The political and spiritual differences between the Sunni and the Shi’a have given rise to sectarian schism and violence over the past twenty years. Extremists from both sides have attacked each other aggressively, although political analysts claim that most of the attacks have been committed by Sunni radicals, who are inspired by the dogma of al-Qaeda. Sectarianism in the Middle East has added a new level of complexity to current regional conflicts, defining interests and alliances, shaping ideologies, influencing politics, and skewing balance of power between Muslim communities, actors and states. The Sunni and the Shi’a are the two major religious congregations of Islam, with approximately 93 percent of the Muslims being Sunni, while 7 percent of the world’s Muslims are Shi’a. Geographically, the Shi’a are a majority in Iran and Azerbaijan making up 90 percent of the population. In Bahrain and Iraq they make up over 60 percent of the population, while in Lebanon they are the second largest religious group making up the 24 percent of the population. The Sunni are a majority in the rest of the Arab countries, but they can also be found in non-Muslim countries like in China. The schism between the Sunni and the Shi’a is the largest and oldest in the history of Islam. Both sects share the Divine Scripture, the Qur’an, and the most fundamental Islamic beliefs and articles of faith. But, they have fundamental political and social differences that are, for the most part, derived from their diverse historical experiences as well as ethnic composition. Their differences trace their roots on the question of succession of Prophet Muhammad as leader of the emerging Muslim community after his death. Over the centuries, these differences have acquired a spiritual significance. When Prophet Muhammad (570AD–632AD) died in 632AD he granted the community of Muslims with the religion of Islam, but also with the order to organize an Islamic state on the Arabian Peninsula. The majority of Muslims believed that leadership should fall to the one that was deemed by the elite of the community as the best able to lead the community. Therefore, they supported Abu Bakr as their Caliph and socio-political leader, a close Companion of Prophet Muhammad. These became known as Sunni, from the word ‘Sunnah’ that means ‘according to the actions and traditions of the Prophet’. The Sunni claim that Prophet Muhammad chose Abu Bakr to lead the congregational prayers because he was the one to lay the Prophet on his deathbed implying he was the next leader of Islam. However, a smaller Muslim group believed that leadership should stay within the Prophet’s family and supported Prophet Muhammad’s son-in-law, Ali, to be the Caliph. These became known as Shi’a, which is a contraction of the phrase ‘Shiat Ali’, meaning ‘the Partisans of Ali’. The Shi’a argue that Prophet Muhammad appointed Ali as the only interpreter of his political and spiritual legacy and master of all believers after his last pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj). The Sunni widely regard Ali as the fourth and last successor to Muhammad following Abu Bakr (632AD-634AD), Umar (634AD-644AD) and Uthman (644AD-656AD), while the Shi’a feel that Ali should be the first successor. Finally, Abu Bakr (632AD-634AD) was appointed First Caliph and it was essentially that political division the origin of the Sunni-Shi’a rift. Ali was chosen as the fourth Caliph, after Uthman was murdered while at prayer. However, Uthman’s cousin and governor of Damascus, Mu’awiya Umayyad refused to recognize him. In 657, Mu’awiya challenged Ali for the caliphate at the legendary Battle of Siffin. Ali was forced to compromise with Mu’awiya and agreed to settle the dispute. Yet, Ali’s extremist supporters, known as the Kharijites, believing that “Rule belongs only to Allah”, regarded Ali’s compromise as a betrayal and killed him in 661 in the mosque of Kufa, Iraq. The violence and division of the Muslims continued with Ali’s son, Hussein, leading the Shi’a. Rejecting the rule of Mu’awiya and having only 72 followers in total, Ali fought against the huge Arab army of the caliph. The Battle of Karbala in 680 is considered of the major events in Shi’a history, from which Shi’a Islam draws its strong argument of martyrdom. At this battle, Hussein was decapitated, while his head was carried in tribute to the Sunni caliph in Damascus. All his followers were massacred. For the Shi’a, this day has spiritual meaning because an innocent figure martyred by a powerful, unjust force. Hussein to the Shi’a has become the inspiring force