No legitimacy in Islamists' war

Submitted by Prashant (United States), Aug 27, 2011 at 02:21

Dear Dr Pipes:

There is no legitimacy in Islamists' wars because they consitute killing innocent people on streets (in Mumbai), on buildings (in New York), in Schools (in Chechnya), in Mosques (in Pakistan), in Parliaments (in New Delhi), in Trains (in Madrid and London), in forests (in Southern Phillipines), during sports events (in 1972 Munich Olympic games), in terrorists' camps (Daniel Pearl in Pakistan), in high seas (Somalian pirates), in Cafes (in Israel), and everyehere else.

US wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, though no good, are far more ligitimate. US government provides an authority that can be approached by any one who seeks peace.Islamic terrorrists do not provide any such forum. If Islamists want to bring legitimacy to their wars, they should take some of the following steps:

1) Have representative governments in their countries which can authorize and stop wars. If a war is sanctioned by a representative authority, they authority can be approached by anyone who seeks peace.

2) The power to start a violent act --even to defend the cause of Allah-- should be taken away from all individuals. So an individual muslim should not be allowed to kill any one even if he thinks that Islam is under attack.

3) Muslims should show that they are truly interested in peace. Instead of ignoring the terrisist acts and being aplogists about them, if moderate muslims actively oppose the acts of the terrorists, people will very soon start attributing credibility to muslims. How many muslims are there in London? A 100,000? If these Muslims ocme out on the street with candles in their hands and insisting that they will not tolerate, violence in the name of Islam, credibility will come to Islam.

4) Innocent people should not be killed. Killing is bad if it happens in a Mosque in Pakistan or in a subway in London.

That will be a good start.

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