We did.
Posted on 05/15/2007 6:37:58 AM PDT by nuconvert
Yes, there is a moderate Islam - let's support it
Daniel Pipes
THE JERUSALEM POST
Apr. 17, 2007
'What moderate Muslims?" is the near-inevitable retort to my stating that radical Islam is the problem and moderate Islam the solution.
Where are the anti-Islamists' demonstrations against terror, their combating of Islamists, their reassessments of Islamic law? I am asked.
Moderate Muslims do exist, I reply. Admittedly, they do not constitute a movement but represent mere wisps in the face of the Islamist onslaught. This means, I argue, that the US government and other powerful institutions should give priority to locating, meeting with, funding, forwarding, empowering and celebrating those brave Muslims who, at personal risk, stand up and confront the totalitarians.
A just-published study from the RAND Corporation, Building Moderate Muslim Networks, methodically takes up and thinks through this concept. Angel Rabasa, Cheryl Benard, Lowell H. Schwartz and Peter Sickle grapple intelligently with the innovative issue of helping moderate Muslims grow and prosper.
They start with the argument that "structural reasons play a large part" in the rise of radical and dogmatic interpretations of Islam in recent years - one of those reasons being the Saudi government's generous funding over the last three decades for the export of the Wahhabi version of Islam. Saudi efforts have promoted "the growth of religious extremism throughout the Muslim world," permitting the Islamists to develop powerful intellectual, political and other networks. "This asymmetry in organization and resources explains why radicals, a small minority in almost all Muslim countries, have influence disproportionate to their numbers."
The study posits a key role for Western countries here: "Moderates will not be able to successfully challenge radicals until the playing field is leveled, which the West can help accomplish by promoting the creation of moderate Muslim networks."
DOES THIS sound familiar? It resembles the late 1940s, when Soviet-backed organizations threatened Europe. The four authors provide a helpful potted history of American network-building in the early Cold War years, in part to show that such an effort can succeed against a totalitarian enemy, in part to glean ideas for use at present. (One example: "a left hook to the Kremlin is the best blow," implying that Muslims can most effectively batter Islamism.)
Reviewing American efforts to fight Islamism, the authors find these lacking, at least with regard to strengthening moderates. Washington, they find, "does not have a consistent view on who the moderates are, where the opportunities for building networks among them lie, and how best to build the networks."
They are only too right. The US government has a disastrously poor record in this regard, with an embarrassing history of twin delusions: either thinking Islamists are moderates, or hoping to win them over. Such government figures as FBI director Robert S. Mueller III, State Department undersecretary Karen Hughes, and National Endowment for Democracy head Carl Gershman wrong-headedly insist on consorting with the enemy.
Instead, the RAND study promotes four partners: secularists, liberal Muslims, moderate traditionalists, and some Sufis. It particularly emphasizes the "emerging transnational network of laicist and secularist individuals, groups, and movements," and correctly urges cooperation with these neglected friends.
In contrast, the study proposes de-emphasizing the Middle East, and particularly the Arab world. Because this area "offers less fertile ground for moderate network and institution building than other regions of the Muslim world," it wants Western governments to focus on Muslims in Southeast Asia, the Balkans and in the Western diaspora, and to help make available their ideas in Arabic.
This novel stratagem defies a centuries'-old pattern of influence emanating from the Middle East, but it is well worth a try.
EVEN THE generally hard-headed RAND study sometimes lets down its guard. Dismayingly, the quartet refrains from condemning Washington for dialoguing with lawful Islamists even as it cautiously endorses European governments treating some Islamists as partners. It mistakenly characterizes the US-based "Progressive Muslim Union" as promoting secular Islam, when it is really another Islamist organization, but with a hip tone. (No other Islamists dared host a feature called "Sex and the Umma.")
Building Moderate Muslim Networks is not the final word on its subject but it marks a major step toward the systematic reconfiguring of how to implement Washington's policy to combat Islamism. The study's meaty contents, clear analysis and bold recommendations usefully move the debate forward, offering precisely the in-depth strategizing Westerners urgently need.
Perhaps not?
Thanks for the post.
“I can’t imagine anything that would get 1.5 million Americans to take to the streets.”