of their faith and his martyrdom is central to their identity. The Battle of Karbala is commemorated each year on the Day of Ashura. Originally, the difference between the Sunni and the Shi’a was purely a question of leadership of the Muslim community. However, the significance of the imams is one of the fundamental spiritual differences that separate the two religious congregations of Islam. The Sunni believe that the Shi’a attribute divine qualities to the imam and widely regard this as a great sin because the Shi’a basically associate humans with the divinity. However, this directly contradicts the teachings of Islam and the central idea of the oneness of God. Occasionally, the significance of the Sunni-Shi’a conflict in the Middle East takes an equal seat on the power balance with the Arab-Israeli conflict. The increasing Sunni-Shi’a divide is unsettling the Arab world more than ever. Fought in newspapers, speeches, rumors, the media, the divide is for the most part shaped by politics. The scenery is more or less the same: a decomposed Iraq, a rising Iran, a sense of Arab hopelessness and a constant mistrust of American intentions. Yet, the divide is penetrating the social structure of the region as well. The Sunni-Shi’a rift, although it exists since ever in the Islamic world, it has never this level of aggression before. The violence is mostly confined to Iraq and Pakistan and on a smaller scale to Lebanon, but its tension is so aggressive that creates a major problem for the Arab world. People experience the rise of sectarian identity, protest against it, blame the United States for preserving it or inflaming it and they are helpless to stop the bloodshed. At this rate of stimulation being triggered by both sects, it is likely that the hatred will be spread throughout the Islamic world. The media make the situation even worse by reporting gory stories about Sunni Islamists killing innocent Shi’a and Shi’s militias raping Sunni women in retaliation. This entire situation has the potential of igniting social unrest and instability within countries with Shi’a population. Faced with the rise of Iraq’s long-oppressed Shi’a and increased Iranian footing in the Levant and the Persian Gulf, a growing sense of disquiet has become established among the leadership of autocratic Sunni regimes. Over the last five years, King Abdullah II of Jordan and President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt have demonstrated fears of a new “Shi’a crescent” cutting across the Middle East. President Mubarak even questioned whether Shi’a in Arab nations are more faithful to Iran than to their own countries. However, the rise of the Shi’a is not likely to destabilize the balance of power in the Muslim world because the Shi’a make up for nearly 10 percent of the Sunni-dominated global Muslim population of 1.6 billion. And moreover, the Shi’a turn to their spiritual leaders for guidance and not to Iran. In reality, what the Sunni regimes are afraid of is the populist drawing power of radical forces emerging from within the Shi’a world. In 2006, Hassan Nasrallah, the Secretary General of Hezbollah named the war against the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) ‘the battle of umma’ meaning ‘of the Muslim community throughout the world’. Yet, the battle failed to mobilize Sunni Islamist groups in Lebanon, while in Jordan and Egypt the Muslim Brotherhood enthusiastically demonstrated both practical and symbolic solidarity throughout the crisis. The weak response of some Sunni Islamists to Hezbollah’s call was based on political, ideological and confessional criteria derived from the local, national and regional levels at which they operate. Muslim Brotherhood groups in Jordan, Egypt and Palestine supported Hezbollah based on strategic and ideological criteria imposed by their struggle against Israel. In Lebanon, their counterparts prioritized confessional unity and supported the efforts of the Sunni Prime Minister, Fouad Siniora, to disarm Hezbollah gradually. The United States is pouring lots of funds into the battles and reconstruction of Iraq and this has already had an impact on its economy. Social unrest has a huge impact on the economies of Middle Eastern nations. Lebanon is an example where the determination of Shiite Hezbollah to force out the Sunni government is crippling the country’s economy. At the same time, with Iraq being the second largest source of oil in the world, global oil prices are influenced by any sort of turmoil in the region and consequently the economies of various countries dependant on foreign oil.

