The West's best interests
How Western governments need to be more imaginative in the pursuit of partners in the Muslim community
By Martin Bright Published 09 May 2007 15:09A very reasoned piece on radical Islam from Lorenzo Vidino in the Boston Globe:
Vidino makes a good case for Western governments being more imaginative in the pursuit of partners within the Muslim community. A simple, sane argument powerfully made. The final paragraph is particularly good:
'Throughout the Muslim world many courageous intellectuals, clerics, and activists are struggling to make their message heard, campaigning for the diffusion of the values of tolerance and democracy within Islamic societies and among Muslims in the West. They preach a reformation through which Muslims, while remaining loyal to its key tenets, would be able to reconcile Islam with modern life. Yet moderate voices, while still representing the majority of the Muslim world, are often overshadowed by aggressive and well-organized radicals. It is in the West's best interest to support these voices of reason, as they represent the best antidote to the radical ideology that is generating most of the terrorism and violence throughout the world.'
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1 comment
thanks for the link, it is an interesting read.
the only thing that disappointed me was the complete pointing outwards at Islam, and not recognising that the greater part of the blame for the current global situation is in the lap of the Neo-cons, and the last time i looked they were not actually any form of Islam.
it is hardly debatable that matters will be hard to improve until the West ends its illegal and horrific occupations, and indeed itself goes back on the trail of moderation and liberalism.
sometimes when dialogue is difficult, we should look at ourselves before pointing the finger at the Other.
however the basic message was right, and it is a shame that these people do not seem to get the headlines in the corporate press that their more extreme brethren do when they open their mouths.
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