Peace in thirty years?

Submitted by Alan Kohn (United States), Dec 21, 2004 at 17:36

Mr Pipes - I have read much of what you have published and listened intently to several of your speeches. On what do you base your estimate that harmony in the Middle East is 30 years in the future? Where is this "moderate Islam" that you have previously asked us to believe will fight the good fight against radical, fundamentalist Islamism?

What if there is no moderate Islam; what if this very term is an oxymoron?

It is obvious that the modern, spoiled, pampered western world is not up to the reality of the fact that we are under attack and that our survival as a civilization is in doubt. We are not ready for this fight. We are not even ready to listen to anyone who says that World War III has begun and the outcome is bleak unless we wake up and fight with everything we have. The Talmud says that "when someone comes to kill you, wake up early in the morning and kill him first." It is already late afternoon and we are still sleeping. I don't know if we will wake up in time or not.

You are being realistic when you say that the Palestinians are not ready for "peace in our time." In all due respect, sir, I don't think you are being realistic when you write that Islamic nations will be ready for peace in 30 years or even 300 years unless we force them to accept peace on earth or the peace of the grave.

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