The following is an exclusive interview with Michael Costache a Jet Set concierge living and working in Monaco.

1. Where did you grow up and who influenced you most in your formative years ?

I grew up in a lot of cities around Europe because of my father’s job. My father had a really big influence on me. He taught me how international business has to be managed and all the difficulties that comes with globalization and all the benefits that you can take from it. He also taught me that business is seen and developed differently considering where you live. I learned how important it is to keep that in mind when dealing with world wide clients because the trends that inspire them, their needs and their expectations radically differ from place to place.

2. When Americans think of Monaco we see a fairy tale land of royal families, castles, Grace Kelly and James Bond, how does our view differ from a locals’ perspective of Monaco?

Monaco is a magical world for a lot of people around the globe. It symbolizes a luxurious lifestyle, the jet set, the royal family, the Formula One Grand Prix and of course a great history with Grace Kelly and Prince Albert. The principality attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists throughout the year. Actually, living here all year long these elements become quite normal and just a part of everyday life. The Monegasque experience is totally different if you are a tourist or a local. People living in Monaco have their favorite spots when dining or chilling time comes. We all know each other and visit each other without even paying attention to the glamorous environment that the tourist or foreigners see on TV. As I said, it is totally normal to see a Ferrari or a Bentley at every street corner, meeting Lewis Hamilton or Michael Schumacher or even contemplating the most sumptuous yachts on the port all year long.

[Note from Rob: Monegasque is a romance language and a dialect of the modern Ligurian language, which is spoken in Monaco.]

3. How is living in Monaco different from living elsewhere?

Well, Monaco is located on the edge of Europe and across the Mediterranean and is synonymous with luxury, perfect weather and a certain lifestyle that you couldn’t find anywhere else. It’s just a very special place that attracts a lot of new potential citizens every year, because unlike other tax havens Monaco is associated with a very specific image. Once you’ve lived in Monaco it will never be the same as living in Switzerland or Andorra for example.

[Note from Rob: Monaco attracts high net income people such as movie stars, athletes etc. to become residents of the Principality in order to benefit from personal income tax exemption. Also, you may never have heard of Andorra but it should be on your list of countries to visit. It's located in the North East portion of the Pyrenean mountain range which separates France and Spain. The key attraction is it's tax haven status.]

4. I understand that there are a lot of economic advantages (you mentioned a tax haven) to being a citizen in Monaco, could you explain further?

Sure, Monaco is famous around the world for its image of a tax haven. In effect, the residents of the principality can enjoy no income tax, no tax on large fortunes, no local tax, no housing tax and no tax on property gains.

Moreover, in addition to the strong fiscal advantages, Monaco offers an exceptional living environment thanks to its security (1 policeman for every 100 citizens- the highest rate worldwide) and personal safety features combined with a very well-managed health and educational systems, an outstanding infrastructure for travel and transport and many cultural and sporting events such as the Formula One Grand Prix, the Tennis Master Series and the World Music Awards.

5. How would you describe the Jet Set side of Monaco?

From the beginning, Monaco has known how to mix all the ingredients for an exceptional Jet Set lifestyle; perfect year round weather, safety, famous casinos, 5 stars palaces, world-known nightclubs and last but not least the name Monaco has become a brand in it self that exemplifies Jet Set.

Unlike other well known Jet Set places like Saint Tropez or Sardinia, celebrities can be seen all year long in the principality and that is due once again to the fiscal policy present here. Very wealthy people obviously prefer to live and save their money in a no tax country so it is very common to see the top celebrities and the millionaires from all around the world in the same shopping mall or at the supermarket as you. It is just part of everyday life.

6. Would you describe some Jet Set parties and events you have attended in Monaco?

Monaco [as well as the French Riviera] are hosts to numerous jet set parties and events year round. For example, I was invited to the 50 cent pre-party prior to the World Music Awards at Zebra Square (which is a very famous and prestigious lounge bar in Mon

7. Would you describe some Jet Set parties and events you have attended in Monaco?

Monaco [as well as the French Riviera] are hosts to numerous jet set parties and events year round. For example, I was invited to the 50 cent pre-party prior to the World Music Awards at Zebra Square (which is a very famous and prestigious lounge bar in Monaco). There were lots of other celebrities in attendance (like Akon and Ciara ) which really made that night very, very special. The after party was fantastic too because most of the performers from the show were invited to “Jimmy’s” (one of the most famous nightclubs in the principality) and I got an opportunity to party with G-Unit, Mika, David Guetta and Avril Lavigne.

