Radical Islam in retreat? (Didn't Kepel suggest that?)

Submitted by GK (United States), Jan 22, 2005 at 09:30

In re: "hmmm" of 9/28/04:

I think Gilles Kepel (a French international analyst) suggested the same point that acm writes, right? That's an optimistic view, but since then, Mr. Van Gogh was murdered in in broad daylight on a busy street in Holland by an islamist who shot Mr. Van Gogh several times, stabbed him in the chest, then nearly severed his head before leaving an euro-islamist manifesto pinned to his body by a deeply penetrating knife. The bold murder was no action by a force in retreat. Instead it suggests a powerful level of hatred fed by deeply felt convictions. And throughout the world, many muslims who want to see their utopia reign, have taken steps large and small to bring about the utopia expressed by Mr. Van Gogh's murderer.I wonder what Giles Kepel has to say about these events now?

As for the article by Bernard Lewis, thanks, Mr. Pipes for the link. Do you have an English language translation and some information how the article was received by Eurpoe's intelligentsia?

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