http://www.foxnews.com/world/2014/07/09 ... -on-mecca/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Sunni v Shia makes Protestant v Catholic look like a schoolyard shoving match.Mostly comprised of Sunnis, ISIS surprised few when it vowed to destroy sites revered by the rival Shia sect. The two main blocs of Islam have been at odds for nearly 1,400 years because of a dispute over who was Prophet Muhammad's successor. The destruction of at least 10 ancient Shia shrines in Iraq has enraged the Shia government in Baghdad, as well as the Iranian regime, also Shia.
But an unverified threat to Mecca itself, the holy city in Sunni-dominated Saudi Arabia where Muslims believe they must make one pilgrimage during their lifetimes, was unprecedented. Allegedly tweeted by a member of the extremist group on a since-suspended account, the threat took aim at the most sacred beacon of the Muslim faith.
Not having a good grasp of the history or the geopolitical ramifications (not sure anyone can make any good predictions on the geopolitical side), the only side I can root for here is peace. It all seems so horribly, tragically, avoidable.