Does it have to be war?

The article examines the divisions between the Sunni and Shia sects of Islam in Iraq and elsewhere in the Middle East. Sunnis have traditionally been the dominant sect, but the emergence of Iran as a Shia power, along with the coming to power of Shias in Iraq, has caused greater assertiveness by Shias in the countries where they have been historically disenfranchised. Shia empowerment has been matched by the evolution of radical Sunni chauvinism, hence the increase in tension and violence.