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To: Stultis

As my previous posts indicate, I am aware of that. (I probably also should have mentioned the Bedouin.) I also know that the Egyptian Copts are sympathetic to Jews. I was surprised because these are by far the exceptions, and this is the first organization of its kind I have encountered in my lifetime. I hope a thousand more start.


16 posted on 05/27/2004 12:37:33 PM PDT by Slings and Arrows (Am Yisrael Chai!)
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To: Slings and Arrows
As my previous posts indicate, I am aware of that. (I probably also should have mentioned the Bedouin.) I also know that the Egyptian Copts are sympathetic to Jews. I was surprised because these are by far the exceptions

Also the pro-Democracy protesters in Iran often chant slogans that are supportive of Israel, or at least indicating to the mullahs that they recognize the regime's pro-pallie/anti-jew rants as a b----s--- tactic to divert attention from it's own tyranny and misrule. (Even after it was Islamicized, up until the mullahs seized power in `79, Jews generally had more freedom and security in Persia than in the Arab world. Persian Jews had frequently taken up the cause of Persian/Iranian nationalism and were respected for this.)

Then, of course, there is the open Turkish military alliance with Israel, and the semi-open one with Jordan.

But between us, that pretty much covers the overt support for Israel in the Islamic World, I think. I suspect, however, that there is much more quiet, would be support. I can't help but believe that there are many who admire Israel's achievements and her democracy and civil society, but can't give voice to that because of the thugocracies they are subject to.

Ariel Sharon has, for a decade or more, expressed a conviction that Israel will one day have real and enduring peace, but that will only happen, and only can happen, when the majority of her neighbors are free societies. Of course the left, and the putatively "mainstream" establishment/intelligentsia, doesn't get this. They prattle on about the "cycle of violence," and idiotically intone that we must push through an Arab/Israeli "peace process" before we can even hope for real reform in the Arab World.

This is entirely backward, as the most cursory examination of the last seventy-five, or even the last dozen, years of history will attest. It's an astounding testament to the left's naivete (or perversity) that they are incapable of understanding this, given their alleged obsession with fascism. The Arab/Islamic Tyrannies foster and indulge in Jew Hatred for the same reason the Nazis did.

Judenhas is about much more than just hating Jews. Deeper down it's about opposition to liberalism.

By "liberalism" here I mean not the opposite to "conservatism," but rather the broad philosophy of governance and social order that grew out of the European Enlightenment and came into fruition in the 19th Century, including ideas such as liberty, human rights, limited government, the rule of law, equality under law, property law and markets, patriotism and the nation-state (versus loyalty to tribe/blood/religion]) and all that. In this sense most conservatives are liberals. Most non-extremist left-liberals are also liberal in the same sense (even if we conservatives think know they are dangerously misguided as to the nourishment and preservation of liberalism).

Fascism was explicitly, consciously and fanatically anti-liberal -- in the broad sense of the term -- and this anti-liberalism was much more central to fascism than Jew Hatred. Jew Hatred came naturally, however, because somehow (leaving the causes aside for now) the Jews had come to be symbols of liberalism. They remain so to this day, especially for the Islamists. Arabs hate Jews, in large measure, because it's fostered by their leaders, and it's fostered by their leaders because they want to retain their power and perks, which they cannot do in a free and liberal society.

The Arab tyrannies presently retain the ability to thwart peace with Israel, and will always do so, and will always sow hatred and strife, because peace would ultimately mean an end to their rule. In the context of a comprehensive peace, Israel's ties with more moderate Islamic states like Turkey, or more moderate rulers, like Jordan's Hussein, would immediately deepen. Less immediately, but inevitably, liberals throughout the region would be strengthened and emboldened, and tyrannies would fall.

But that'll never happen, and can't unless the tyrannies fall first.

17 posted on 05/27/2004 4:11:34 PM PDT by Stultis
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