Two controversial statements

Submitted by Victor Tordjman (Israel), Apr 20, 2008 at 12:49

Dear Mr. Pipes,

In your latest article, derived from the talk you gave in Australia: "Europe or Eurabia", which is as precise and concise as all your usual writings , I could not but be stopped by two statements, two sentences, which ,- evidently as a shortcut – tend to convey generalizations which may be misused in ill-intended quotations.

The first is the following :

1) The future of Europe is in play. Will it turn into "Eurabia," as part of the Muslim world? Will it remain the distinct cultural unit it has been over the last millennium?

It may be argued that the sole distinct cultural factor uniting the Europeans from the year 1000 – has been the domination established by Christianity over the remains of the Roman Empire and the spreading of the Christian faith all over the continent, not the least in defense against Muslim invasions. Culturally , otherwise, there are not many common traits shared by a medieval Scottish Christian, for example and an Italian one, a French and a German . It seems to me that since the Arabs started their conquest, Europe has been on the defensive, under the guidance of the Church, and at times took the initiative and "reconquered" ground lost while in periods of weakness. These alternate movements took on varied cultural aspects, but in essence the confrontation has been between Islam and Christendom, two (arguably) equally "imperialistic" religious endeavours. Actually the Arabic cultural unifying factor of Quran and language is a much stronger bond than the remnants of Latin are within the realm of the Holy Roman Empire in Europe.

The second phrase is this :

2) Never in history has a major civilization peaceably dissolved, nor has a people ever risen to reclaim its patrimony.

I somehow feel that these two parts of one same sentence, have no necessary connection between them. While the first part is evidently true, the second is blatantly ignoring such a major historical event as the rise of the Jewish People to reclaim its patrimony, the Land of Israel. Could it be that this unique case of a people successfully reclaiming its patrimony may have slipped – of all people's !- your pen ?

Sincerely
Victor Tordjman, Herzlia

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