18 Quotes by Joost Hiltermann

There are clerics who are very moderate and who understand what the current situation demands, and there are clerics who have political agendas and who marshal forces for their own gain. Those are the dangerous ones.

But at the same time they play an important role because they physically stand between militias that are at each other's throats.

He has angered insurgents who don't believe in his methods or in attacks on holy sites. But that won't stop him.

Under Saddam, you usually were OK as long as you kept your mouth shut. Now you might get hurt or even killed almost arbitrarily, given the absence of rule of law, the sectarian fighting, insurgent actions and U.S. carelessness in responding to attacks.

Under Saddam, you usually were OK as long as you kept your mouth shut, ... Now you might get hurt or even killed almost arbitrarily, given the absence of rule of law, the sectarian fighting, insurgent actions and U.S. carelessness in responding to attacks.

It couldn't come about except by a tremendous bloodbath. This is not a natural solution.

The Americans are seen as an occupying power with long term goals to control oil.

Most Iraqis want the American forces out because they see them as creating all kinds of problems.

The good thing about the December election was that Sunnis participated but the logic of sectarianism was already set in motion.