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two evils nonetheless

Reader comment on item: Support the lesser evil [in Saudi Arabia]

Submitted by Peter J. Herz (Taiwan), May 30, 2004 at 20:16

If the Sa'udi Kingdom gives way to an Ikhwan-type regime, the Ikhwan may nonetheless take the path that Abdul-Aziz ultimately took and make the compromises that power demands. True, there would probably be a period of time in which the US and other states might have to make a few forcible points, but ultimately, a kind of normalcy would prevail. We saw the same thing happen before in China, where the Communist Party came close to delegitimating itself in the Great Cultural Revolution.

It may just be the case that the Islamic world needs to groan under the Ikhwan or people like them in order to appreciate the benefits of joining the global civilization.
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Reader comments (21) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
Bad News [47 words]Charles NickalopoulosFeb 7, 2008 16:39119737
Why must we dirty our hands with evil at all? [210 words]Jonathan RickJan 11, 2005 14:4419596
We are wasting our time and energies [126 words]a nevaresJul 5, 2004 20:4115890
What proportion of Muslims are Islamist fundamentalists? [54 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
James CofferJun 12, 2004 00:1515651
No Real Choice In Saudi Arabia [300 words]Henry William KalweitJun 8, 2004 16:1315603
Thank you [27 words]Andrea BricksJun 3, 2004 15:2915527
US supports Saudi monarchy; Saudi monarchy supports Wahabism... till recently... [97 words]Victor Bloom MDJun 2, 2004 09:4815507
Tell us more ! [42 words]Fred SchwartzJun 2, 2004 00:0315501
The KKK analogy [72 words]Ethylred SmithJun 1, 2004 11:4515477
Election Choice [155 words]Larry BohannonJun 1, 2004 11:2815476
Hi [367 words]MichaelMay 31, 2004 20:0015461
thank-you [96 words]John McGinleyMay 31, 2004 16:0115458
How to keep Arabia stable! [775 words]#453: Pipes on the Saudi civil war in "The Australian"May 31, 2004 14:1515455
A Better Middle East [117 words]Walton CookMay 31, 2004 12:2015454
Catch 22 ? [106 words]yonasonMay 31, 2004 10:4615452
saudi arabia [11 words]munnuMay 31, 2004 09:0715449
And if the ultra radicals gained power [63 words]Matt KennelMay 31, 2004 01:5715443
Let bin Laden loose [40 words]Alex GoppMay 30, 2004 23:0115440
side remark and whats happening. [122 words]r. richard fusilierMay 30, 2004 21:4415437
Reaction [221 words]William GreeneMay 30, 2004 21:4215436
two evils nonetheless [113 words]Peter J. HerzMay 30, 2004 20:1615434

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