For me, the clincher is how very, very few Muslims of any stature have stepped forward to condemn terrorist acts perpetrated by Muslims, without a "but" clause that suggests that "humiliations" inflicted on Muslims by the West (or by Israel) somehow explain why we, or the Israelis, or the Australians and Balinese "had it coming."
The Saudi prince who wrote a check for $10 million and handed it to Rudy Giuliani while spewing venom for Israel was a high-profile example of what "moderate" Muslims have done:
"At times like this one, we must address some of the issues that led to such a criminal attack. I believe the Government of the United States of America should re-examine its policies in the Middle East and adopt a more balanced stance toward the Palestinian cause." -- Saudi Prince Al-Walid bin Talal ibn Abdul Aziz, after handing the $10 million check to NYC Mayor Rudolph Giuliani
The ibn Saud family isn't a family of Muslim fanatics; they're rich playboys, far more Western in their tastes and habits than Middle Eastern. The only reason a Saudi prince would say such a thing is that he had been directed to do so by his family, out of fear of the Islamist extremists that have become numerous in Saudi Arabia.
I could be wrong, of course. But I await solid evidence that points in the opposite direction. I haven't seen any yet.
Freedom, Wealth, and Peace,
Francis W. Porretto
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