Newsweek: "Radical Islam Is A Fact Of Life. How To Live With It"

Newsweek:

Pakistan's Swat valley is quiet once again. Often compared to Switzerland for its stunning landscape of mountains and meadows, Swat became a war zone over the past two years as Taliban fighters waged fierce battles against Army troops. No longer, but only because the Pakistani government has agreed to some of the militants' key demands, chiefly that Islamic courts be established in the region. Fears abound that this means women's schools will be destroyed, movies will be banned and public beheadings will become a regular occurrence.

Read the whole story: Newsweek

Comments

[Vinod Sharma]

Zakaria's argument is based on the flawed premise that most radical Islamists are concerned only with petty local issues and not global jihad. They have to be concerned with those issues in any case, but the gaze of many is beyond the horizon and those of the remaining will quickly shift there too, when the conditions are right. Maulana Wahiduddin Khan, a Delhi based Islamic scholar, says that the ideology of jihadists is that "that Islam is a political system and that it is the duty of of all Muslims to establish the political rule of Islam in the world". William Dalrymple, Brenard-Henry Levy and many others also do not share Zakaria's views.

Whether we like it or not and no matter where in the world we live, we need to realise that we are all part of a historical battle between misguided radical Islam and not just the West but all the rest. A detailed analysis of Zakaria's Afghan strategy which is founded on these views can be found here:
http://vinodksharma.blogspot.com/2009/03/zakarias-afghanistan-strategy-salvage.html

[Moroccan]

First of all, I do not agree with Zakaria's analysis for one thing is that he is an apologist of US government war crimes and a cheerleader of its imperialist agenda. Zakaria has called and justified for the use of violence by the US government. People like Zakaria should know that they bear responsibility in all of this slaughter and destruction. Zakaria believes his calls for violence prior to the invasion are irrelevant.

Secondly, Zakaria, who is an economist and who is Indian, has no exclusive insights in what happens in the Arab Middle East. Newsweek is using his Arab sounding name and his cheerleading attitude towards "glorious USA" to mislead the readers and to have them think that this war-monger understands our region like no other.

Thirdly, Bernard-Henry Levy is a well-known apologist of Israeli policies and as such his views on us are formulated to defend Israeli interests.

Finally, the use of labels "Radical Islam" is offensive to many of us. The fact that Newsweek uses Zakaria, who has a Muslim heritage, to spread this prejudice against an entire religion is not an excuse.

Arabs have a problem with US foreign policy that US officials implement in our region against the interests and the will of its people.

The people of the world are not going to become the Native Indians of North America and submit to these imperialists forces that subject by force, coercion and kill with impunity.

[zeev18]

I wish people would actually read the article before posting unrelated and unimportant comments.

The story as absolutely riddled with untruths. I work in an engineering firm full of Muslims who don’t claim to be terrorist or fanatics but they support those who are. They cheer when non-Muslims are killed. They don’t lie to other Muslims but couldn’t tell the truth to one who isn’t. They send money to the Islamic Education Center in Potomac, Maryland who in turn sends their money straight to Hezbollah. One of the worker’s own brother is in prison for plotting to blow up the Pentagon. He claims that his brother is innocent despite everyone hearing his brother saying time and time again that he was going to destroy the US military, kill its soldiers, and that he had stolen blue prints of the Pentagon on his home computer with all the main supports labeled.

Radical Islam may be sweeping across the globe but we can not live with it. If it isn’t stopped, it will be the end of all life.

[MysticMirage]

Muslim right here :D aint nothing radical about me.

[RaWash]

former muslim here, my parents hate me :D

[MagisterLudi]

No progress can be made in countries controlled by religious yoke. Western and Easter peoples no longer define themselves by their religious identity . No one talks about Christendom or Buddhist countries.
As long Arabs continue to refer to themselves as Muslims first and Arabs second, no progress will be made in the ME.
Be proud of who you are, not which myth you believe.

[chaos4700]

What about a particular Jewish country? Donut hole much?

[Moroccan]

We are free to refer to ourselves the way we feel like.

Which progress are you talking about?

Germany progressed so well during the Nazi rule. In fact, at some point, Germany held half of all noble prizes in the world in the early 40s.

