[wretchard]

Wahabism has become the dominant export "brand" of Islam because of its large advertising budget and sales staff. The headquarters of this multinational cult is in Saudi Arabia. There will never be a solution to the problem of Islamic terrorism while this toxic "brand" continues to exist.

The Wahabi brand has gained adherents at the expense of other Islamic traditions. Any effective strategy to bring down the House of Saud must involve setting the Wahabists against their competitors, by forging alliances with the marketers of other Islamic brands. It must also strike at the strategic root of Wahabist power: oil. Any effort to develop major alternatives to Persian Gulf oil, such as the Caspian basin; or to bring frozen Persian Gulf fields into production (such as those in Iraq, and to some extent, Iran) will weaken the Wahabists.

There are two major internal threats to the Wahabi brand domination of Islam. The first is secular Islam, represented by Turkey, and even Iraq, were this to be shorn of its despotism. The second is the burgeoning post-Ayatollah wave sweeping Iran. The Persians and Turks have historically been the class acts of Islam. When Osama speaks of the "Golden Age" of Islam, he's referring to the glories of the Persians and the Turks. The Sauds were, until recently, the hillbillies of the Muslim world. Shorn of their oil power, they wouldn't be fit to unlace the shoes of the Persians and the Turks.

Let's see whether President Bush is pursuing the tactic of smoking the Wahabists out by propping up their natural enemies.

[branicap]

#17

Intelligent comment and facts but conclusions are ,in my oppinion,entirely wrong!

Wretchard,religion is not about money but about faith and beliefs.You don`t need a monumental mosques or churches to preach fundamentalist Islam/Christianity.History has prooved that to all of us.

House of Saud might be the sponsor of Wahhabists but,not the only one.You can bring them down,occupy the whole country and...face a massive backlash,out of control.In the meantime,its easier to allow them to infest Europe by destroying their enemies(your natural allies and friends).

Come to think of it,I can`t stop wandering,if your (American) leaders and Presidents have any morals at all!3000 American citizens were killed by 19 Saudi citizens and what do you do??You bomb a piss poore Afganistan!And now,you will with no reason at all appart from personal wendeta("He annoyed my daddy long time ago!")attack and bucher Iraq!

If you really care for the victims of 9/11 with all the might you have,you should arrest the families off all Saudis involved in that terrorist act,arrest the whole Bin-Laden family,burn their company to the ground,kill al their goats and donkeys,and freze all their assets.Permanently!Than,do the same thing with Pakistani leadership until they deliver Osama`s head .That is what a moral man would do,rightfuly so,and had support of 90% of the world.

Instead,"Attack Iraq,Osama`s and Saudis enemy!Axis of Evil???"What a bunch of bolocks.

3000 lives lost for what?So that Bruce Willis can win against Denzel Washington?If you don`t understand watch "The Siege".

When your leadership shows such contempt for your own citizens,I understand why they show utter contempt for anyone else!

Good luck with "forging alliances" with other brands of Islam.But,please,don`t showe it down our throaths!Like,"You must accept Turkey in EU"!!!!!

Turkey is as European as China!I would choose Chenese,any time!