Moderate Islam! (War or Peace for the world?)

The Washington Post ^ | 12/ 7/ 02 | King Abdullah II of Jordan

[Pliney the younger]

Excerpt: AMMAN -- This week marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan, when Muslims throughout the world take time to reflect upon the values of our faith: compassion, goodwill and respect for others. These are core ideals in Islam, the faith that my family, the Hashemites, descendants of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon Him, has served for 40 generations. Our religion calls us to live and work for justice and to promote tolerance. Daily, we share God's blessing: Salaam Aleikum -- "Peace be upon you."

[Pliney the younger]

My Friends,

I know that for King Abdulla to even make this modest declaration, markedly increases his probability of being assassinated. (Like the dozens of attempts that have been made on his relatives through the years) But it is about time that significant Islamic figures step forward and state their views.

President Bush has done his best to support the Islamic “Peace-nicks” both by his statements and his actions. (For example: Going to a Masque recently to pray.)

In the 1930s Japan was faced with problem that is similar to what exists in some Islamic nations today.

At that time the elected Japanese civil government tried to control a militant military, which was bent on war with China and then the non fascist West.

After having 6 Japanese Prime Ministers in a row assassinated the civil government finally gave in to the military.

Do you think that the moderate wing of the Islamic nations shall win the war for political control of their citizens. Or do you feel that the militant (Osama like) wing will be able to ignite a war of elimination? (A fight to the death between Islam and the West?)

[aynrandfreak]

What is one example of Muslims working to promote tolerance? (and I don't count refraining from hurting non-Muslims)

[American in Israel]

If he wants peace, let him take in all the Palestinians to Jordan. After all that is why Jordan was created in the first place. It is the not payment of that debt that is the root of the problem in the first place. Honor your promises first, then you have earned the right to make high sounding diplomatic statements. But if your word is worthless, then it is all just retoric.

[New Horizon]

Uh, they want to kill Christians a little less than they want to kill Jews.

[joesnuffy]

I know that for King Abdulla to even make this modest declaration... I call it a CYA statement..obsfuction..enveglement..in the words of bugs bunny...camo flaggie..

[Angelus Errare]

They actually tried that once.

Then Arafat and Abu Nidal instigated a civil war that cost thousands of lives and tried to overthrow the Hashemites. The Jordanians rather hastily evicted them to Lebanon, where they continued their terrorism, thus leading to the Lebanese Civil War and the subsequent Israeli invasion.

If King Abdullah let Arafat come in right now (to say nothing of Hamas), the same thing would happen all over again.

[livius]

I call it a CYA statement

I tend to agree. There's been a tiny turning up of the heat on the Saudis recently (statements by individual legislators, the raid on the Saudi-owned DEFENSE software company in MA), and I think they're going back to the old lie-to-the-infidels routine. I suspect that Abdullah is just a mouthpiece for the Big Lie.

[American in Israel]

I have to admit, that after reading the Kings speach I have finally heard from Moderate Islam. I don't trust him, but I thank him.

[Walkin Man]

"Moderate Islam" is a trojan horse for western civilization, a foot in the door. When push comes to shove who’s side will the so-called moderate muslims be on? OBL or us, terrorist killers who target babies in strollers or us? Arafat or us? If this is not true then the "moderate muslims" need to declare war on their islamic brethren ASAP, while the OBL wing of islam pronounces fatwah's against them! I don't see any of this happening so I can only assume that "Moderate Islam" is a sham.

[Angelus Errare]

Well, keep in mind that King Abdullah is also hosting a large number of US troops in Jordan (which, for all of the official BS, are going to be used to invade Iraq) and has successfully clamped down on radical Islam after several of Osama's foot soldiers shot an American diplomat about a month ago.

Several Jordanian troops were killed when they entered Maan (it's a Wahhabi hotbed and the host of the local bin Laden fan club) looking for the perps and the whole town rioted. So I tend to believe him when he says that his troops (who, remember, are Muslims too) are also fighting radical Islam.

But as far as trusting him goes, the way I view it is to remember that King Abdullah is always looking out for #1 and that he's surrounded by a number of unruly playmates who are furious about his peace treaty with Israel. More to the point, Jordan isn't exactly a military superpower so he can't really condemn the Wahhabis outright (though his remark about fundamentalists was a thinly veiled reference to them). So I guess you could say that King Abdullah is moderate and pro-American, but he also has a healthy survival instinct and doesn't want to end up like his dad.

At any rate, Jordanian TV isn't overflowing with the "Protocols of the Elders of Zion" filth that regularly proliferates the Arab world and numerous Jordanian columnists and politicians have defended Thomas Friedman (who condemned Arab anti-Semitism), called for an end to the Intifada, and even improving women's rights, at least according to MEMRI.

While the Jordanians and their king aren't exactly saints by any stretch of imagination, they're certainly far, far more reliable allies than say the Saudis or the Egyptians.

[American in Israel]

Indeed, thanks, great post.

[Jarhead_22]

The True Voice of Islam

Ahem...

Daily, we share God's blessing: Salaam Aleikum -- "Peace be upon you."

This is the true voice of Islam, but it is not the voice that Americans always hear.

How about "not the voice that Americans ever hear?"

Extremists violently reject the original moderation and openness of Islam -- qualities that made the Muslim world the historical home of diversity and learning.

Do the terms "dhimmitude" and "jizya" mean anything to you, your highness? If not, look them up. Under the "original moderation and openness of Islam," Christians and Jews were allowed to avoid converting to Islam --as long as they paid a tax, wore distinctive clothing, didn't attempt to repair damaged churches and synagogues, and understood and accepted that their word would not be heard against a Muslim in a Sharia court (the only game in town).

In fact, long before so-called Islamic terrorists began attacking the West, they were targeting fellow Muslims.

Then why haven't "fellow Muslims" attacked them with the same ferocity that the Muslim world has unleashed on Salman Rushdie? Osama bin Laden is in hiding not from moderate Islam, but from America.

To my knowledge, every Muslim country, every center of traditional Islamic scholarship and every major Islamic organization in the United States condemned the Sept. 11 attacks absolutely.

How odd. You heard Muslims condemning the attacks absolutely, and yet all I heard were a bunch of mealy-mouthed, weasel-worded, Clintonistic soft soap utterances. A lot of "very sad and tragic, but..." and "never, except..." Sell that trash someplace else, your highness. No one here is buying.

Salaam Aleikum, indeed.

[Cicero]

When it came to the crunch, King Abdullah's father, also supposedly moderate and pro-Western, supported Saddam Hussein in the first Gulf War. Together with the Palestinians, he was among the very few Arabs who refused to join Bush's coalition at least nominally. At other times of crisis he took similar stances.

Frankly, I think it was a matter of sheer survival. Jordan is infested with Palestinians, and the king is in constant danger of assassination. At this very time, his troops are putting down various Palestinians dissidents who are trying to cause an uprising.

That seems to be about as good as the Arabs can do: a benevolent tyrant, ruling by armed force, and precariously keeping Islamist and Communist fanatics from breaking loose. But it's inherently unstable.

[Pliney the younger]

Dear Cicero,

Thank you for your sentiments about my post

You make an excellent point.

Sincerely,

Pliny the younger