Varying responses to the Danish cartoon kerfuffle prove the Bush Doctrine is working
Compare and contrast:
In liberated Iraq, Ayatollah Sistani, the top Shiite cleric in the land,
said this about the Danish cartoons:Iraq's leading Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, condemned the publications as a "horrific action."
But in remarks posted on his Web site, al-Sistani referred to "misguided and oppressive" segments of the Muslim community whose actions "projected a distorted and dark image of the faith of justice, love and brotherhood."
In free Lebanon, the government actually apologized to Denmark!
Lebanon apologized to Denmark _ where the cartoons were first published _ a day after protesters set fire to a building housing the Danish mission in Beirut. The attack "harmed Lebanon's reputation and its civilized image," Lebanese Information Minister Ghazi Aridi said.
I don't think I need to bother with finding links about how the Muslims in unfree nations like Syria and Iran are behaving. I just thought this was a very interesting and revealing phenomenon, one that revives my faith in the value and wisdom of bringing democratic self-rule to the Middle East.
adele has a
fascinating link. It sounds like the Saudis, the biggest anti-democrats of all, are directly responsible for the dramatic escalation of hostilities in the cartoon kerfuffle.
good morning bloggie:)
Do you really think al-Sistani is influenced by Bush?
As for the rioting in Afghanistan, the fact is that most of the rioters have not likley seen the cartoons and are taking the word of folks who probably came back from the haj and listened to the Saudis spreading this stuff - and the bogus cartoons that the Danish imans threw in for good measure.
And the rioting in the territories? Considering that Hizbullah, Islamic Jihad and Hamas all have links to both Syria and Iran, is it any wonder that they're rioting? Like they need an excuse?
I don't think so either.
Good morning, bloggie!
Does that make sense?
Ayaan Hirsii Ali interviewed in Der Spiegel - English.
Happy, Happy! Joy, Joy!
European has been hinting at something for a few days, as well.
New 12Z GFS joins yesterdays Japan Met Agency Global Spectral, and smacks Tri-State area (well, Suffolk County could change to rain) with Biggest Snow storm this Millenium!
Snow would end, per GFS, Sunday afternoon, but I think enough falls for at least 1 day of no school. If the GFS is correct, of course.
Yes I agree but democratising the M.E. is not the answer.
Iran does have a semblance of democracy in its country - it certainly is not a Liberal Democracy but 25 years ago it was a popular revolt against a dictator.
BTW, my wife treated me to our first ever trip to Hooters together. FM 1960 near I-45. Next table over, a family came in. Grandpa, Grandma, Mom, Dad, a boy, two girls. Middle Eastern appearance. Grandma wore the hijab, but Mom and girls didn't. All appeared to be enjoying the meal, except Grandma.
Perhaps Hooters and chicken wings is a weapon in the battle to assimilate Muslim immigrants?
I disagree - the Iranian revolution in 1979 did not create some democratic regime in Iran. The mullahs control the strings and Ahmadinejad is doing what the mullahs want. The Iranian revolution may have had a veneer of popularism, but it was a totalitarian and theocratic movement to its core.
The Iranian government is (and was) democratic in the same way that the old Soviet Union had 'elections' and popular representation in government, which is to say there is none.
How reliable is that forecast? I know they're predicting bad weather, but nothing like a blizzard - is it going to be cold enough for snow?
Laura, Islamism has been on the rise for the last 30 years at least, through various US administrations. Islam and Hamas didn't become popular overnight, we would have seen the same results on this, regardless of who was president.
Now we no longer have the phony peace promises of Fatah. And Hamas is facing a major dilemma - will they make a pretense of supporting peace and recognition of Israel, and in doing so, abandon their "base", or will they cling to their terrorist campaign and in doing so, lose support from the rest of the world?
Was Palestine better, in your view, when it was being run by unelected terrorists?
Look, either way, a substantial number of Palestinians support terrorism, and this has nothing to do with George W. Bush. If you're looking for someone to blame, you might want to start with the United Nations, the Palis' #1 booster for all these years.
But Joe Bastardi has been calling for at least a chance of a big storm since this past weekend.