I was also invited last summer to the Armand De Brignac Jay-Z official party organized by the famous Champagne brand and to the P. Diddy party in Cannes at VIP ROOM during the film festival. I can assure you that these parties are like nothing you’ve ever seen before. The atmosphere, the organization and the people present make them truly unique.

[Rob: Armand de Brignac is the name of an ultra luxury high end Champagne brand that's sold in opaque metallic bottles and is identifiable by a distinctive gold bottle with a pewter Ace of Spades label. You can see it in the climactic scene of Jay Z's video for "Show Me What You Got".]

8. There seems to be a certain circle of hot spots that Jet Setters are traveling to around the world- what do you consider to be the 5 hottest destinations now and why?

In my opinion, a hot spot for jet setters has to combine awesome parties where you can see and be seen, a big number of celebrities present, but also a bit of privacy, along with a luxurious environment and outstanding service.

So this would be my ranking :

1) Saint-Tropez (the choice was very difficult but Saint-Tropez is definitely still number 1: no summer without hearing about Diddy’s or Jay-Z’s famous parties)

2) Barbados

3) Santorini

4) Dubai

5) Marbella

9. What would you consider to be the next most up and coming jet set destinations that’s all the buzz in your world?

From having heard a lot about it in the past year and having received very positive feedback from my friends who already went there, I would say that Hvar in Croatia is definitely becoming the New Saint Tropez. Celebrities really like this island because it actually manages to keep an authentic landscape with well managed infrastructure and building construction that preserves the fabulous nature present there. In addition, Hvar allows the Jet setter to organize really big and awesome parties in a very private way (in contrast to the French Riveria as an example). My feeling is that celebrities just feel much better in Croatia because of the high privacy the island can procure for them.

10. What is your company Quintessentialife?

Quintessentialife is an ultimate luxury goods finder. We are here to save your precious time by fulfilling your most extravagant luxury goods needs. We know that you are busy men and women, so why not let us take charge of your luxurious lifestyle wishes? The company has built a large web of partners and suppliers all over the world in order to assure that you are receiving your dream goods in the shortest of time possible. We believe you deserve uniqueness, so if your wish is a unique mobile phone, a diamond encrusted car, an exclusive platinum watch or whatever other uncommon luxury good, send us an inquiry on http://www.quintessentialife.com and we’ll find the one unique piece that best corresponds to you because for us, real luxury is exclusivity.

11. How did you get started as a Jet Set Concierge?

I would call myself more of a luxury goods finder. Being in Monaco and traveling around the world in hot spots like Dubai, meeting wealthy people, talking with them about their needs and wishes and analyzing the worldwide trend showing that the number of millionaires and billionaires keeps increasing year after year. I’ve decided to launch this company because I really saw a market for the services provided. Moreover, in analyzing the competitors already on the market I figured out that most of them were basic concierge services. Quintessentialife is more than that. We are specialized in finding uniqueness, exclusivity, because you surely don’t want to see your neighbor having the same watch or car you just bought for hundreds of thousands dollars.

12. Would you describe how a transaction works with your company?

People who are interested in having unique and exclusive luxury goods send me their inquiries through our website. As an example, they may want a watch encrusted with a special sort of diamond or maybe luxurious designer furniture for their villa or something along those lines. I then consult with my contacts around the world and begin searching for the items that best correspond to my clients needs. The next step is for me to send my propositions to the client (after fully analyzing them) and he just has to tell me if one corresponds to his needs to conclude the deal.

13. Describe your ideal client?

The most important thing for me is to find the goods that will make my client completely happy and satisfied. So, my “ideal client” would be someone who has a clear idea of what he wants. Of course, we can advise him on the current luxury trends around the world but in my experience to have a fully satisfied client you must have a precise and clear inquiry.

14. What is the most difficult request you’ve had from a client (and were you able to fulfill it)?

The most difficult request was definitely a Bentley Continental GTS with a gold roof. The technology was just launched and the suppliers were very difficult to find. Today, in the streets of Moscow or Dubai, you can see a few cars with gold roofs or doors but a couple of months ago these cars were non-existent. We did succeed in finding a supplier in Germany who made it for us and the client was really happy because he was one of the 3 people worldwide to possess this kind of good.

