In Case This Was Missed

I have been commenting back and forth with a very inteligent man, Harry Eagar.

He has renewed my passion for this war on terror.

And this Babe elevated it a little too.
(click on her for the full size image)

I have been frustrated, complacent, and accepting of the status quo.

So here is a bit of our exchange that has got me back in the game...

Harry Eagar: Thoughtful commentators, much closer to the scene in western Asia than I am, like the Syrian political scientist Bassam Tibi (based, significantly, in Germany), said before the invasion of Iraq that Arab Muslims have no interest in democracy.

Events suggest he was right.

Fu2rman: Muslims have no interest in democracy.

That may be true.

So what is the alternative?

Stay out of their way?


Since we are saying we can't go in and over-throw their current regimes, and install a democratic government, what do we do?

I would love to hear a better alternative.

HE: Change the religion. That's what happened to Christianity, only with Islam it has to happen much faster. With Christianity it took over 300 years.

Here's the deal.

1. Accept that the WoT is really a war of civilization v. Islam.

2. Prefer, in the name of humanity, to avoid the '20-minute solution,' which in any event is impractical.

3. Adopt the Bonifacian solution. Boniface, the 'Apostle to the Germans,' destroyed the basis of their devotion by cutting down their sacred trees. Since the tree-gods did not retaliate, the Germans lost faith in their power. (This is a simplified version, in real life it was more complicated.)

4. Instead of pussyfooting around and respecting Islam, the rest of the world has to say out loud, 'We despise what your religion stands for, and we defy your god to defend it or you. We are coming not just for a few Islamofascists, but for Mohammed and Allah as well. Let them stop us if they can.'

In one version, I suggested (before the invasion of Afghanistan) that the US submit a list of, say, the 100 holiest mosques or shrines in Islam and announce that, unless Allah could stop cruise missiles, one per hour would be destroyed.

I liked that approach because it targeted things but not people. Well, it would not targeted their bodies; it would, of course,have caused enormous psychic pain, but, heck, I'm told we caused enormous psychic pain just by publishing some snarky cartoons.)

F2: I am in 100% agreement with you on this.

However, I still don't think the political, media, and public opinion climate would stand for an all out assult on the religion itself.

This conversation will continue...