Posted on 02/14/2011 7:52:26 PM PST by Tailgunner Joe
Moscow, February 14, Interfax - Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev said he is not confident that the Islamic forces in Egypt will definitely have a negative effect on the country's development.
"Representatives of Islamic movements are currently rather reserved in Egypt. Irresponsible and instigating statements are made outside the republic. Nevertheless, I am confident that it would be a mistake to see a destructive force in Islam," Gorbachev said in his article in Rossiyskaya Gazeta.
Gorbachev pointed out that "there are whole epochs in the history of Islamic culture in which it led the development of the civilized world" and "its contribution to science, education, and literature is indisputable."
"Islam has a powerful potential of aspiration to social justice and peace. Islam, which defends these values above all, can have big prospects. Democratic processes and socio-economic achievements in countries such as Turkey, Indonesia and Malaysia have become a reality and these examples give us reasons to become optimistic," Gorbachev said.
The "equation" that Egypt and the other countries of the Arabian East have to solve has many unknowns and "the role of the Islam factor is the most difficult to predict," he said.
"Everyone who is involved in these events now needs to be highly responsible and balanced in their judgments and actions. Everyone has to draw conclusions from the events that are now taking place. These conclusions will apply not only to the Arab world," Gorbachev said.
Has anyone asked Huge-O Chavez, Kim Jung Il, Fidel “I’m not dead” Castro or Cindy Sheehan what they think?
No surprise. Gorby is one of the most evil men on the planet.
Just my opinion of course.
Gorbachev. Just another career politician. I personally feel I would get more credible information out of a pomegranate than from most politicians.
First of all, BS. Revisionist history; political correctness.
Secondly, the "epochs" to which Gorby refers were around 1000 years ago -- completely irrelevant to the current problem.
What’s Gorby doing these days? Obviously, it doesn’t involve very much deep thinking.
Ah...he’s a COMMUNIST...hello.
Not only that, but Islam reached its “heights” by conquering several great civilizatios and drawing upon their accomplishments. But they soon enough drove them all into the mud.
The Jimmy Carter of Russia speaks.
Next to nothing? Or just nothing?
Crazy old fart. His own country is under Mohammedan threat.
Dude is in de Nile.
He’s like Kissinger, Greenspan, and a bunch of others you think have disappeared from the scene. They and all those other Bilderberg Group guys are still pulling all the strings.
Gorby never saw Communism as a destructive force, either. The man is an idiot.
Jammah Cahtah thought the Ayatollah Khomeini would be just peachy back in 1978 - 79.
Mikhail Gorbachev - On the wrong side of history again...
Gorbachev isn’t someone I would look to for advice on foreign policy issues!
I guess his exact words were on the line of “Come on, how worse can it get?”. Still mistaken.
Yes and Russia sees nothing wrong with Iran obtaining nuclear weapons too. Gorbachev is a manipulative bastard.
Gorby wants payback.
Says the guy of the nation that has airport bombings every few years.
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