Friedman's war with ideas
Thomas Friedman:
"For the past few weeks I've tried to lay out the tactics we in the West can adopt to strengthen the moderates in the Arab-Muslim world to fight the war of ideas against the forces of intolerance within their civilization ? which is where the real war on terrorism will either be won or lost. But if there is one thing I've learned in examining this issue it's this: ideas don't just spread on their own. Ideas spread in a context. So often, since 9/11, people have remarked to me: 'Wow, Islam, that's a really angry religion.' I disagree. I do agree, though, that there are a lot of young Muslims who are angry, because they live in some of the most repressive societies, with the fewest opportunities for women and youth, and with some of the highest unemployment. Bad contexts create an environment where humiliation ? and the anger, bad ideas and violence that flow from it ? are rife. In short, it is impossible for us to talk about winning the war of ideas in the Arab-Muslim world without talking about the most basic thing that gives people dignity and hope: A job."
This is liberal nonsense. The people we are fighting are not the poor of the muslim world. Most are educated upper middle class to rich. What they are fighting for is to impose an even more repressive regime with no opportunities for women. The bad ideas and violence flow from their desire to impose an ever more repressive regime on people. Their biggest fear is democracy where the people will have a say. Whereever this virulant strain of Islam has been dominate, repression and famine have followed. The mistakes of the current regimes has been to allow muslim theology to take over the education system in their countries. It is the muslim education system that is teaching hate instead of job skills.
Thomas Friedman:
"For the past few weeks I've tried to lay out the tactics we in the West can adopt to strengthen the moderates in the Arab-Muslim world to fight the war of ideas against the forces of intolerance within their civilization ? which is where the real war on terrorism will either be won or lost. But if there is one thing I've learned in examining this issue it's this: ideas don't just spread on their own. Ideas spread in a context. So often, since 9/11, people have remarked to me: 'Wow, Islam, that's a really angry religion.' I disagree. I do agree, though, that there are a lot of young Muslims who are angry, because they live in some of the most repressive societies, with the fewest opportunities for women and youth, and with some of the highest unemployment. Bad contexts create an environment where humiliation ? and the anger, bad ideas and violence that flow from it ? are rife. In short, it is impossible for us to talk about winning the war of ideas in the Arab-Muslim world without talking about the most basic thing that gives people dignity and hope: A job."
This is liberal nonsense. The people we are fighting are not the poor of the muslim world. Most are educated upper middle class to rich. What they are fighting for is to impose an even more repressive regime with no opportunities for women. The bad ideas and violence flow from their desire to impose an ever more repressive regime on people. Their biggest fear is democracy where the people will have a say. Whereever this virulant strain of Islam has been dominate, repression and famine have followed. The mistakes of the current regimes has been to allow muslim theology to take over the education system in their countries. It is the muslim education system that is teaching hate instead of job skills.
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