[quidnunc]

Quote:

But to cast bin Laden in such narrow terms is to dismiss his profound standing among some of the world's 1.2 billion Muslims and to overlook his rightful place in Islamic history. Where the West sees him as a mad-dog terrorist, many of his Muslim partisans regard him as the latest in a long tradition of radical Islamic thinkers and revolutionary leaders, all of whom advocated violence in pursuit of their own vision of a united, worldwide umma, or community of believers.

They also see him as a rational response to unwanted American meddling in the affairs of their community, in particular Washington's loyal support for leaders, from Morocco to Egypt and the Persian Gulf, who are almost universally seen by their own citizens as corrupt and illegitimate in religious terms.

In other words, the world's only superpower has emerged in the eyes of millions of Muslims as a direct threat to their pursuit of religious salvation. Seen from the East, the horrific attacks of Sept. 11 look more like collateral damage in a time-honored domestic struggle than the first major shots of worldwide religious warfare.

We may not consider ourselves to be at war with Islam. but a significant portion if Islam is at war to the death with us.

This is, indeed, Samuel Huntington's clash of civilizations.

[tkathy]

Not a few thousand but hundreds of millions wish death to us.

[RLK]

Muslim partisans regard him as the latest in a long tradition of radical Islamic thinkers and revolutionary leaders, all of whom advocated violence in pursuit of their own vision of a united, worldwide umma, or community of believers.

-----------------------

Radical Islamic thinkers only by non-mohammedan standards. Mohammed, himself led what are euphemistically called 28 military campaigns in which he slaughtered anyone who disagreed with Islam. This is the Islamic model which is to be followed and which is not to be altered according to the commandments of the Koran.

[Porterville]

So it is a religious war, what else is new.... let's just call it what it is and get on with it already.... that's right, we are, and we haven't had to be too heavy handed in our rhetoric...yet.... maybe in the future.

[.cnI redruM]

Belloc had a quote that sums it up. "In times of comfort and plenty we are amused by the barbarian and refreshed by his comic inversion of our everyday certitutudes. But beyond our walls are large and awful faces and on those faces there are no smiles."

Wanna' bet Osauma watched for at least 15 years before 9-11 and never grinned even once?

[Consort]

Being in dire peril opens up many options that otherwise might not be considered.

[PoisedWoman]

.....Washington's loyal support for leaders, from Morocco to Egypt and the Persian Gulf, who are almost universally seen by their own citizens as corrupt and illegitimate in religious terms.

I think this is misleading. Many in the Middle EAst despise our support of tyranical governments for economic rather than religious reasons. Assad in Syria, for example, rules with cooperation of his homies, the Alewites, who run all of the businesses and government offices. Their hold on the money is almost unbreakable. Businessmen outside the inner circle have to pay so much bribery to the Alewites that they can rarely succeed in getting a business off the ground to compete with the crony network. Same in Iraq with Saddam and the Ba'athists, which we did support for a number of years.

If Iraq can become business-friendly and Iraqi innovation and entrepreneurship can flourish, the other regimes will topple or at least be forced to reform their economic policies. We'll probably see something like a SBA set up in Iraq soon. Hopefully. Then only a very small minority will rant around for "religious" reasons.

Osama, IMO, straddles the line between religius nut and savvy money man. Could be he's exploiting religious fanatics in order to shift the economic balance of the ME. If Saudi funds are behind him (we have some reason to believe they're not?), it may be that jihad is about financially enriching Saudis and eventually giving them political as well as economic control of the ME and the world. That's why they fund the Wahaabi schools that teach intelligent, muscular young men nothing but hatred of the West. Cannon Fodder University will provide an excellent longterm return on their investment, or so they think.

[wizardoz]

We may not consider ourselves to be at war with Islam. but a significant portion if Islam is at war to the death with us.

Yep. A VERY significant portion. Even if it were an insignificant portion, it would be a problem. That is, even if it's only 10% of Islam at war with us, and even if only 10% of those are violent... 1% of a billion is still a million armed maniacs out to get us.

[sal002a]

Isn't this based on the old saying: "One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter"?

Lawrence of Arabia was clearly a terrorist...if you were a Turk.

[Squantos]

I consider all followers of the Pisslamic faith the same .......weak of mind , uneducated and capable of killing non combatants like the elderly, women and children. Sadly I can not tell a good muslim from a bad muslim thus if the good ones (if any) don't get a handle on the bad ones they won't like how I handle it should such an opportunity present itself.

Stay Safe !

[Travis McGee]

"Reality Check."

Radical Islam is an insane murder cult; "moderate" Islam is its Trojan Horse in the West.

[Helms]

The Following is a link to the full text of Samuel Huntington's Clash of Civilizations………………………………http://www.lander.edu/atannenbaum/Tannenbaum%20courses%20folder/POLS%20103%20World%20Politics/103_huntington_clash_of_civilizations_full_text.htm

[Jim Noble]

Can you post the article or a valid login?

[ConservativeLawyer]

Bump to read when I'm awake.

[nuconvert]

ping

[Don Corleone]

Those who do not remember the 12th century are doomed to repeat it!

[don-o]

bump

[fso301]

later reading