This war made me realize this: that all differences between American newspapers disappear when Israel is engaged in one of its regular wars of aggression. The San Francisco Chronicle on normal sunny days is to the left of most big city newspapers. But in this war, it is competing with the New York Times in insensitivity and racism. Look at this article about Sunn-Shi`ite differences. The writer interviews terrorism experts to analyze Sunni-Shi`ite differences. Would they interview terrorism experts to analyze schisms in Christianity or Judaism? Amazing.
PS The writer of the piece, Mathew Stannard, wrote to me. Among the things he said: "...Rather, this piece was about how the overall POLITICAL divisions stemming from those religious differences are affecting the Islamic world, including the radical groups claiming to represent each side. To use again an analogy I mentioned earlier, I wouldn't necessarly consult an expert in Catholicism to discuss the Latin Mass as part of an explanation of the divisions in Northern Ireland; I would consult experts in politics, policing and terrorism in the region, just as I did here...." I still disagree.