If progress means becoming an imperialist country with over 1000 army bases implanted around the world, then no thank you. We already went through this a long time ago.

Tell your governments to stop to killing and subjecting others against their will.

We are not going to become your negros of the last century.

[iSeeDumbPeople]

You'd think these wackadoos had never seen "Jesus Camp". Give me a break.

[Karma7]

"Radical Islam" is a phrase neocon-fascists freely bandy, as if Americans are too dense to not detect its similarity with “radical Zionism” which is as likely the biggest threat to the our national security and freedom here in the states.

If one examines the relationship America has had with Israel it is clear that it has been detrimental to our interests, and it has seriously weakened our ability to get along peacefully with many nations who were once our friends—not to mention the billions of our tax-payer money that the Zionist-Israeli government continuously receives irrespective of their violations of UN Resolutions, war crimes, and human rights abuses while the US forgives all its debts.

Condemning “radical Islam’ while ignoring Israel’s militant “radical Zionism” is high hypocrisy.

[DoesItMatter]

In other parts of the World, the radicals in Islam develop irrespective of Zionist movements. The World is a large place, and not everything is centered around USA and Israel.

[MagisterLudi]

What term Karma 7 would you sue for this:?
Mumbai, London. Cairo, Madrid, Bali, Beslan,.Moscow, Ahmedabad (2008), Islambad hotel, New York, Washington D.C. Sharm el-Sheikh(­"05);Al-Ar­baa Algeria. Casablanca, Khobar Towers, World Trade Center(1993), Embassies Tanzania and Kenya(1998).
And this?
SMALL list of active areas where Radical Islamists are involved: Philippines Indonesia, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Waziristan, Algeria ,South Thailand, Russia,

[chaos4700]

How about a not so small list?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_villages_depopulated_during_the_Arab%E2%80%93Israeli_conflict#Arab_villages
And that's only for starters. I don't think you want to get into an argument whereby we're comparing one list of attacks against another.

[MagisterLudi]

Typical Jihadist story:
Ajmi began attending Kuwait mosque. This mosque receives government money(!) but it known among Kuwaitis as a hotbed of radicalism. Sermons dwell on the oppression of Muslims and include exhortations to participate in jihad.
A fatwa, issued over the Internet and was posted in his mosque, that called for jihad against the Russians in Chechnya. Ajmi decided he would go. When he got to Pakistan, he discovered that there was no way to travel from there to Chechnya. He returned to Kuwait.
Two months later, a friend distributed another fatwa in his mosque.
This one called for Muslims to fight against Northern Alliance In A-stan.
On March 26, Ajmi left Kuwait for Pakistan. Before leaving, he called his mother. "I'm going for jihad," he said, according to his brother Ahmed. "Count me as a martyr for God."
His brother went to the Subhan mosque to inquire about his whereabouts.
He was told:" 'We taught your brother the right things. We set him on the right path. "

This kind of recruiting goes on daily, hourly all over M-lim communities, all over the world. Including in the neighborhood near you.
It is supported by governments and people which are supposed allies of the West. And in surveys oppose terrorism. But their money say otherwise.

[chaos4700]

Fear! Fear the religion you barely know about! Fear the people with darker skin and hair than you! Yeah, thanks for the useless rhetoric and the unsourced anecdotes, Magister Race.

[DoesItMatter]

So only a dark skinned person can point out mistakes of other dark skinned person, eh? What logic!!! That kind of logic is very patronizing and insulting to dark skinned people.

[MagisterLudi]

Three main problems -- Sharia law, oppression of women, mullahs control over civic societies.
When people who live under the yoke of Islam free themselves for these three elements, progress will be possible.

Everything else is just wishing upon a star. And I don't mean of Bethlehem.

[skialethia]

Hear that sound?...this is a perfect example of the drumbeat to war againstIran, and this is the propagandathis type thinks we will all fall for.....fortunately the world is wide awake and fed up of your fearmongering and warmongeringways.

I'll bet you don't mean Bethlehem! Then why mention it! I'll bet your disdain doesn't rest strictly withIslam alone. Bethlehem was the birthplace of Jesus...and that is a fact that no bulldozer or bombwill ever destroy!

