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Lee Kuan Yew gives warning to Islamic moderates
AFP / Taipei Times ^
| 3/28/04
| Staff
Posted on 03/28/2004 12:17:51 AM PST by tubavil
Lee Kuan Yew gives warning to Islamic moderates
AFP , Singapore Sunday, Mar 28, 2004,Page 4
Moderate Muslims must take a stand against religious extremists, Singapore Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew said, warning that failure to do so would lead to Islam being "hijacked."
In an interview with the BBC's East Asia Today program Friday night, Lee said the silence of moderates over deadly bomb attacks such as the ones in Bali and Madrid made it appear that only the US and its allies were fighting extremists.
Lee said "the crux of the battle, really, is between moderate and extreme Muslims."
However, moderate Muslims were "keeping out of sight" at the moment, he said.
"But if Madrid, 9/11, Bali and so on keep going on and the moderates in the Muslim world keep silent, either condone or duck the issue, then there is a danger that the West may begin to feel, that really, there are no champions to counter these terrorists," Lee said.
"That would become a very dangerous problem," he said in the interview.
"I am saying that moderates in the Muslim world, by not being able to take a stand and take the lead and start the argument with the extremists in the mosques, in the madrasah [religious schools], they are ducking the issue and allowing the extremists to hijack not just Islam but the whole of the Muslim community."
The former premier said there was a danger the war on terror would widen the differences between Islam and the West, but this could be prevented if the moderates made their stand clear.
"Let's take 9/11 or Madrid," he said, referring to the September 11, 2001 airborne attacks in the US and the March 11 bombing in the Spanish capital that killed 190.
"If nobody except Europeans and Americans and those who are already committed condemn this -- I mean if all Muslim countries stay silent or Muslim groups stay silent -- then there is the danger that the Europeans and Americans may come to the conclusion, `Look, there's really nobody on the other side that's standing up against this evil.'"
TOPICS: Extended News; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: death; destruction; islam; moderateislam; singapore; southeastasia; terror; theusual; yew
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Tip o' the hat to Internet Hagannah
1
posted on
03/28/2004 12:17:52 AM PST
by
tubavil
To: tubavil
Sometimes I think I am the only one here. And then I'm not.
Sure feels like it sometimes.
2
posted on
03/28/2004 12:22:29 AM PST
by
GeronL
(gobble, gobble, gobble.)
To: tubavil
Lee said the silence of moderates over deadly bomb attacks such as the ones in Bali and Madrid made it appear that only the US and its allies were fighting extremists.
Lee Kwan Yew, I salute you. Right on the money.
3
posted on
03/28/2004 12:22:51 AM PST
by
KangarooJacqui
(Always looking to the skies...)
To: tubavil
From your FR homepage I get the distinct feeling you've been researching this stuff.
So... is there such a thing as a moderate muslim??
4
posted on
03/28/2004 12:24:23 AM PST
by
GeronL
(gobble, gobble, gobble.)
To: GeronL
Sometimes I think I am the only one here. And then I'm not.
Sure feels like it sometimes.
Have you seen a psychiatrist about this?
5
posted on
03/28/2004 12:25:45 AM PST
by
KangarooJacqui
(Always looking to the skies...)
To: tubavil
Singapore Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew appears to have his head on straight..
Unusual for a politician, regardless of nationality..
I think this is the 1st time I have seen/heard/read of a Senior political "anything" make this sort of statement..
Islam needs to hear it more..
6
posted on
03/28/2004 12:28:35 AM PST
by
Drammach
(Freedom; not just a job, it's an adventure..)
To: KangarooJacqui
I spilled DrPepper on my desk.
*slurp, slurp*
7
posted on
03/28/2004 12:33:29 AM PST
by
GeronL
(www.armorforcongress.com..... put a FReeper in Congress)
To: GeronL
So... is there such a thing as a moderate muslim??
_______________________________________________
No.
If one identifies with the hate-filled Satanic cult-of-death known as "islam," calling themself a muslim, then, by definition, they are not moderate.
8
posted on
03/28/2004 12:48:02 AM PST
by
tubavil
To: GeronL
This is my standard list of questons for FR muslim terror apologists. Of course the questions have never been answered.
List ten islamic organizations or religious leaders actively fighting islamic terror.
What specific actions have they taken?
How long have they been fighting islamic terror?
What specific successes have they had?
How many of the 1.1 billion muslims are their members/followers?
9
posted on
03/28/2004 12:58:02 AM PST
by
tubavil
To: tubavil
LOL
It will never be answered
10
posted on
03/28/2004 12:59:54 AM PST
by
GeronL
(www.armorforcongress.com..... put a FReeper in Congress)
To: Drammach
I think this is the 1st time I have seen/heard/read of a Senior political "anything" make this sort of statement.. Islam needs to hear it more.. I agree, I think this IS one of the first "officials" I've seen calling for moderates to stake out where they believe how Islam should be. The proof will be in the pudding.
11
posted on
03/28/2004 1:02:20 AM PST
by
highlander_UW
("Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do." Benjamin Franklin)
To: tubavil
"Lee Kuan Yew gives warning to Islamic moderates"
in other words, he's speaking to an empty conference hall...
12
posted on
03/28/2004 1:06:05 AM PST
by
Robert_Paulson2
(the madridification of our election is now officially underway.)
To: GeronL
Singapore Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew said, warning that failure to do so would lead to Islam being "hijacked."
this guy.....
clearly not the sharpest knife in the islamic drawer...
a little slow on the uptake.
13
posted on
03/28/2004 1:09:24 AM PST
by
Robert_Paulson2
(the madridification of our election is now officially underway.)
To: Drammach
yeah...
the 98 percent of islam that supports violence and terror, is giving the peaceful 2 percent a bad name...
14
posted on
03/28/2004 1:10:41 AM PST
by
Robert_Paulson2
(the madridification of our election is now officially underway.)
To: Robert_Paulson2
Speaking to all 42 world-wide members of Moderate islam in the Grand Conference Hall... /sarcasm
15
posted on
03/28/2004 1:12:55 AM PST
by
GeronL
(www.armorforcongress.com..... put a FReeper in Congress)
To: GeronL
ten new age "mullahs" and the other 32 were their multiple wives.
16
posted on
03/28/2004 1:18:05 AM PST
by
Robert_Paulson2
(the madridification of our election is now officially underway.)
To: Robert_Paulson2
17
posted on
03/28/2004 1:21:20 AM PST
by
GeronL
(www.armorforcongress.com..... put a FReeper in Congress)
To: GeronL
Maybe if we have the courage and the will to buck big ethanol and big oil and their paid supporters and take away the oil weapon we'll find out.
18
posted on
03/28/2004 2:28:33 AM PST
by
AmericanVictory
(Should we be more like them, or they like us?)
To: tubavil
Moderate Muslim = Muslim who ignores the Korans many murderous dictates. Means a Muslim who ignores the Koranic commandments to emulate the life of Muhammad which happens to be that of a homicidal maniac.
19
posted on
03/28/2004 2:50:46 AM PST
by
dennisw
(“We'll put a boot in your ass, it's the American way.” - Toby Keith)
To: tubavil
Every Muslim should be supporting GWB and the WOT.
20
posted on
03/28/2004 5:00:12 AM PST
by
tkathy
(Our economy, our investments, and our jobs DEPEND on powerful national security.)
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