[hellinahandcart]

I am starting to think more and more that we are on the edge of a major conflict within the NL (as some of you guys have been telling al along), but I am not ready to give up on the Muslim community in the Netherlands.

Thanks very much for the report. I am trying to think of a gentle way to break this news to you---

The police may find a way to suppress the "major conflict" for now, but it will only delay the problem, not solve it. You are dealing with a group of people who think the Crusades happened last month.

The "moderate Muslims" are even now much more worried about how this will all affect THEM than they are about right or wrong. And when push comes to shove, 90% of these so-called moderates will support their radical brothers over you, no matter what horrible crimes those radicals have committed against you. Because they belong to the same cult, and in the end nothing matters more than the cult. Westerners have but three options here:

(1) Change the nature of the cult
(2) Bring people out of the cult.
(3) Get rid of the cult.

I was in New York on 9/11, I've been paying careful attention to the things "moderate Muslims" all over the world have said since then, and I stand behind my conclusion.

[beaversmom]

And when push comes to shove, 90% of these so-called moderates will support their radical brothers over you

I believe you are right. That is exactly what I think too.

[teezle]

(1) Change the nature of the cult
(2) Bring people out of the cult.
(3) Get rid of the cult.


If presented with these choices I believe Europeans would prefer option 1 although some are shifting to 2 or 3. When I read FR I think most FReepers have already decided that it should be option 3...

[angkor]

I saw the smoke rising from the Pentagon and live in Wahabbi central, Northern Virginia, so I've also paid close attention to the question.

Since 9/11 we've of course had some unconvincing platitudes from our local Muslims about how they dislike terrorism, but for the most part they've been whining about their civil rights and the Patriot Act (nevermind that there have been no actual cases of verified civil rights abuse).

There have been zero demonstrations by Muslims against Islamist terrorism, although they found time to participate in a Moveon.org demo in DC a couple years ago, again whining about the Patriot Act.

There has been one - count 'em, one - Muslim organization formed to counter the Islamists, and that was only a few months ago. The jury is still out as to whether that organization will be of any effect at all.

The silence among American Muslims has been deafening (except for whining). So in comparing this to the "moderate Muslim" response in the Netherlands this week, you have to conlude that the conspiracy of silence is more insidious here than in Holland. How does that happen, I wonder.

[jb6]

The police may find a way to suppress the "major conflict" for now, but it will only delay the problem, not solve it. You are dealing with a group of people who think the Crusades happened last month

The first rule of war is not to avoid battle but to wage it on your terms. If your terms are so disadvantagous to the enemy that he retreats or surrenders, then you have won without shedding blood but you have still fought, if only in maneuver and not in the actual clashing of blades. Regardless, fight you must. By putting it off till it is the enemy who chooses the point and time of battle, you inadvertently surrender all advantage and momentum to your opponent.