[MagisterLudi]

I despise all religions except Zen, Ch'an and Tibetan Buddhism and Taoism.
And yes, I do despise people who run modern Islam most of all.
The only exception I make is for some strains of Sufism. The ones the least polluted by mainstream islam. And mainly because of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan :-) and some similarities with other traditions of esoteric mysticism.

[MagisterLudi]

"Individual M.oslems may show splendid qualities, but the influence of the religion paralyzes the social development of those who follow it." Sir Winston Churchill
This is just as true now as it was 70 years ago.

[skialethia]

Here is a prime example of Islamophobiaat its worst! Using the words of Churchill to spreadhate.

[thruthseeker]

Al Jazeera...good
Nesweek...bad..
Jihad ...good
newsweek...bad
Fundamental loonies....good
Jews ...bad...

Lovely dialogue.
I'm sure things will improve with this type of mindset.

[Moroccan]

Al-Jazeera reporters do actually speak the local language, ie Arabic with its various flavors in the region. AL-Jazeera reporters also know where Morocco or Egypt are on the map.

If Al-Jazeera's coverage of our (us Arabs) discontent with US policy and its invasion of Iraq makes you uncomfortable, well you should know if your country was invaded the same way, you would want the world to know about what happened to you and your family.

Newsweek can not cover the middle east as much as Al-Jazeera would. It is ridiculous to even suggest that.

Fareed Zakaria is Indian! that alone should tell you about Newsweek.

[skialethia]

ll those Islamhaters who want the majority (Christians, atheists and agnostics) to take up arms and fight your your imaginary boogeyman can take up arms, go and fight your own wars and fight to your heart's content!!! We are SICK AND TIRED OF YOUR DMN STEVVPID WARS!

Leave the rest of us our of your hateandparanoia!!!

[skialethia]

Corr: Leave the rest of us "out" of your hateandparanoia!

[MagisterLudi]

I assure you that we in the West are just as sick and tired of people like you, who sympathize and excuse every from of Isl.amic ter.rorism and outrage.

[skialethia]

Gooooood! I'm glad your sick and tired! I do not excuse any form of violence,b­igotryorha­te!

[thruthseeker]

One day, just like in the past, the danger will be facing us but it will be too late.
For us, I mean .
You would be a happy person under Sharia law

[DoesItMatter]

Wow, you are getting agitated and are starting to scream. What is the matter? And who do you include in the "we"?

[skialethia]

Neoconsandz's are excluded from the "we"...since they are the ones with the immoralhate-riddled agenda againstIslam.

[fbr79]

I'm loving the hysteria, when are you going to start the chanting?

[skialethia]

When you start speakingintongues and rolling on the floor.

[fbr79]

oh yeah, Zakaria, let's give them more money to "rebuild state structures". Dhimmitude 101.

[iSeeDumbPeople]

I'm sick of being force fed this type of idiotic terminology. Do people call Americans "radical Christians" because of those nasty perverts torturing people in Guantanamo? Radical Islam needs to go where that comic-book "axis of evil" went. Back to Texas.

[DoesItMatter]

The difference is what happens in G is because of Political reasons. Islamism is a religious, political and economical ideology. Radical Islamists know how to manipulate the nomimal muslims and threaten the World.

[skialethia]

...says you...and you're the expert, right??? When does your next "IslamforDummies" get published???

[chaos4700]

For political reasons? You do know that torture doesn't actually /work/ right? The only political reasons one could construe for using torture is to force a confession out of someone, whether they are guilty or not. Or to induce fantasies from a "credible source" that you can take to a Congressional subcommittee to show them why they need to increase the military and black ops budgets.

[Moroccan]

It is the US government, among very few others, that threatens the world with its huge and scary stock pile of nuclear weapons.

The world is not going to bow down to US-led imperialism like the world did against many other imperialist forces in the past.

An Alien force should come to free us from this evil racist system that thrives on subjecting the weak and the defenseless.

Our planet is held hostage by these governments that are armed to teeth with weapons of mass murder and total annihilation of mankind.

