--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For instance, I was a little surprised…" description: "\"For instance, I was a little surprised that the Shiites didn't rise up against Saddam and the Baath party across most of the country when the Americans..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/460/juan-cole-26631_april_for-instance-i-was-a-little-surprised-th_2248565.jpg" --- # For instance, I was a little surprised that the Shiites… ![“For instance, I was a little surprised that the Shiites didn't rise up against Saddam and the Baath party across most of the country when the Americans moved in March and April of 2003.” quote by Juan Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/460/juan-cole-26631_april_for-instance-i-was-a-little-surprised-th_2248565.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/460/juan-cole-26631_april_for-instance-i-was-a-little-surprised-th_2248565.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/460/juan-cole-26631_april_for-instance-i-was-a-little-surprised-th_2248565.jpg) > “For instance, I was a little surprised that the Shiites didn't rise up against Saddam and the Baath party across most of the country when the Americans moved in March and April of 2003.” [Juan Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-cole/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He notes Shiites largely did not rebel against Saddam or Baathists when US forces entered. **In simple terms:** Shiites stayed passive during US invasion. Key Takeaway Explore reasons behind limited uprising. Themes politics conflict religion Mood analytical inquisitive Type political historical When to use this quote - military strategy - regional politics - social movements Key Concepts sectarian dynamics power structures Questions to Reflect On - Why didn't Shiites rise earlier? - What factors suppressed rebellion? A Different Perspective Complex sectarian motives not fully explained. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Americans Moved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/americans-moved-2897245/) [April](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/april/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Didn Rise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/didn-rise-2969645/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [March](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/march/) [Rise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rise/) [Shiites](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shiites-849198/) [Shiites Didn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shiites-didn-5126686/) [Surprised Shiites](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surprised-shiites-5126687/) [Up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/up/) ## Related quotes > [If Jesus rose from the dead, then you have to accept all that he said; if he didn't rise from the dead, then why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/if-jesus-rose-from-the-dead-then-you-have-to-accept-all-that-he-said/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“As the Cold War extended and British influence diminished, so the Americans moved into traditional British areas in response to Soviet threats and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-feinstein/as-the-cold-war-extended-and-british-influence-diminished-so-the/) [Andrew Feinstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-feinstein/) > [What we accomplished during World War Two is just amazing. We turned our country upside down. African Americans were demanding to be given combat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-d-klein/what-we-accomplished-during-world-war-two-is-just-amazing-we-turned/) [Margaret D. Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-d-klein/) > [“Since the start of the recession, the number of Americans who have moved each year has fallen sharply for a host of reasons, including…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/since-the-start-of-the-recession-the-number-of-americans-who-have/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Some Iraqi troops aren't willing to fight for their government. But many Shiites appear willing to fight for their religious leaders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/some-iraqi-troops-aren-t-willing-to-fight-for-their-government-but/) [Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/) > [The Houthi have local religious grievances, being Shiites in a majority Sunni land. But they are also agents of Shiite Iran, which arms, trains,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-krauthammer/the-houthi-have-local-religious-grievances-being-shiites-in-a/) [Charles Krauthammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-krauthammer/) > [“About 90 percent of the one billion Muslims in the world today identify with the Sunni tradition. Of the remainder, most are Shiites, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/about-90-percent-of-the-one-billion-muslims-in-the-world-today/) [Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/) > [I think the Shiites want a theocracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adnan-pachachi/i-think-the-shiites-want-a-theocracy/) [Adnan Pachachi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adnan-pachachi/) > [Why do Sunnis kill Shiites? How do they tell the difference? They all look the same to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trent-lott/why-do-sunnis-kill-shiites-how-do-they-tell-the-difference-they-all/) [Trent Lott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trent-lott/) > [The Americans were never interested in what was best for the Shiites.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muqtada-al-sadr/the-americans-were-never-interested-in-what-was-best-for-the-shiites/) [Muqtada al Sadr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muqtada-al-sadr/) > [In Ghazalia, Mr. Hussein showed his contempt for the majority Shiites in ways large and small. He refused to allow them even one mosque,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-berenson/in-ghazalia-mr-hussein-showed-his-contempt-for-the-majority-shiites/) [Alex Berenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-berenson/) > [Why should I deem myself to be a chisel, when I could be the artist?