Interesting indeed!

Submitted by Saikat Biswas (United Kingdom), Jul 5, 2006 at 15:16

The understatement in Dr Pipes' concluding remarks are too exquisite to ignore. If the principle of reciprocity is indeed emphasized with increasing vigour by Western states, the ramifications would indeed be deep and far-reaching. I personally believe that if such an effort on the part of Western governments has any chance to succeed, it must necessarily be accompanied by the total absence of the sort of squeamishness that has hitherto stifled Western response to Islamic radicalism.

It is indeed ironic that the Catholic Church should remind the secular, liberal democracies of the West of their commitment towards the principles and values they espouse. The ideals of democracy and free speech which were once held to be universal has been steadily eroded over the years by the onslaught of 'cultural relativism' taken to its absurd limits. The emotional subservience of a great majority of liberals towards Islamism is simply bizarre.

Liberal intellectuals must take up the challenge to confront radical Islam. If the Catholic Church is allowed the upper hand in this enterprise, the prospects do not inspire optimism.

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