We do not want our planet to become an outpost of nuclear weapons because all of us are scared that the imperialist racist madmen in Washington will one day drop again another nuclear bomb against some defenseless population.

An Alien force should come to our rescue.

[fbr79]

What are you going to use as an excuse now that Guantanamo is closing? Nothing done in Guantanmo was done in the name of Jesus or any other sky daddy. As opposed to your Jihaddist friends spreading their love to please their imaginary big guy.

[skialethia]

Gitmo aint closed yet! T0rture is done only in the name of the guy with the pitchforkandhorns and when the time is right, he'll come to collect the debt and take everyone involved with him.

[iSeeDumbPeople]

**this is me playing the world's tiniest violin**

[MagisterLudi]

''Although people will criticize Islam in private, they know that to do so publicly, in other words, to be honest about their feelings, would instantly make them racists and Islamophobes and disgusting Imperialist ethno-centrists.... grinding their jackboots into the faces of the innocent and the weak.
So, best not to make a fuss... Here, have some more money.''
Pat Condell

[ohiomark]

If you are an "infidel" and do not except their rad ical version of Islam, then you don't get to "live with it".

[thruthseeker]

Skialethia

Your embrace and support of radical islam, mixed with your hate of Zion entwined with your fake admission of belonging to the christian faith while you demand justice for palestine makes you a full fledged member of 'Taghye".
You have exposed yourself without us nudging you.
your masters are going to be upset.

[skialethia]

You can say whatever you want; I'm Christian; proud of it and wouldn't change my faith for any other. That being said, I believe z's are very misguided and are commiting crimes in the name of their zealotry.

As far as "RadicalIslam" is concerned, I believe that's a label meant to stir up hatredandmistrust and part of the drumbeat to war againstIran and I refuse to be manipulated and forced into the group think by anyone! Especially bullied by the likes of you; you know me better than that! You are barking up the wrong tree if you think your bullying tactics, your false accusations and whatever label you want to pin on me is going to influence me or bother me in the least. Your bullying and intimidation will never influence me to stop sifting through the deceit and hyperbole!

[DoesItMatter]

LoL. You know it is just not America that talks about Radical Islam? Fareed himself is a Muslim. He is originally from Mumbai, India. If you study Islam and its spread you would realize that it is just not West that has to face radical islam, there are other regions too that has to deal with it.

[dv416]

like the article says, american ideals are our most powerful weapon. so, as a nation we need to change our priorities to our homeland. we have to rebuild our own country and maximize our own potential first.

if we want the muslim world to follow our example, we must first SET an example.

[MagisterLudi]

re."if we want the muslim world to follow our example, we must first SET an example."
We don't want them to follow the Western example.
But it would be nice if they can get rid of people who oppress their own populations with religious dogma and project their intolerance around the world.
Otherwise,, Islam has been in deep decline for the last 300 years or so. And it's not gonna change all that fast. You can lead a donkey to water....

[dv416]

i would argue that our foreign policy indicates that we very much DO want to spread western values. capitalism, democracy, secular government, the whole shebang. the blowback we're facing is because 1. these values clash with local traditions and 2. resentment of our occupation.

the question is - is it our responsibility as leader of the free world to get rid of all oppressors? there are oppressors in plenty of places besides afghanistan. why don't we step in elsewhere as well?

we need to do something about terrorism, yes, but nation building is a can of worms. it will bankrupt us.

i agree with you, the transformation of traditional islam to a more tolerant, modern islam will take time. it took our country over 200 years to gain the freedoms we currently enjoy. overnight change of that magnitude would be impossible.

[PerfectSense]

We allow freedom of religion - Radical Islam does not.
We allow freedom of speech - Radical Islam does not.
We have free elections which are not allowed under Radical Islam.
We allow women to have jobs - Radical Islam does not.
Radical Islam kills homosexuals, we do not.
Radical Islam allows honor killings, we do not.
Radical Islam does not allow women to choice their husbands, we do.

What other examples should we SET?

[dv416]

how about end our nation building foreign policy for starters. imposing our values on other cultures will always lend itself to retaliation of some kind.

our culture can speak for itself, we don't need to shoot it through the barrel of a gun.