15. Do you have clients worldwide (or just in Monaco)?

Most of my clients are from the BRIC group of emergent countries: Brazil, Russia, India and China and also from the Middle East and Dubai. These countries are the ones that have shown the biggest increase in their number of millionaires in the last decade.

16. What aspects of your business are outsourced and which parts do you handle personally?

Of course, as you understood, since I cannot be in America, Asia, Middle East and Europe at the same time to search by myself- most of the research is handled by my partners all over the world in order to find the piece that best corresponds to the client’s needs. Also,The IT portion of my business will be very soon outsourced to India.”

Our exclusive interview goes to the heart of the Middle East issue, which is constantly in focus. rt’s Peter Lavelle spoke to Robert Fisk in Lebanon, who’s one of the most renowned journalists and authors on the subject.

Indian realtors are venturing into oil-rich cities in the Middle-East to drill out a fortune by building commercial and residential properties. The key attractions in these countries are the sops provided by the government and the favourable laws.

If you listen to the pundits and believe the polls, it is increasingly clear Barack Obama will be the next President of the United States. With this in mind I have looked into all of his campaign promises and plans for his first term in office. Throughout his campaign he has made it perfectly clear that he intends to be a two term President. With the current state of our economy I have only looked at what could be the results a first term Obama Administration.It is unclear if President Bush and his Administration can stop the downward spiral our economy and the market is experiencing. The results of the actions he has taken to calm the markets and free up credit will not be known until after the election. For the sake of argument I have looked into the future with an optimistic view. I have given our economy and markets the benefit of doubt and see President Obama inheriting an economy/market on the rise and the job market showing a modest increase.After his inauguration and keeping to his campaign promises, President Obama will announce our immediate withdrawal from Iraq starting in February 2009 and ending in August 2010.He will submit to Congress his tax plan to repeal the Bush tax cuts, institute a windfall profits tax on oil companies, raise corporate tax rates and mandate that all small business with ten or more employees and a gross income level above $250,000, provide health care for their employees.The immediate results of President Obama’s action will be Russia signing a mutual defense agreement with Venezuela allowing Russian missiles to be placed in Venezuela and declaring any attack on Venezuela will be considered an attack on Russia. President Obama will declare this unacceptable,call for a meeting with the Russian President and call for sanctions against Russia if they place missiles on Venezuelan soil.Iran will call for immediate talks with high level Administration officials to plan for talks between Obama and Ahmadinejad. Obama will agree and send his Secretary of State to Iran to work out the details of their meeting. After the Secretary of State returns, Obama will announce a Camp David Summit will be held and Ahmadinejad’ agreement to negotiate his country’s plans for nuclear plants in Iran.Obama will emerge from Camp David and announce Ahmadinejad has agreed to allow limited inspections of their nuclear power plants and they have no intentions of using nuclear weapons against Israel. Iran will also promise to help America in our effort to reduce the increased attacks on our troops in Afghanistan. Of course the inspections will continue to be stalled by Iranian bureaucrats until the dirty little secret comes out that Iran has finally obtained a nuclear weapon from North Korea that is capable of striking Israel. We will also learn that Iran has been secretly arming the Taliban and Al Qaeda in Pakistan. Obama will announce a summit meeting with our European Allies to deal with both the Russian and Iranian threats.The corporate tax increase will cause large corporations to immediately announce a corporate wide job freeze and an immediate restructuring of all domestic operations. Foreign corporations like Toyota and Honda will reconsider building products in the United States. Most small businesses will not be exempt from the new taxes and insurance mandates because the law will be defined as “Companies with a Gross Income Level below $250,00 are exempt.” As small business owners learn they cannot deduct normal business expenditures from their gross income to qualify as a small business they begin to close their companies and file for bankruptcy.With the increased cost of foreign oil, a double digit unemployment rate, and increased tensions around the world, markets and economies will crash by the summer of 2010. Chaos will return to the Middle East, Russia will move on Georgia and Ukraine, we will retreat from Iraq and Afghanistan and the world will be on the brink of WWIII.Most people especially Obama supporters will shrug this off as fear mongering or the predictions of a madman. I would ask you to take a close look at the man and explain how, with the world economy and the threats we face from abroad, can Obama keep the promises he has made. To this date he still refuses to admit he will not be able to keep all of these promises. To Obama it is inconceivable to believe Putin or Ahmadinejad would think Obama would be another weak Jimmy Carter. He doesn’t understand that to people like this the word negotiate is the same as surrender.

