.
  • Sunni majority in Qatar, UAE, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Morocco, Algeria, Libya, Afghanistan and Tunisia.
  • Islam would be a much greater force if there was no Sunni vs Shia split.
    • This bifurcation occurred for what should have been a relatively minor disagreement: who should succeed the Prophet Muhammad after his death in 632.
    • Sunnis emphasize elected leadership, while Shias advocate hereditary succession.
    • These differences have contributed to sectarian tensions.
    • Israel would be in big trouble today without this split.
In other words, religion plays a major role in this Israel and USA vs Iran War.  Also, religious fervor differs quite a bit depending on the country.  USA (53%), Israel (36%) and Iran (78%).  Note how low this is in China, Japan, Europe and Russia.

Religion is very important to people in Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, and Latin America.

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