joedees@bellsouth.net Thu 2002/08/15 08:29 PM wrote:
It could only be portrayed as a bad thing by those autocratic rulers of
Muslim countries (Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the UAE, Syria, etc.) who
would feel threatened by the existence of another more democratic
alternative within the region, and thus feel constrained to offer their
solidarity with a fellow despot.
[Blunderov]
That would be quite a lot of Islamic consensus, however misguided. Their
underlings in the Arab street would be likely to agree with them - you
have, I think, pointed out some pretty emphatic verses in the Koran
which make it clear that it is the duty of all Muslims to stand with
their brothers against the people of the book.
I wish I shared your confidence that the Islamic world would nod
understandingly and turn a blind eye, while an embarrassing apple was
quietly removed from the barrel. Perhaps they will.
You must please not think that I am espousing the wonderful world of
Islam.
But I am afraid that there is a significant risk that an attack against
Iraq will be perceived and characterised, whether rightly or not, as an
attack on Islam itself. People like simple formulations, especially
those that conform to what they already believe.
I think at this point I am going to absent myself from any further
conversations on the subject of Israel, Palestine, Islam and Iraq.
Possibly this comes as a relief, of one sort or another, to some but I
don't have anything more to say, and it is apparent that there is
nothing new to be heard. This is boring.
Warm regards
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Sun Sep 22 2002 - 05:06:19 MDT