Please Subscribe, Rate, Favorite, Share, and Comment! Judge Napolitano and Angela Keaton discuss how Obama is slightly worse than his predecessor when it comes to liberty, foreign policy, constitutional respect and war. In the end, the establishment candidates are interventionist in nature….

Bahrain undoubtedly is the financial hub of the Middle East. It is also internationally known to be the most diversified economy in the Gulf region. Unlike other countries in the Gulf region that depend heavily on oil and gas production, in Bahrain, the contribution of this sector is merely 14% of GDP (2007). The most thriving sector in Bahrain currently is the financial sector. Thus, there is no dearth of banking jobs in Bahrain. These financial sector jobs have been increasing as the sector has seen ample growth over the past few years and Bahrain has become an attractive career destination for qualified expatriates in this field. Other than the financial sector, other booming sectors in the region include professional services, logistics, ICT, and manufacturing sectors.
Bahrain boasts of the highest and most transparent regulatory and supervisory standards in its financial sector and has thus become the most established financial hub which has attracted investors for businesses in this field. Despite being such a small country, it has attracted a lot of foreign investment in this region as it is the tried and tested ground for banking and insurance sector. In the region, there are more than 400 licensed financial institutions which contribute nearly 27% of GDP (2007). These institutions operate in banking, insurance and funds. Also, Bahrain is a hub for Islamic finance as the largest number of Islamic financial institutions is located in the region. Owing to these reasons banking jobs in Bahrain have become quite attractive to skilled professionals across the globe.
Bahrain banking jobs are very lucrative too. The prime reason for this is that it is a tax-free region. Thus, no taxes are levied on the compensation of an individual. This is a major puller for expatriates who throng the region to take up such jobs and make savings for a lifetime. These expatriates take up jobs on contractual basis and leave the country at the end of their term but by the time they leave, they save enough money to make the period of stay worthwhile. The quality and the standard of lifestyle offered in Bahrain are also world-class. Though one might find a huge difference in culture but with an open mind, one can enjoy the luxuries offered by the place. One has to be a little open-minded to settle well in the country and accept all the good that it has to offer.
To get a Bahrain banking job, one can apply through various mediums such as recruitment firms operating in the area, newspapers, job sites and also by directly applying to these banks that regularly advertise their vacancies on their websites. If going through a recruitment agency, it is always advisable to choose a certified agency because there are a lot of sham companies operating in this field who make unsuspecting job searchers a prey. Once short listed, the candidates have to go through a comprehensive selection procedure as the standards of selection in top financial companies are also very high. The employer becomes the sponsor of the expatriates who work in Bahrain. In your employment contract, there are other included benefits too. For instance, many employers offer housing, education for children and one annual free trip back home to employees. Considering these benefits, a banking job in Bahrain becomes a sought after one.
Despite the current economic downturn, Bahrain’s established status as the financial capital of the Middle East is ready to weather these tough times. The sector has seen a surging employment growth in Bahrain’s financial industry in the last few years. There is an emphasis on employing local Bahrainis as the country’s education system has evolved and is producing graduates ready to take up jobs. However, there is still a lot of demand for foreign workers. Prominent financial services companies operating in Bahrain include some big international names such as AIG, American Express, Bank of China, Citibank, European Islamic Bank, Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, BNP Paribas, Hanover Re, HSBC, Royal Bank of Scotland, JP Morgan, Lazard, Merrill Lynch, and Standard Chartered. The expansion of these firms in the region has ensured that more and more jobs are being created each year. Apart from banking, insurance and funds are the other two branches in the finance sector that are employing expatriates in large numbers.