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Reader comment on item: American Intifada

Submitted by Brian C. (United States), Jun 22, 2007 at 18:38

The scenario Dr. Pipes presents is plausible, but as a humble ordinary American, I don't think a long-term "intifada" is likely to occur.

Any attacks on the scale described by Dr. Pipes would almost certainly require logistical and financial support from outside of the U.S. While hardliners in Iran, or other countries and agents that support terrorism, might be tempted to underwrite such an endeavor, I do not believe they will; at least not until after the Bush administration leaves office. If they were to do so before Jan 2009, they would play right into the hands of the hawks and neocons who would then have the justification and public support to strike militarily at Iran, or any other country deemed to be responsible.

Even if the Democrats win the White House in 2008, the political and public pressure to retaliate after such large-scale attacks will be so white-hot that whoever is President after G.W. Bush will have to respond, or he or she's political career will be over.

I believe the demographics of our country preclude the possibility of a prolonged conflict. There are 300 million people here; depending on whose numbers you believe, there are anywhere between 1-3 million Muslims. Do the math – 297 million non-Muslims means any "intifada" would more than likely be quickly crushed.

Unlike Western Europe, America has a culture of firearms ownership and usage. If there any attempts at sustained terrorist attacks here the retaliatory violence directed at the Muslim community would be appalling. Mosques and Muslim owned businesses will burn.

The government will probably be able to quell criminal acts of retaliation, but they cannot control people's attitudes. Life for any openly Muslim person inside the U.S. would likely become intolerable. Physical and verbal harassment of Muslims in public would become commonplace. Stores, restaurants, and other businesses might refuse to serve Muslim patrons. Many businesses would probably stop hiring openly Muslim people.

But wait, don't we have laws to prevent this kind of discrimination, you ask? Yes, but while many big-businesses would not openly discriminate, for fear of being sued, most of America is made up of millions of small and medium-sized businesses and the ACLU, CAIR and the terrorists apologists can't sue them all.

I think in the short-term it is only likely that we may see sporadic acts of terrorism.

Thank you Dr. Pipes for your thought provoking article and providing a forum for those of us interested in the subject to express our opinions.


Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened for relevance, substance, and tone, and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome, but comments are rejected if scurrilous, off-topic, vulgar, ad hominem, or otherwise viewed as inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the Guidelines for Comments. For informational purposes, we identify countries from which comments are sent.

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Reader comments (134) on this item

