In my book The Enemy at Home I quoted Benazir Bhutto saying, "Within the Muslim world, there is a reaction against the sexual overtones that come across in American mass culture. America is viewed through this prism as an immoral society." This was one of the most astute explanations of why the propaganda of the radical Muslims has been so successful in recruiting traditional Muslims to the anti-American cause.
Bhutto's words were echoed also by the West's leading historian of Islam, Bernard Lewis. Reviewing what he calls "the standard litany of American offenses recited in the lands of Islam," Lewis ends with this one. "Yet the most powerful accusation of all is the degeneracy and debauchery of the American way of life." Many Americans, both on the right and the left, don't want to hear this message. And so we have been subjected to the same tired nonsense about how the radical Muslims are against freedom, oppose the Iraq invasion, blah, blah, blah.
Yes, the radical Muslims are upset about Iraq, but that's because Iraq is a pro-American Muslim democracy. Such a thing has not previously existed in the Middle East. It provides a startling alternative to the two kinds of tyranny that are widespread in the region: Islamic tyranny of the Iran variety, and secular tyranny such as we find with Musharraf in Pakistan, Mubarak in Egypt, Abdullah in Jordan, Assad in Syria, and in the Gulf Kingdoms.
Who doesn't want democracy to succeed in the Muslim world? Not counting the cultural left in America, there are two groups that are working overtime to subvert the democratic idea. The first is our enemies, namely the radical Muslims. These Bin Laden types would have an obvious incentive to kill Benazir Bhutto, and not surprisingly Musharraf has accused them of being the perpetrators of Bhutto's assassination. If Musharraf is right, the radicals did it in order to subvert the January election, destabilize Musharraf, and sow the seeds of chaos from which an extremist takeover becomes possible. This would be a nightmare prospect for the United States.
A second possibility is that Musharraf is himself behind the murder. After all, there is a second group that doesn't want democracy to work for Muslims. These are the secular despots who are allied with the United States. These thugs appeal for U.S. support basically by saying, "We are corrupt goons, but what is the alternative? Would you rather have the Bin Laden guys in power?" And typically the Americans heave a sigh and continue supporting what is perceived as the lesser evil.
Although Musharraf is no friend of democracy, and is hardly above wiping out one of the main opposition leaders, in this case it seems rather unlikely that he would be the culprit. The reason is that Musharraf runs the obvious risk that he would be blamed for the assassination, and now there are rioting crowds in Pakistan who are pointing the finger precisely in his direction. Also Musharraf gains from national stability, which has in the past allowed him to repel his opponents both from the democratic camp (such as Nawaz Sharif and Bhutto) as well as the Islamic radicals who sometimes use the language of democracy but seek to establish a Taliban-style government in Islamabad.
Who, then, is most likely behind the Bhutto assassination? Somewhere, I suspect, the Al Qaeda and Taliban leaders are smiling, having done it again through the mechanism of their suicide squads. And once again America is in a very awkward situation, having no choice now but to support Musharraf while quietly preparing for the possibility that his reign may come to an abrupt end.
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Who's Afraid of Benazir Bhutto?
Posted Dec 27th 2007 4:00PM by Dinesh D'Souza
Filed under: Breaking News, Islamic Radicals, Dictators
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Reader Comments ( Page 6 of 14)
76. #70
"Atheists tend to know more about religions than the believers do, which usually explains their atheism."
Ironic, how one can be so knowledgeable about something they do not believe in.
M2D5 at 11:50AM on Dec 28th 2007
77. Linda...
Very noble aspirations you have there: getting Christians and non-believers to communicate.
There's one HUGE hitch in your plan, though.
See, whenever Christians encounter anyone who objects to their faith with logic, the Xtians immediately and AUTOMATICALLY label the non-believer as evil. Furthermore, they believe that anyone who objects to their "word of God" must be an agent of Satan, and should be stomped out without question! (Without communication.)
It's pretty tough to get any sort of "communication" going in two directions when one direction leads straight into a stone wall of indoctrinated ignorance, hypocrisy, and condemnation.
Usually, trying to convey logic and common sense to a Christian is like trying to convey a whisper through water.
Muslims are typically no better (and sometimes worse.)
Paul at 11:51AM on Dec 28th 2007
78. 68. Somber,
Please do not confuse what our government decides to do or not to do since we put them there.
>> Don't be using the royal WE. The supreme court put this government in play, and people like you kept it in play in 2004. I voted for the other guy.
Yes, Somber I am quite aware of who put who in office.
>> You keep saying that but I don't think you really do know.
Although I do not aqree with what our goverment does or does not do, the fact remains that a woman who only wanted the best for her country was murdered by war factoring muslims.
>> Well she could have been a cold hearted meglomaniacal bitch after world conquest, but I doubt it. We'll have to wait for this history channel special.
That has nothing to do with how I believe or that is how any life should go.
>> Okay. Fair enough. So what are you trying to say?
