tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31461204.post1085878097630775532..comments2023-12-11T06:11:11.449-05:00Comments on Bruce's MidEast Soundbites: Islam's Role in TerrorBrucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09331211089963297411noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31461204.post-4244293139614456472015-03-17T08:26:34.491-04:002015-03-17T08:26:34.491-04:00On the contrary. My thesis leaves the door open f...On the contrary. My thesis leaves the door open for the moderates, who I point out, make up the overwhelming majority of Muslims. It's the other opinions expressed here in these articles that demonizes all Muslims. It was this idea that their lives are somehow worth less than others, that we can do what we want in their region of the world, that helps foment the violence against us. Admittedly, I don't think they would fare well as evidenced by all the sectarian violence, but that is not of consequence to us. We are addressing the violence against the West and Israel. The reality is, if there were no oil, or oil was now worthless, we would leave the Mideast alone to its own devices. When oil becomes irrelevant, as I have pointed out many times: that is when Israel will really need to worry. Because the current attitudes in Israel helps push many in the West away when we need them and the Mideast. You can imagine what the majority of Westerners will feel once no one has a reason to care what happens in the Mideast. Netanyahu has accelerated the process away from Israel greatly with his declaration that there would be no peaceful resolution while he is in charge.LHwriteshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15890891351498768757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31461204.post-80082936189076842702015-03-16T22:12:53.169-04:002015-03-16T22:12:53.169-04:00On the surface, your ideas have some appeal. It wo...On the surface, your ideas have some appeal. It would be nice if the west were the cause of this evil rather than factors intrinsic to itself.<br /><br />However your analysis severely undermines moderate Muslims and makes their job of moderating Islam impossible. <br />BBrucehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09331211089963297411noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31461204.post-88828437484261440692015-03-16T22:04:39.678-04:002015-03-16T22:04:39.678-04:00Pipes has a scholarly background but his articles...Pipes has a scholarly background but his articles are pure senseless punditry. I explained where the violence stems from. They perceive their entire region has been toyed with since colonial times and their internal politics is manhandled by the West. I'll repeat and expand: The Shah of Iran was brutal to his people and a friend and ally of the West. Saddam Hussein was our supported ally against Iran. (When we weren't illegally selling arms to Iran to fund the Contras.) We supported the Taliban in its war with Russia. I know it is easier to decide that Islam is to blame and to believe that there are 1 and a half billion Muslims just itching to join in and destroy the free world rather than to accept that all the things I mentioned created a bad situation. Then, when W. Bush and Cheney grew tired of our old troublesome ally, we invade a sovereign nation based on lies we fabricated, kill tens of thousands of Iraqis and then create a situation where sectarian violence wipes out thousands more and leaves the majority of Iraqis far worse off than they were before we invaded. But of course, none of that matters. It makes a lot more sense to think that because their holy book is filled with the same guts and gore that everyone else's is, that is the reason for discord rather then all the Arab and Muslim blood spilled for decades in the name of the interests of the West.LHwriteshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15890891351498768757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31461204.post-75751700643107316232015-03-13T15:01:38.837-04:002015-03-13T15:01:38.837-04:00Dr. Pipes is a scholar, not a pundit.
But to you...Dr. Pipes is a scholar, not a pundit. <br /><br />But to your main point: "...that doesn't mean Islamic religion is a driver of the violence."<br /><br />I believe you are quite incorrect. An aspect [I choose that word carefully] of the Muslim faith is indeed the driver of the violence: jihadism. That ideology is the central driver. <br /><br />You'll no doubt disagree...so I'd ask you: what do you think is the primary driver of the violence???<br /><br />Respectfully, <br />Bruce :}Brucehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09331211089963297411noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31461204.post-42825773525568794622015-03-13T13:58:28.024-04:002015-03-13T13:58:28.024-04:00This is nonsense. In a world of 1.6 billion Muslim...This is nonsense. In a world of 1.6 billion Muslims, these extremists make up a small percentage. Are they driven by religious fervor? Sure. But that doesn't mean Islamic religion is a driver of the violence. Is the religion's scriptures steeped in violence. Yes, like most others. Perhaps they seem more likely to violence because they perceive that their internal politics are toyed with by the West---which they were and still are. The update article was more to the point except it says how the U.S. invaded Iraq under misconceptions---except of course, it leaves out that academicians were saying all this before we invaded Iraq. These weren't misunderstandings---they were willful misleading and ignoring by our presidential administration at the time. We invaded and deposed and destabilized a region and many pundits like Pipes sit in arrogance and explain how violent Muslims are without the full context. How many Iraqis died by the hand of their ‘liberators’? How many died subsequently under the sectarian violence our military actions unleashed? Now, ISIS isn't just about this of course. They're pretty radicalized and have off the wall ideas, but they wouldn't have come about, or certainly been able to prosper, without the utter destabilization of the entire region brought about by the poor choices of the U.S. supported by Israel.LHwriteshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15890891351498768757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31461204.post-57417274004111167842015-03-11T07:16:37.514-04:002015-03-11T07:16:37.514-04:00Indeed, such asinine platitudes seem quite accepta...Indeed, such asinine platitudes seem quite acceptable...for now. Pipes' prediction that increased casualties will undue the damage is, of course, of little comfort. The point of our work is to avoid such tragedy.Brucehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09331211089963297411noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31461204.post-67249558961869441002015-03-11T06:48:35.936-04:002015-03-11T06:48:35.936-04:00Both Barack Obama and David Cameron have explicitl...Both Barack Obama and David Cameron have explicitly pronounced that ISIL terrorism has 'nothing to do with Islam'. The point is, of course, that this represents the purest, most radical (to the root) form of a religion drenched in conquered blood since its inception. Are they so very deluded? And, do they imagine that such asinine platitudes will deceive the electorate? Yes. I am deeply afraid that they are and they do.John Machttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11647833154827132967noreply@blogger.com