You're killing me

Submitted by K.H. Ahmed (United States), Apr 17, 2008 at 10:04

Mr. Pipes,

You are driving me nuts - on one day you will write ...regarding Islam and then you will write this great article "A Democratic Islam". I do not understand how you can recognize the cultural difficulties, (ie:tribal affinities, fractured history, etc.) and then write some of the other ...using Islam as the fault line. I find myself one day saying he understands the Middle East and its people and the next saying he doesn't have a clue.

As one of Turkish heritage I have watched Turkey struggle for decades to move into the modern world and for every two steps forward the old ways pull back one step. Islam's problem, as you rightly point out, is that it has never truly had its reformation. However, where we would disagree is that I believe that it is the West that has prevented it by the way it has interacted with the culture of the Middle East. Left to their devices long ago I believe the reformation of Islam would have already taken place.

If we are to have any kind of sane relationship with the Middle East this great debate regarding Islam and politics needs to end. The discussion needs to be about what those using Islam as cover are truly seeking in the end.

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".