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/why-should-i-deem-myself-to-be-a-chisel-when-i-could-be-the-artist/) [Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/) > [Two things you need to know about taxes. They've extended the deadline to April 18, and when you write your check, just make it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/two-things-you-need-to-know-about-taxes-they-ve-extended-the-deadline/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [It might interest you that just as the U.S. was ramping up its involvement in Vietnam, LBJ launched an illegal invasion of the Dominican…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/it-might-interest-you-that-just-as-the-u-s-was-ramping-up-its/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [“I had a chat with May and I had a sweet talk with April but the lovely conversation that left me to ponder was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-agyemang-yeboah/i-had-a-chat-with-may-and-i-had-a-sweet-talk-with-april-but-the/) [Ernest Agyemang Yeboah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-agyemang-yeboah/) ## More by Juan Cole > [Partisan politics has no place in the classroom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-cole/partisan-politics-has-no-place-in-the-classroom/) [Juan Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-cole/) > [Take the decision in early March to arrest Muqtada al-Sadr. It was made apparently without knowledge or understanding of the nature of his movement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-cole/take-the-decision-in-early-march-to-arrest-muqtada-al-sadr-it-was/) [Juan Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-cole/) > [Public interest in most of the Middle East was slight at that time; the Arab-Israeli conflict was all that people were interested in and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-cole/public-interest-in-most-of-the-middle-east-was-slight-at-that-time/) [Juan Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-cole/) > [I speak Urdu quite a lot, too, and I read a lot of Persian.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-cole/i-speak-urdu-quite-a-lot-too-and-i-read-a-lot-of-persian/) [Juan Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-cole/) > [I don't accept the argument of people like David Horowitz that the government should impose some sort of predetermined political balance on academic research.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-cole/i-don-t-accept-the-argument-of-people-like-david-horowitz-that-the/) [Juan Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-cole/) > [Did you know that they introduced the 15 percent flat tax on individual and corporate income in Iraq? Something that some politicians very much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-cole/did-you-know-that-they-introduced-the-15-percent-flat-tax-on/) [Juan Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-cole/) > [I also argued before the war that the administration was underestimating Arab nationalism and Iraqi nationalism, that it was not going to be as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-cole/i-also-argued-before-the-war-that-the-administration-was/) [Juan Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-cole/) > [If you put your politicians up for sale, as the US does (alone in this among industrialized democracies), then someone will buy them--and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-cole/if-you-put-your-politicians-up-for-sale-as-the-us-does-alone-in-this/) [Juan Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-cole/) > [To the extent that the (ISIS's) advance is a series of urban revolts against the government of PM Nouri al-Maliki, the US would end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-cole/to-the-extent-that-the-isis-s-advance-is-a-series-of-urban-revolts/) [Juan Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-cole/) > [I think that there's been an unfortunate tendency for right wing think tanks to dominate these discussions. They often produce very shoddy studies and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-cole/i-think-that-there-s-been-an-unfortunate-tendency-for-right-wing/) [Juan Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-cole/) > [I think it's really unfortunate that academics have been sidelined in most important policy debates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-cole/i-think-it-s-really-unfortunate-that-academics-have-been-sidelined-in/) [Juan Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-cole/) > [But September 11 marked a big change in the sense that the public was suddenly interested, and as a professor at a public university…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-cole/but-september-11-marked-a-big-change-in-the-sense-that-the-public-was/) [Juan Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-cole/) > [I lived in the Muslim world for 10 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-cole/i-lived-in-the-muslim-world-for-10-years/) [Juan Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-cole/) > [My main expertise is in the past, but if I have to extrapolate into the future, I would say: no good news any time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-cole/my-main-expertise-is-in-the-past-but-if-i-have-to-extrapolate-into/) [Juan Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-cole/) > [It's not proper for a professor to go before a class and promote one party or another. That's not academic scholarship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-cole/it-s-not-proper-for-a-professor-to-go-before-a-class-and-promote-one/) [Juan Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-cole/) [Explore all 21 Juan Cole quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-cole/) ## More April quotes > [“I had a chat with May and I had a sweet talk with April but the lovely conversation that left me to ponder was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-agyemang-yeboah/i-had-a-chat-with-may-and-i-had-a-sweet-talk-with-april-but-the/) [Ernest Agyemang Yeboah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-agyemang-yeboah/) > [It might interest you that just as the U.S. was ramping up its involvement in Vietnam, LBJ launched an illegal invasion of the Dominican…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/it-might-interest-you-that-just-as-the-u-s-was-ramping-up-its/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [Two things you need to know about taxes. They've extended the deadline to April 18, and when you write your check, just make it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/two-things-you-need-to-know-about-taxes-they-ve-extended-the-deadline/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [Why should I deem myself to be a chisel, when I could be the artist?