How to be a Muslim moderate

Jewish World Review ^ | 10-21-03 | Zev Chafets

[SJackson]

An Islamic leader camouflages some truth-telling about the Islamic world with anti-Semitic lies

http://www.jewishworldreview.com | On Thursday, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad made headlines by charging that a Jewish conspiracy controls the planet.

"The Europeans killed 6 million Jews out of 12 million, but today the Jews rule the world by proxy," he told the leaders and representatives of 57 Islamic nations who were gathered in Putrajaya, Malaysia, for their biggest summit meeting since 9/11.

"We are up against a people who think. They invented socialism, communism, human rights and democracy so that persecuting them would appear to be wrong, so that they can enjoy equal rights with others. With these, they have gained control of the most powerful countries."

Naturally, this screed elicited loud protests from Jewish leaders and Western governments. A State Department spokesman denounced the remarks as "offensive and inflammatory" and said the U.S. government views them "with the contempt and derision they deserve."

On the other hand, Mahathir received a standing ovation from his Islamic colleagues. Supposed moderates cheered along with everyone else. Afghan President Hamid Karzai praised the speech as an "an eyeopener."

"It is great to hear Prime Minister Mahathir speak so eloquently on the problems of the Muslim world and ways to remedy them," he told reporters after the speech.

How could Karzai, an American client of surpassing moderation, laud such a paranoid rant? The answer, I think, is that Karzai heard a different speech than the one reported in the press — a rather subversive speech camouflaged by the virulent anti-Jewish rhetoric that typifies all Islamic gatherings.

Indirectly, cautiously but unmistakably, Mahathir informed his guests that the Muslims are too weak to fight, that the jihad — from Palestine to Putrajaya — is a disaster and the Muslims have no one to blame but themselves.

Given the low state of the Islamic world, this may seem self-evident. But saying it out loud at an Islamic summit is a rare act of intellectual honesty.

"There is a feeling of hopelessness among the Muslim countries and their people," Mahathir said. "They feel they can do nothing right. They believe that things can only get worse."

This sense of failure has, he noted, bred violent frustration. "Our only reaction is to become more and more angry, and so we find some of our people acting irrationally. They launch their own attacks, killing just about everybody, including fellow Muslims."

What was he talking about? The attacks of Al Qaeda certainly, but also the Palestinian intifadeh.

Mahathir denounced the behavior of would-be martyrs as "irresponsible and un-Islamic acts" — a characterization that brought him to the very brink of what is acceptable speech at a Muslim summit.

Which is where the Jews come in.

[SJackson]

If you'd like to be on or off this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.

[AbsoluteJustice]

"anti-Semitic "

If I hear this college, feel good, blah blah word again I'm gonna puke.

[DB]

"anti-Semitic"

Putting you to the test...

[AbsoluteJustice]

LOL

[Valin]

"The Europeans killed 6 million Jews out of 12 million, but today the Jews rule the world by proxy,"

I've been trying to figure this one out for a couple of days now.
1 The Europeans killed 6 million Jews out of 12 million,
2 but today the Jews rule the world by proxy,

What does 1 have to do with 2? "Assuming" that #2 is true.

[thoughtomator]

The speech was intended to embarass Muslims into rejecting medievalism. I didn't interpret it as anti-semitic.

[Arpege92]

"What does 1 have to do with 2"

In a terrorist mind, everything!

[Valin]

Well that's a whole new take on this speech, and one I've never considered.

[Valin]

I'm sorry I was trying to apply some logic, I promise never to do it again. Can you find it in your heart to forgive me?

[Michael81Dus]

To become modern, the Muslim world should give up the idea of considering Jews and Christian (= the western world) as its enemies. But until that day finally comes: prepare for the defense!

[BabsC]

I didn't interpret it as anti-semitic.

No just a Muslim's claim that the current form of terrorism is not eliminating the Jews so let's try another way.

The whole speech was anti-semitic, it was all about ridding the world of infidels starting with the Jews and how best to reach that Islamic goal.

[thoughtomator]

One has to consider the audience. If your people were as backward as the Muslims are, straightforward talk will just get you killed. When was the last time you heard the Muslim world give a unanimous cheer for liberalization and reform? That was the major content of the speech; the stuff about Jews was pressing hot-buttons for motivational purposes.

IMO Mahathir is the smartest politician in the Muslim world today.

[Arpege92]

"I'm sorry I was trying to apply some logic."

Really? Geez, I didn't realize that. ;-}

[Valin]

To become modern, the Muslim world should give up the idea of considering Jews and Christian (= the western world) as its enemies.

They are out there, now I grant you they don't make a lot of news but they are there.
The problem with the "Islamic world"(broadbrush alert) is many of them got the wrong answer to THE question(THE question for them), how did we fall so far behind the west? The answer many of them came up with was a giant plot by the Jews and Crusaders to keep us down. A simplistic to say the least.
We combine this paranoid kind of thinking with Saudi(Wahhabi) oil money, a strong tendency toward the strong man theory of government, extreme parochialism, and here we are.

To change this is why what we are doing in Iraq is so important, and why it scares the hell out of the "leaders" of the the Islamic world.

[Valin]

IMO Mahathir is the smartest politician in the Muslim world today.

?
No flame.

[TADSLOS]

"We are up against a people who think."

Damned straight, except I would add, FOR THEMSELVES!

(except for socialists and libeRATS)

[Travis McGee]

If camouflaged half-truths mixed with bloody lies are the BEST that "moderate" Muslims can do without risk of being assassinated, there is NO HOPE for Islam to correct itself. NONE.

[Travis McGee]

All sides are making your point on this thread.