An essential precondition for reform?

Submitted by J. Keen Holland (United States), Oct 22, 2013 at 06:57

I am a longtime admirer of Dr. Pipes' astute observations on Mideast issues. What particularly struck me in his responses to these letters to the editor was his comment on John Leo's letter.

Yes, anti-Nazi Germans played a key role in the post-WW2 reform of Germany; but, the key precondition for this reform was the military defeat of Germany.

That led me to consider the example of Attaturk's secular revolution in Turkey which was triggered by the defeat and dismembermjent of the Ottoman Empire resulting from its defeat in WW1. Will it take such a massive reversal of fortune in one or several Islamic nations to form the essential catalyst for reform of Islam? And, how lasting would such a reform be? It has taken less than a century for Turkey's secular political tradition to unravel. Just a thought.

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