Plunder is not an available tool any more

Submitted by Prashant (United States), Sep 28, 2011 at 20:44

Dear Dr Pipes:

As much as there are faults in our current world, we are moving in the correct direction. More countries are free and democratic than ever before and relations between nations --baring Islamic nations-- are now resolved in more peaceful ways than ever before.

Your reader L Manohar says that after Turkey became Islamic, it adopted violent methods. Manohar also says that once you are "successful" using those kind of methods, you do not want to give them up. Luckily our modern world provides safeguards under which plundering of other nations by any nation is not allowed. Plundering the wealth of other nations was the primary means through which Islamic lands ensured their prosperity in the ancient times. But that lifeline is not available any more. Economic pressures of our times will force Islamic countries to pursue education, creativity, freedom and pluralism. Availability of the oil wealth will delay that process but, hopefully, it will not derail it forever.

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