taliban winning in afghanistan, page-33

Ben,

I know there are many competent commentators who would share your view, however I think that position tends to overlook the profound effect a globalized communications world is likely to increasingly have on the opinions of the masses of Arab Muslims in particular. (Arab-because we don't see the same problems in a democratic Muslim Indonesia (numerically the largest Muslim nation on earth) or on a smaller scale in Muslim Malaysia for that matter).

Like Christianity, Islam is a proselytising religion but with the exception of those who want to see the restoration of Islamic world leadership to its former glory, most Muslims, Arabs included are probably more or less happy to compete through intellectual persuasion like the Christians. This was true in Iraq until AQI got involved and less true in places like Saudi Arabia but pressure is on it and others for a more pluralistic approach.

The "Universal Caliphate", al Qaeda type movements really got their inspiration from the same source as the Muslim Brotherhood. Sayyid Qutb was influential in that movement.

The main tenet of Qutbist ideology is that the Muslim community (or the Muslim community outside of a vanguard fighting to reestablish it) "has been extinct for a few centuries" having reverted to Godless ignorance (Jahiliyya), and must be re-conquered for Islam.

Which of course implies that Islam in general is opposed to or indifferent to that sort of position.


This quote gives key relevant important positions or principles of Qutbism:


1. adherence to Sharia as sacred law accessible to humans, without which Islam cannot exist

2. adherence to Sharia as a complete way of life that will bring not only justice, but complete freedom from servitude, peace, personal serenity, scientific discovery and other benefits;

3. avoidance of Western and non-Islamic "evil and corruption," including socialism and nationalism;

4. vigilance against Western and Jewish conspiracies against Islam

5.a two-pronged attack of 1) preaching to convert and 2) jihad to forcibly eliminate the "structures" of Jahiliyya.

6.the importance of offensive Jihad to eliminate Jahiliyya not only from the Islamic homeland but from the face of the earth.

Following Qutb's death Qutbist ideas spread throughout Egypt and other parts of the Arab and Muslim world, prompting a backlash by more traditionalist and conservative Muslims, such as the book Du'ah, la Qudah (Preachers not Judges), (1969), written by the MB Supreme Guide Hasan al-Hudaybi.

So though those ideas may still have limited currency in certain Arab countries they are generally opposed, in any practical expression, by the majority of Muslims. That is so in Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt, for example, where its al Qaeda manifestation is acted against very ruthlessly.

Turning for a moment to Iraq it has become quite obvious that AQI was just too extreme for the far more moderate, more modern, more pluralistic Iraq Sunni Muslim community. That cannot be more clearly illustrated than by the tribal Sunni and tribal Shia embrace and co-operation and with the American military. That would be anathema to AQI with respect to the heretical Shia as well as the "crusader" Americans.

(I think the anti-war people, such as Biden, have made too much of a civil war between those they would tell us are religiously irreconcilable. The reality is closer to an unleashing of Shia anger against the Sunnis, not so much on religious grounds but rather political ones in terms of the Sunnis dominance over them and Saddam's campaigns against them. Much of this anger being provoked by al Qaeda and Shiite militias).

There no doubt is still a threat from those extremists, as you say and that requires diligence and preparedness but I wonder if Islam generally is not moving to a more pluralistic and accepting position in a world that is also changing for them and, as has been shown in stark terms, is intolerant of violently expressed religious extremism.

Have no doubt as you say that America intends to have a lasting presence in Iraq regardless of who is president. My reference was to a major draw down of US troops when Iraq is able to look after its own security.