Neither can I
I have no doubt that this is exactly what you’d see in Iran and more, if the people weren’t afraid of being mowed down by helicopter gunships. Fortunately, the Turks don’t have that threat.
Was it the one that said “pretend to be their friends”?
I agree with the tribalism aspect. They have not been blessed by God with enlightenment that Christ brough to Western civilziation (and elsewhere)
They see that God has richly, richly blessed Christians, so much so that Christian flood into their country to ditribute charity and goodwill, and end hunger and ills. They see that 99% of their wealth comes from Christian nations who buy their dirty sludge under their feet.
They see that God forsakes them and they believe it is hbecause have failed to follow the teachings of Mohamed. They started following Christian values of peace not conquest.
Therefore their onlpy salvation must be to begin acting like true Muslims and following the specifics of the Koran. They must launch violent jihads and kill the infidels and conquer new lands to convert to the “pure” form of Islam.
Muslims cannot be integrated in large numbers in free nations.
Gosh I really have to pay more attention, I missed the announcement where you were chosen to decide who and who is not a “real” Muslim...congratulations on your new job.
It was one of those “talking heads” on some news program from about right after 9-11.......
You can't but millions of Catholics who never set foot in Church would punch your lights out if you start demonizing their Catholic families.
Religions, including Christian denominations, have gone through radical phases and the current wave of Islamic radicalism was not too strong in, say, 1967, when the "radical" Arab regimes were secular.
Turkey has been fighting Islamist fanatics since the days of Ataturk.
We are not going to kill off over 1 billion cultural Muslims around the World so we may as well enlist the help of cultural Muslims in wiping out the religious nutjobs.
Well, in Turkey which is 99.8% muslim (according to the CIA World Fact Book) it is illegal for more than four Christians to gather anywhere other than their own home and in a single handful of existing churches. It is a prison offense to give a turk a bible.
This is what qualifies as 'moderate' islam in the 'most democratic' muslim state ever.
Keep two sets of books? ooops sorry that was accounting....
Like the Hamas Mouse. In english they say they ordered it removed, but in arabic they probably say they will never stop using it.
A Muslim may not be an active terrorist, but if he does not pray for the success of the activated Muslims nor give them finacial support or other support then he is not a faithful Muslim.
You cannot be a Christian and not desire that all mankind come to know Christ (through peace and love as taught by Christ).
You canot be Muslim and not deisre that all mankind be converted to Islam. (an irreuftable statement). But the Koran teaches conversion by the sword and physical conquest, not by peace.
A “peaceful” Muslim is simply yet be activated into violence, or a fallen Muslim.
“That was a quote from a moderate muslim,”
Well, he was pretty much right. That’s why moderates stay away from the mosques.
In this country, almost all the mosques are funded with Saudi/Wahabbi money. Unfortunately, Washington doesn’t get it.
And, how do you separate out the cultural Muslims?????????
“We are not going to kill off over 1 billion cultural Muslims around the World so we may as well enlist the help of cultural Muslims in wiping out the religious nutjobs.”
Thanks for a moment of sanity
Only one question:
Should we reserve a phone booth or an elevator for the meeting?
We did.
About the secularism.
Yea, I mean, I have a friend who is “Muslim” but she’s pretty much never been to a mosque, she dresses completely normally, and besides being a bit more moral than other teens in the areas any religion would approve of (ie wait until marriage) she’s completely normal.
That being said, I fully realize that there are several million of her co-religionists who would cheerfully kill her just for living the way she does, and 90% of the others would wholeheartedly condemn her as damned.
There may be moderate Muslims, but there is no moderate Islam.
LOL
I can’t imagine anything that would get 1.5 million Americans to take to the streets.
Cancellation of American Idol, perhaps.......
*************************************
LOL...you beat me to it.
Would it be too intellectually demanding for you to at least attempt a coherent reasoned response.
The article may be mistaken, it may have flawed reasoning or misstate facts but simply copying and pasting your favorite anti-Muslim quote and posting it, wastes everyone's time and really doesn't advance the discussion. The answer to the media's attempt to down play and cover up the negative aspects of Islam as it is practiced by some; is not to ignore and trivialize those Muslims who are not anti-American and who make up the overwhelming number of victims of the Islamic radicalism.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.