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/why-should-i-deem-myself-to-be-a-chisel-when-i-could-be-the-artist/) [Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/) > [The air soft as that of Seville in April, and so fragrant that it was delicious to breathe it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-columbus/the-air-soft-as-that-of-seville-in-april-and-so-fragrant-that-it-was/) [Christopher Columbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-columbus/) > [Our opponents see an America in which every day is April 15, tax day. Well, we see an America in which every day is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/our-opponents-see-an-america-in-which-every-day-is-april-15-tax-day/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Here cometh April again, and as far as I can see the world hath more fools in it than ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/here-cometh-april-again-and-as-far-as-i-can-see-the-world-hath-more/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [It felt like 10 years, but I was actually in treatment for three-and-a-half years. I finally finished in April. Two years ago, I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suleika-jaouad/it-felt-like-10-years-but-i-was-actually-in-treatment-for-three-and-a/) [Suleika Jaouad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suleika-jaouad/) > [The air is like a butterfly With frail blue wings. The happy earth looks at the sky And sings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-kilmer/the-air-is-like-a-butterfly-with-frail-blue-wings-the-happy-earth/) [Joyce Kilmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-kilmer/) > [At 1.24 am on 26 April 1986 Chernobyl’s Unit 4 reactor exploded after staff disabled safety systems and performed an ill-advised experiment to check…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-lynas/at-1-24-am-on-26-april-1986-chernobyl-s-unit-4-reactor-exploded-after/) [Mark Lynas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-lynas/) > [People born in April are very loving and caring people. They are the ones who have the best memories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-born-in-april-are-very-loving-and-caring-people-they-are-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Ah, March! we know thou art Kind-hearted, spite of ugly looks and threats, And, out of sight, art nursing April's violets!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-hunt-jackson/ah-march-we-know-thou-art-kind-hearted-spite-of-ugly-looks-and/) [Helen Hunt Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-hunt-jackson/) > [I know April, May and June are a few unbearable months, and working out in a gym and sweating in such dirty hot, sticky,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashish-sharma/i-know-april-may-and-june-are-a-few-unbearable-months-and-working-out/) [Ashish Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashish-sharma/) > [Men are April when they woo, December when they wed...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/men-are-april-when-they-woo-december-when-they-wed/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Oh, to be in England Now that April's there, And whoever wakes in England Sees, some morning, unaware.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-browning/oh-to-be-in-england-now-that-april-s-there-and-whoever-wakes-in/) [Robert Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-browning/) [Browse all 567 April quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/april/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "For instance, I was a little surprised that the Shiites didn't rise up against Saddam and the Baath party across most of the country when the Americans moved in March and April of 2003.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Juan Cole" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-cole/for-instance-i-was-a-little-surprised-that-the-shiites-didn-t-rise-up/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "April" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-cole/for-instance-i-was-a-little-surprised-that-the-shiites-didn-t-rise-up/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/460/juan-cole-26631_april_for-instance-i-was-a-little-surprised-th_2248565.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/460/juan-cole-26631_april_for-instance-i-was-a-little-surprised-th_2248565.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/460/juan-cole-26631_april_for-instance-i-was-a-little-surprised-th_2248565.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“For instance, I was a little surprised that the Shiites didn't rise up against Saddam and the Baath party…” — Juan Cole", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Juan Cole", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-cole/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "For instance, I was a little...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-cole/for-instance-i-was-a-little-surprised-that-the-shiites-didn-t-rise-up/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-cole/for-instance-i-was-a-little-surprised-that-the-shiites-didn-t-rise-up/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```