Building Moderate Muslim Networks
By: Angel Rabasa, Cheryl Benard, Lowell H. Schwartz, Peter Sickle
Radical and dogmatic interpretations of Islam have gained ground in recent years in many Muslim societies via extensive Islamist networks spanning the Muslim world and the Muslim diaspora communities of North America and Europe. Although a majority throughout the Muslim world, moderates have not developed similar networks to amplify their message and to provide protection from violence and intimidation. With considerable experience fostering networks of people committed to free and democratic ideas during the Cold War, the United States has a critical role to play in leveling the playing field for Muslim moderates. The authors derive lessons from the U.S. and allied Cold War network-building experience, determine their applicability to the current situation in the Muslim world, assess the effectiveness of U.S. government programs of engagement with the Muslim world, and develop a “road map” to foster the construction of moderate Muslim networks.
They could stop killing innocents in their cowardly way tomorrow but for 1000 years they will be looked upon with untrusting eyes. They sealed their own fates and remain rightfully mired in Islam.
Very interesting, educational. Thanks very much for posting.
I’ve got to hand it to you. You keep trying. You do have to admit, however, that if Islam was not a problem, there would be no need for these discussions. And Islam will remain problematic for as long as it exists, or at least until “2030.”
Thanks so much for posting this.
If Radical Islam takes over the world, Communism will look like true Utopia.