Title By Date
don't mix up [196 words]elkabanyDec 24, 2007 08:46
British Intifada - Brits slowly waking up to the active fifth column [665 words]VijayAug 3, 2007 14:11
Presidential Intifada [229 words]Lujack SkylarkOct 7, 2007 13:17
Senate Resolution 321 [76 words]Lujack SkylarkOct 7, 2007 23:32
Titus Reborn [593 words]Lujack SkylarkOct 9, 2007 14:39
Every tyrant trashes history. [1794 words]Lujack SkylarkOct 11, 2007 15:08
Another Tyrant reigns in Rome [459 words]Lujack SkylarkOct 13, 2007 02:45
How dare you say that about the Pope [138 words]Straight_Talk_LuigiJun 18, 2008 16:26
Every tyrant trashes history [117 words]REXNov 5, 2009 12:47
American Intifada: A grim scenario [180 words]Jaisingh ThakurJul 22, 2007 09:05
Docs of war [57 words]VijayJul 3, 2007 11:03
Terror Free Oil [62 words]SuziJul 3, 2007 03:55
British Intifada [894 words]VijayJun 29, 2007 13:25
Vijay and British mockery [89 words]Ali PashaJun 29, 2007 19:35
How many more... [81 words]JerryJun 30, 2007 14:42
Ali Pasha's conspiracy theory [177 words]VijayJul 1, 2007 14:06
Only arrests [44 words]John BroadhurstJul 13, 2007 13:03
American Intifada : A Reply to Ali Pasha and Vijay [169 words]Jaisingh ThakurJul 22, 2007 09:19
Two Islamic anti-utopias : A.D. 2008-2112 by Dr. Pipes and A.D.2131 by Jane Scully [713 words]IanusJun 29, 2007 09:49
I loved it [64 words]dhimmi no moreJun 30, 2007 07:02
Thanks, dhimmi-no-more ! [210 words]IanusJun 30, 2007 18:07
Intifada in the New World. [165 words]VijayJul 1, 2007 17:10
More on the Intifada in the New World in 1990 [305 words]VijayJul 1, 2007 17:37
Thanks [74 words]IanusJul 2, 2007 16:17
I concur [27 words]SimonJul 3, 2007 01:08
No Backbone [256 words]GautieriJun 27, 2007 16:25
Foundations laid for Muslim Intifada in Greece : A way to mini Islamistan in Athens [527 words]Costas PoulosJun 23, 2007 06:08
I am very sorry for Greece, but your country was a big problem for years [101 words]JJJun 24, 2007 19:30
What was Islamic Lands are still Islamic Lands. [61 words]TomJun 25, 2007 15:52
Foundations laid for Muslim Intifada in Greece : A way to mini Islamistan in Athens [793 words]IanusJun 26, 2007 14:58
"No land can 'legally' remain un-Islamic for ever." [226 words]IanusJun 27, 2007 05:10
Which country was exactly a big problem for years , dear JJ ? [470 words]IanusJun 27, 2007 05:40
Further on Greece [268 words]JJJun 29, 2007 02:20
Further on Greece [948 words]IanusJun 29, 2007 17:56
The forgetful dupe or the Chester Concession - a story worth popularizing [770 words]IanusJul 1, 2007 16:38
Dear Tom.... [103 words]Mohammed AminJul 3, 2007 15:01
American Intifada [71 words]TomJul 7, 2007 21:08
American Intifada [121 words]TomJul 7, 2007 21:15
Israel belongs to the Jews [378 words]InfidelJul 9, 2007 18:36
Delusional !! [72 words]JaladhiJul 12, 2007 15:30
Thanks, Tom! [19 words]IanusJul 12, 2007 15:41
Muslim intifada in Greece [134 words]JackOct 19, 2007 06:15
⇒ Reaction to American Intifada [415 words]Brian C.Jun 22, 2007 18:38
Thank You, Brian... [25 words]LDCJun 23, 2007 16:11
American Intifada [101 words]InfidelJun 23, 2007 19:33
Reply to LDC [127 words]Brian CJun 23, 2007 20:34
I know for a fact that 9/11 caused at least some blowback [54 words]RecruiterJun 25, 2007 10:50
Question to Brian C. [39 words]LDCJun 26, 2007 09:27
True about Concordia [25 words]JerryJun 22, 2007 15:29
Concordia [16 words]TomJun 25, 2007 15:55
8%, not 13% justify suicide bombing [68 words]keithJun 22, 2007 15:22
The grim future of the USA & all free nations [449 words]YovenJun 22, 2007 11:23
Immediately Convert to Islam or Face serious consequences : Islamic Revolution in Pakistan [340 words]DaraJun 23, 2007 06:58
Yoven , You are the real visionary , I agree with you 100 % or maybe more. [158 words]KrishnaJun 23, 2007 07:07
Poitically Correct/Liberal Reaction v. The Average Amercan [112 words]TomJun 25, 2007 15:47
World War III? Yeah, right...... [340 words]Bryan JacksonJun 26, 2007 21:13