My point
>> Yes?
is that there are very few Christians in our goverment
>> ....
along with no Christians in the war factoring third world countries period. Rita
>> Rita. The president of the united states, his VP, and every secretary in his cabnet... are all christians. Every republican AND democratic candidate is a christian. Every member of the supreme court... christian. There is only ONE muslim govenor and NONE who are outright atheist. Like wise I am pretty sure there's only 2, maybe 3 house members who are publicly atheist.
So to paraphrase... whatchu talkin bout willis?!
Somber at 11:52AM on Dec 28th 2007
79. Atheist,
Sorry, love life too much to cause anymore grief than is already happening on the inside of that clinic. Don't have time today to hold your hand and let you know that it is okay to let people murder other people cause that's just the way life goes. Get a clue, religion causes madmen in every walk of life regardless what they call themselves, they are not Christian. Rita
Rita at 11:54AM on Dec 28th 2007
80. M2D5: "Ironic, how one can be so knowledgeable about something they do not believe in."
--------------------------------------
Not ironic at all. I'm in love with knowledge. I seek it out every day; a misspent day for me is one where I did not learn something new.
I, personally, have sought out knowledge of religions and spirituality for many many years. I listen the the faith show on NPR, watch some of the shows on TV put on by christians or whatever.
But I also learn other things too.
By the way, Rita, I am disappointed in you.
"I know of no kind muslims". Rita
You know of no muslims, period. Have you ever met a muslim? I have. I've worked with many. They are just like you and me. Some conservative and some liberal. Some kind and sweet, some not.
Linda at 11:59AM on Dec 28th 2007
81. They call themselves christians just like the 911 terrorists call themselves muslims. You say the abortion bombers are not 'true' christians and most muslims would say that the 911 terrorists are not 'true' muslims. As an outside observer I see very little difference.
a born atheist at 12:00PM on Dec 28th 2007
82. Somber,
Your world is colored in every color in the world so who you blame is very important to you. I walk in a very different color. My world is either Black or White, right or wrong, doesn't make any difference who is in office if he, she, it or they are voted in and I have done my part which Christ has called us to vote and pray that they do the right thing according to his word then I have done everything that has been required of me. It then passes on to them to follow the path set out for them or not. Money mades for strange bed fellows, and I'm afraid that it becomes their GOD in a lot in different incidents. However, they alone will at some point in time have to answer whether they did it right or wrong, as will you and me. Rita
Rita at 12:05PM on Dec 28th 2007
83. Somber and Cliff Kupplen.. GOOD!!
Mustaffa??? People commit crimes all the time, blacks, whites, browns, Christians, Non-Christians, Musslims... on and on. So, your point???
Rose at 12:15PM on Dec 28th 2007
84. Linda,
The most important thing to me is that no one confuse the Christian belief to the Koran. NO way are we alike or our beliefs alike. You can talk to a muslim a day long and you not get a Christian anwswer out of any of them. Yes Linda, I do know the Koran as part of our Bible study, and trust me while it starts off great, it thens takes a path that is very inhumane. These people have very little self indentity. They all run around like the lost sheep that we all are. With the exception of killing theirselves will get them into heaven with whatever their rewards are as far from our beliefs as the east is from the west. It is the same with other religions, such as JW, Mormons, the mountain bapthist people, these are cults and a lot of unknowing people who have very little self will follow these leaders to utter defeat.
Rita
Rita at 12:14PM on Dec 28th 2007
85. Rita...
At last! We agree! combating the spread of your ignorance is JUST LIKE shoveling shit against the tide!
You'll go on believing whatever it is that you need to believe just to get through the day, or fill your otherwise empty life with something you believe substantial and vital.
I'm not a child. I don't require stories of virgin births, and angels, and faeries and pixie dust, and red dragons, and flaming bushes, and animal-filled boats to make my life fulfilling.
I saw a flock of squawking parrots fly over my back patio earlier this morning. Their shimmering green feathers and gregarious shouting were all I needed to put my world in balance. I don't need to believe that an angel was sitting next to me witnessing the same beauty to make myself feel secure in my importance (because I'm NOT that important.) Life, however...those squawking parrots...IS important...and it's beautiful.
I find it appalling that you honestly believe that some entity in the sky will one day get completely fed up with humanity and destroy the world...again, save but for a few chosen hundreds that He'll allow into His exclusive country club in the sky.
Rita, let me ask you something, if God intended to wipe out evil by destroying humanity (except for His hand-picked few) with His great flood then why is there still evil in the world today? Did God fail in His first attempt at destroying evil? How can God fail at anything?
Paul at 12:15PM on Dec 28th 2007
86. If Musharraf didn't murder Bhutto, he was certainly complicit. Her protection was laughable.
Islamists hate our way of life, absolutely, but not for the reasons stated by Dinesh. Terrorism comes in many forms. Lynching was, is, literally a form of terrorism. The reason people were lynched in this country was to protect the social order. It was intended to keep blacks and poor white in 'their place.' Poor whites were taught by the elite rich, who controlled all the sources of information, that their very lives and livelyhoods depended on the subjegation of blacks. This is why blacks were lynched for often non-existent crimes.
