Key point

Submitted by Devasahayam (United States), Jul 3, 2008 at 20:11

"His error has major implications. If the United States, despite the much better socio-economic standing of its Muslims, suffers from 2.5 times more terrorism per capita than does Europe, socio-economic improvements are unlikely to solve Europe's problems."

Here is the crux of the matter; it has been repeatedly shown that socio-economic advancement (higher literacy, higher prosperity) does not better the individuals unless their basic mindset is changed--best demonstrated in the Sub-continent where contact with the British (due to British occupation), the Muslim had theoretically the same opportunities to learn about democracy as the non-Muslim. But the results speak loudest:

• India, a functioning democratic republic, despite of insurgencies, etc.; though this is complicated by Indian government's foolish compromise with Muslim "leaders" like Abdullah Bukhari in 1980's which allowed Muslims separate civil code
• Pakistan a nation where democracy disappeared 1951/10/16; its next attempt, in 1970 led to two failures. Also, a nation classified by US State Dept as "in danger of failure", which Pakistanis bristle at--as they cannot face the truth that their state indeed failed when they decided to base all policy on hate of their neighbour.
  
• in Bangladesh, closest it has come to democracy is "one party in power, other doing bandhs".

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