Ground Zero and the Saudi connection

The Spectator (U.K.) ^ | 09/22/2001 | Stephen Schwartz

[eno_]

Chilling! The hearts and minds campaign that must be part of the anti-terror campaign will be long and diffcult. Still, this points to hope that if we begin to understand Islam, we will be able to choose to promote an Islam that can be an ecumenical and tolerant religion.

[Dukie]

Thought provoking article, here.

[Travis McGee]

Comments welcome!

[Travis McGee]

BTTT

[luvzhottea]

Can it really flow from a quarrel over a bit of land in the Middle East?

Mr Schwartz indeed it can.

[luvzhottea]

What do you propose to do to Americans of the Islamic faith?

[dighton]

Well worth reading.

[Travis McGee]

This article is a discussion of radical Wahhabism, that is what I asked your comments on.

[harpseal]

Thank you for flagging me on this one.

Stay well - Stay safe - Stay armed - Yorktown

[steveegg]

Quite interesting.

[Romulus]

Interesting -- but we can blame Pearl Harbor on Shintoism, not Buddhism.

For my money, the classic description of Arabism, in all its complexity and fanaticism, is Charles Doughty.

[fone]

Bump for later read

[dighton]

State Shinto culpable: good catch.

[Biblebelter]

This article rings true with me. From the beginning these terrorists acts have pointed to the Arabian Peninsula. In the Cole bombing, I suspected that there were investigative roadblocks on the ground in Yemen.

I do not believe the states are necessarily actively involved, but they do not want to pursue terrorism too far, lest they find evidence that they do not have the will or the power to deal with.

[aculeus]

because American companies depend too much on the continued flow of Saudi oil,

Not 'American companies'. It's the American economy.

Professor Ajani of Johns Hopkins made a similar point on Charlie Rose: It's not Israel; it's the Persian Gulf. Bin Laden wants us out of the area and wants to take over MidEast oil.

I'd love to get his views on this article. And thanks for flagging.

[patent]

All this gets very complex. The differences between Sunni and Shiite, and now Wahhabis and non Wahhabis. It almost seems like the Sunni and Wahhabis overlap to some extent, but I can't really tell from this article and my rather limited knowledge. I suspect that at the end of the day I will remain as confused about the different branches of Islam as many non-Catholics are about the Catholic Church.

patent

[Travis McGee]

Maybe our moslem freepers can sort it out for us.

Is Wahhabism a formal division of Islam?

Is Wahhabism preached in American mosques?

In what percentage of them?

What percentage of arab moslem foreign students in the USA today are Wahhabists?

[tell me]

The article said there were two weaknesses. The first is the peaceful nature of most Muslims. What is the second weakness?

[BurkeanCyclist]

Fascinating.