This is way Bin Laden and kind are murdering people. None of the 9/11 hijackers were from the poor and downtrodden. In fact, like Bin Laden himself, all came from the higher ranks of muslem society. Atta's father was a civil engineer in Egypt, one of the 1% of Egyptian society.
Islamists hate western society because it undercuts their very way of life. Many muslems today live in a feudal society, I mean literally. Although it is government jobs instead of feifdoms they rule, nevertheless, the social network they live under meets the academic definition of feudalism. Most imams, far from being like the poor pastors of most christian denominations, are often the richest men in their communities. Many are business owners, capitalists. Many have investments throughout the world.
Why are they so hostile? Simple. Thanks to modern media, it is impossible for ordinary muslems to not know about the difference in life between their nations and the west. Every muslem, including American, is taught that the most perfect society that ever existed was the muslem empire of the 8th-10th centurys. They are taught that their faith is the most perfect faith. How did this perfect society fall? It can't be because the muslems themselves destroyed it. After all, they worship the most perfect faith. Ah hah! It is because of those evil outsiders, those infidels. They destoyed it! That is why they are constantly yapping about the cusades, Izrael, and so on. Conspiricy theory is even more popular over there than here. Most muslems really couldn't care less about the Palestinians. The Palestinians are mearly a convenient object with which to bash us. You notice how their don't make nearly the same noise about Kashmir or Chechnya. Those aren't part of the Arab world.
I don't believe we invaded Iraq to spread democracy. Who among you doesn't believe that Bush and his shrubs wouldn't install a new dictator in that country in a minute if they could actually find one. The fact is, our hands are tied. We cannot change Pakistan now, thanks to the Iraq fiasco. Whatever will happen will happen.
Will at 12:21PM on Dec 28th 2007
87. M2D5...
Ironic?
No. It's just that your myopic logic can't explain that I don't have to fly a plane to understand the principles behind aerodynamics.
M2D5, explain something to me, please. How did Eve make a free-willed choice to obey evil in the Garden of Eden when she had no knowledge of good and evil BEFORE eating the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil?
It's be like asking Stevie Wonder to pick the red jacket over the yellow jacket and then beating him soundly every blessed time he fails to choose correctly. He has no knowledge of colors. Just like Eve, Stevie could NEVER consciously choose to pick the correct or incorrect option.
Sin requires a free-willed choice. Please explain to me exactly how Eve made a free-willed choice between good and evil when she couldn't yet discern good from evil.
Paul at 12:26PM on Dec 28th 2007
88. Paul,
I guess the same reason would be if you don't like a painting or some design are you going to throw the baby out with the bath water? GOD destroyed the world due to all of its inhumanity to one another. GOD created man to commune with not to have to beat on the head everyday of our lives. I still believe that when Christ comes back he will have a lot more to take care of than we he destroyed the world the first time. He even send part of himself as Jesus Christ and we still did not see that all he wants is the good things in life. You mentioned the birds, how do you think they survive? Every one, every fowl, every flower was put here for man's enjoyment but, what do we do with what God gives us? We destroy it, we don't take care of it. This is GOD real estate and one day he will come back and claim what is his and I am waiting for that day, and trust me when he comes back he is bringing a few country club members with him, although they have supposedly been dead for thousands of years don't worry they will be in the flesh, their new bodies but, trust me you will get a eye full. Also, when he comes back there will be more than just a hand-ful going back with him. My question to you just to ponder, how will you explain millions of people just dissappearing in air. If you are married and your spouse is a believer how will you explain her being gone? You know thru the ages they all made fun of Noah, and called the disciples crazy men but, if you have any beliefs at all, you know that what GOD says will come about, don't know the time when it will happen but, I will bet my life on it happening, the question is are willing to bet yours? Rita
Rita at 12:32PM on Dec 28th 2007
89. Paul:
Talk about IRONY. god told eve not to eat from the tree of knowledge. god only wanted obedience; did NOT want humans to have knowledge.
Doesn't that sound typical of religion?
Don't think, just obey.
This is how the religious perpetrate their beliefs on their little ones.
Don't think, just obey.
By inference, we are to belief that KNOWLEDGE is sinful.
Wow.
No wonder they're afraid to wander away from their book.
Linda at 12:37PM on Dec 28th 2007
90. Rita...
See...this is how absurd you appear to me: "Wait until dad gets home! You're gunna be in BIGGGG trouble. He's gunna beat you silly!"
You sound just like a kid.
See, Rita...this is how I view your things: Any God capable of creating those parrots and all the wonders of the universe will NEVER find anything I do in my puny life so damned offensive that He (or more likely, She) would feel compelled to first kill me twice (physically and spiritually) and then roast me in your promised country club's barbecue pit...FOREVER!
And to suggest that God is coming back with a few of His henchmen to terrorize people? Sheesh, you're no better than any common terrorist who uses the threat of physical harm to bend people into submission.
So, you see, Christianity and Islam DO share quite a bit! Factions of both use terrorism to either convert or destroy non-believers.
Rita, how's it feel to be a terrorist?
Paul at 12:43PM on Dec 28th 2007