Breast Feeding a Piranha

Submitted by Arny M. (United States), Aug 13, 2002 at 22:47

I hardly think that you can justify using Turkey as a model for "Islam's Future" since Turkey has been in the Western sphere of influence for quite some time as a democratic, NATO member. To obtain the same "liberal" results from the Arab world will require their making an about-face in their political systems in the direction of democracy. I frankly don't see that happening anytime soon, especially in countries such as Saudi Arabia, Syria, Iraq and Egypt where ethnic identity is synonomous with Islam, and Islam with feudal tribalism.

Turks, on the other hand, are not Arabs and thus don't have that same confussion of identity. For that same reason, I can conceive of Iran becoming democratic and less fanatical within the foreseeable future, and certainly long before the major Arab states do the same.

In the meantime, we are faced with the reality of a militant Islamic culture not only threatening the very existence of tiny Israel, but of the world's only Super Power: the U.S.A. Wishful thinking is not going to protect us nor will it defeat the enemy. Israel's short history has been a model of such thinking by its leaders up until Sharon, and look where it has got them. Rose colored glasses are nothing but "rose colored glasses". ...

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