I disagree - the Iranian revolution in 1979 did not create some democratic regime in Iran. The mullahs control the strings and Ahmadinejad is doing what the mullahs want. The Iranian revolution may have had a veneer of popularism, but it was a totalitarian and theocratic movement to its core.
The Iranian government is (and was) democratic in the same way that the old Soviet Union had 'elections' and popular representation in government, which is to say there is none.
The Mullahs don't like Ahmadinejad. There are rumours that they are trying to whack him.
Now there is no way for sure to know how fair and free the elections were but they were not a complete sham like Saddam era elections. The Mullah's candidate Rafsanjani lost.
But, the 12Z was weaker, and further out to sea, so Canadian trend is closer to shore.
Now we no longer have the phony peace promises of Fatah. And Hamas is facing a major dilemma - will they make a pretense of supporting peace and recognition of Israel, and in doing so, abandon their "base", or will they cling to their terrorist campaign and in doing so, lose support from the rest of the world?
Quite right. And Hamas now has to run a government. Construct a framework for a viable economy. Their social service side may have been highly accountable but taking the Palis from international basket case to viable nation will be a huge, perhaps insurmountable task. A continuing terror policy toward Israel will surely sink them. The Euros may be less likely to accomodate them given the strong dose of reality they received between the Madrid bombings and the Hamas victory.
Bonfire of the Pieties: Islam prohibits neither images of Muhammad nor jokes about religion.
Bonfire of the Pieties: Islam prohibits neither images of Muhammad nor jokes about religion.
Its ironic that Islam in the Middle Ages was probably more tolerant than it is now.
Its ironic that Islam in the Middle Ages was probably more tolerant than it is now.
Where is the irony ? They made a conscious decision to return to the 7th century with the 11th century defeat of the Aristotlean philosopher known as Averroes. Jews continued in the Aristotlean tradition with Maimonides, Christians with Thomas Aquinas.
Ask a contemporary Muslim why they jettisoned Aristotle ? Aristotle was an ancient Greek and the ancient Greeks were . . . pagans. Nothing good can come from a pagan
working on it. Not my original idea.
In contrast to his predecessor al-Ghazali, Averroes believed that religion and philosophy (or science) were compatible but that reason must prevail. He was brought down in his lifetime. The al-Ghazali school again became paramount. Islam has remained with al-Ghazali since.
He along with Avicenna are considered in the West to be the height of Islamic philosophy. Highly influential on Christian and Jewish philosophers. A grandfather of the Enlightenment and the West as we know it.
Books on Averroes are many at Amazon. No recommendation. Haven't read any. Books on Averroes in Arabic are few if any.
This is a personal anecdote based on a conversation with a very intelligent Moroccan born acquaintance.
I see everything that happens on this blog, you moron.
Is it a full moon tonight?
Muslims pretending to be white guys almost always claim their name is Randy. Color me experienced in your bullshit, buddy :-)
I am totally surprised and shocked. No wait. I'm not. I'm lying. "Randy".
No, but every fake "Randy" who is actually some muslim fundamentalist asshole is pretty easy to tell, the same way you were. "Randy" is a very incredibly common "fake name" for Muslims. Come up with something more creative and maybe you can fool us for longer.
And stop being such a pathetic liar. I can't believe you denied trying unsuccessfully to say nigger. How can you live with yourself, being such a lying little shitstain? Don't you think Allah deserves a little better representation than your lies? If not, why not?
Since when is Islam a race?
Oy.
ev, this one's too dumb to bother with.
What does Ben Affleck's dick look like?
Project much?
Isn't Silent Bob played by Kevin Smith himself?
Yes. The video store guy is my favourite character. I donn't like Kevin Smith's other movies much. Dogma sucked because religion just isn't funny, ever.
Is it because i said i was a bastard. not only black people are bastards
Is it because i said i was a bastard. not only black people are bastards
Bingo, I was right. You are a wigger! Told you so. Don't be in wigger-denial about it. Accepting that you have a problem is the first step on the path to changing yourself.
What's wrong with being judgemental? If people stop judging then society doesn't have any standards anymore. Why settle for being a wigger when you can be a White guy?
Basically I'm trying to help you here, wegro :D
Okay, that's funny.
WTF??
"i fuck you not."
ROFLMAO!!
Hey, watch it, Bub! This name is COPYRIGHTED!!!