Forward to the Past- Moslem progress---Assessing the Islamist Threat, Circa 1946

Capital Times/Middle East Quarterly ^ | 9-14-06//2-14-1946

[SJackson]

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The Present Estimate If the Moslem states were strong and stable, their behavior would be more predictable. They are, however, weak and torn by internal stresses; furthermore, their peoples are insufficiently educated to appraise propaganda or to understand the motives of those who promise a new Heaven and a new Earth.

Because of the strategic position of the Moslem world and the relentlessness of its peoples, the Moslem states constitute a potential threat to world peace. There cannot be permanent world stability, when one-seventh of the earth's population exists under the economic and political conditions that are imposed upon the Moslems.

[samadams2000]

Lets just agree that islam is civilizations boat anchor.

[tallhappy]

Great post, thanks. One type of thing FR is all about is posts like this.

[dk/coro]

I concur. Marvelous post.

I had read this piece some time ago, in developing a course on "Civilizations in Conflict" -- essentially a graduate level seminar wrapping Huntington, Lewis, Gaddis, Johnson and Pipes into an historical framework; the course keyed specifically to the Islamic threat to Western Democracy.

Interestingly, Sir. Winston Churchill spoke wrote and spoke about the "Molsem" threat in essentially the same post WW-II time-frame.

And, of course, these comments fell of deaf ears. The Russian Bear was menacing; and we were paying less than $8.00/bbl. for Middle Eastern Oil. (I was filling up for $.16/ gal.)

Kindest regards; and have a superb weekend, Fellow Freepers.

[kenavi]

The Russian Bear was menacing; and we were paying less than $8.00/bbl. for Middle Eastern Oil. (I was filling up for $.16/ gal.)

What could we have done differently that would have made a difference?

[PC99]

Parts of the report's description of deep stagnation and cultural paralysis reminds me of some of de Tocqueville's writings of the antebellum American Deep South - not a bad analogy.

[tkathy]

deep stagnation and cultural paralysis.....

Any culture that hangs onto long past grievances and endlessly fans the flames of victimhood will experience deep stagnation and cultural paralysis

[knews_hound]

BTTT

[VOA]

bump

[Publius6961]

Because of the strategic position of the Moslem world and the relentlessness of its peoples, the Moslem states constitute a potential threat to world peace. There cannot be permanent world stability, when one-seventh of the earth's population exists under the economic and political conditions that are imposed upon the Moslems.

By other Moslems in most cases.

So blowing up the World trade center in '93 was not really our fault?
< /sarc >

Wow. This is a keeper!
Somebody got it right 60 years ago and then collective world amnesia set in.
Ignorance is our second biggest threat.

[yldstrk]

C.S. Lewis was well aware of this Moslem threat too.

[Publius6961]

C.S. Lewis was well aware of this Moslem threat too.

Do you have a book or other reference for that?

[Twinkie]

So, the Judeo-Christian dynamic tends to a more productive society after all, eh?

My husband was stationed in Turkey back during the cold war and he noted at that time that the women did most of the hard work in that culture and the men could be seen most of the days lounging on the ground fingering their Moslem prayer beads. - Hmm.m.m.. perhaps idle hands really are the devil's workshop? Boredom. Bondage . . it would seem that they barely get finished doing all that washing and praying until it's about time again for the Imam to issue the "call to prayer" over the loudspeaker at the mosque and time to start the washing up all over again. . FIVE times a day. Sigh. Maybe that's part of what the Bible means when it says when one is free in Christ, they are free, indeed. Oh, glorious freedom!

[Migraine]

What could we have done differently that would have made a difference?

I think we could've played "hands-off" in 1967 and 1973 and allowed Israel to have finished-off some arab armies. We were worried what the Russkies might have done, I know. But I don't think they would've. The implication of your question is sound: no matter what we did or did not do, we'd probably be approximately where we are. We are too civilized; we pull punches. No one should have to go to war pulling punches. It's like a bad dream. Our opponents NEVER pull punches. Never. This asymmetrical warfare is tiresome.

[GBA]

Great post!

[kenavi]

What can we do, we are not the Roman Empire. I am glad of it, but it does make it harder to have our way in the world.

[Peisistratus]

"I am glad of it, but it does make it harder to have our way in the world."

We could, at the very least, act in the interest of our citizens over foreign nationals. Start by firing the entire US State Department. No one messed with a Roman citizen. Everyone seems to mess with American citizens.

[The Cuban]

Good one. They are always putting the brakes on progress since 633 A.D. (That right, the year of our LORD)

[dk/coro]

Not a thing, of course. First things first.

I certainly did not mean to imply that our strategic priorities should have been directed in any direction other than what the Cold War dictated.

As an aside, were one to examine our South East Asian (spell: Viet Nam) experience during the period from an historical perspective, it could be persuasively argued that, with the 1954 catastrophic defeat of the French in SEA, our role in the region had to play out precisely as it did -- even with all the tactical constraints in place -- to keep the conflict manageable -- in realpolitik terms.

So much for my blather. Have a great weekend. /dkp