What would be needed for a "happy ending" to the story? [66 words]Sofa SogoodJun 22, 2007 01:13
Nightmare on Main Street America [177 words]Rebecca MouldsJun 21, 2007 23:28
U.S. Islamists may be that stupid, but I think not [192 words]SullyJun 21, 2007 19:07
us intifada [135 words]gary fouseJun 25, 2007 22:50
Who is more vulnerable Israel or the US? [62 words]freemanJun 20, 2007 21:46
Correction to article "American Intfada" [20 words]Harry GrossJun 20, 2007 20:31
The "Prophecy of Daniel" (Pipes) [128 words]Mike RamirezJun 20, 2007 18:50
Mike, the real fiction... [6 words]LDCJun 25, 2007 18:01
Unrealistic Scenario [284 words]AlexJun 20, 2007 17:58
To Alex [250 words]MontyJun 23, 2007 15:30
Daniel Pipes' "fiction." [41 words]Jascha KesslerJun 20, 2007 15:03
tit for tat: No Thanks to Queen Elizabeth [95 words]Julie O'NeillJun 21, 2007 13:52
Response to Julie O'Neil [115 words]MontyJun 21, 2007 18:51
Julie O'Neill's Comment [143 words]Mel LarawayJun 22, 2007 00:07
Re: Julie [60 words]always rightJun 22, 2007 12:54
Wrong, Ms. O'Neill [11 words]LDCJun 22, 2007 16:32
What Queen Elizabeth Did Was An Act Of Courage [86 words]AnneMJun 22, 2007 18:02
Motey, Mel, always, LDC, Anne- [85 words]free beeJun 24, 2007 22:33
I see, free bee [20 words]LDCJun 25, 2007 18:06
Response to "No thanks to Queen Elizabeth" [84 words]gary fouseJun 25, 2007 22:58
History Will Show That The Queen Did The Right Thing [63 words]AnneMJun 29, 2007 21:22
American Intifada: A Reply to Julie O'Neill [173 words]Jaisingh ThakurJul 22, 2007 09:47
Queen Elizabeth was wrong. [82 words]PippaNov 2, 2009 06:28
Living in the closet in Canada [178 words]Jenny S, CanadaJun 20, 2007 14:15
Fear in Canada [116 words]gary fouseJul 4, 2007 00:10
To Gary: Canada has to keep immigrants coming, due to the economy and the low natural population growth. [173 words]JennyJul 22, 2007 12:08
Fear in Canada [111 words]gary fouseJul 22, 2007 14:07
Too Optimistic [108 words]Edward HalperJun 20, 2007 11:00
Too Pessimistic, Ed [131 words]LDCJun 20, 2007 15:30
Remember the "Sleeping Giant"... [60 words]KJun 20, 2007 16:14
Reason for Pessimism [236 words]Edward HalperJun 21, 2007 01:05
To the Question [425 words]LDCJun 21, 2007 18:08
Forget Stone Age [195 words]LDCJun 21, 2007 18:24
The limits of fear [381 words]Edward HalperJun 22, 2007 11:36
One more question - how long [58 words]always rightJun 22, 2007 12:29
Copperheads Always With US [69 words]LDCJun 22, 2007 18:19
Mr. Halper, on 2nd thought... [289 words]LDCJun 22, 2007 18:58
Pipes' Dreams...or Wishful Thinking Part 911 [133 words]eliXelxJun 20, 2007 10:58
Your fictional description of the future in our war with "the terrorists" vs mine. [50 words]Jim WrightJun 20, 2007 10:53
How similarities feed anxieties [373 words]David W. LincolnJun 20, 2007 10:48
Perhaps it's time for a Constitutional Amendment. [766 words]Chris ChrismanJun 20, 2007 10:43
Say What? [38 words]LDCJun 20, 2007 17:19
Moderate Malaysia - A Joke [66 words]SinghaJun 20, 2007 23:06
Chris Chrisman's Proposed Constitutional Amendment [187 words]Melvin R. LarawayJun 21, 2007 19:48
Hats Off to Britain for honouring the author of " Satanic verses " Salman Rushdie [81 words]ElizaJun 20, 2007 10:09
amendment proposal [227 words]obilicJun 21, 2007 11:03
Two suggestions from Canada [46 words]Abu NudnikJun 20, 2007 10:00
crackdowns don't heal cracks [627 words]jJun 20, 2007 09:58
A different scenario [135 words]Dave PetteysJun 20, 2007 09:57
Re: A differenet scenario - Dave Petteys [37 words]always rightJun 20, 2007 15:49
Jihadis Will Have A Rude Awakening Bigtime [47 words]AnneMJun 20, 2007 09:42
An Anti Islamic Jihad [132 words]Seamus MacNemiJun 20, 2007 14:48
What about Israel? [32 words]Big HJun 20, 2007 07:05
Hatem Bazian [20 words]Oscar NavarroJun 20, 2007 02:13
how depressing [24 words]JimJun 20, 2007 00:05
The Cat's Finally Out Of The Bag [389 words]Seamus MacNemiJun 19, 2007 23:25
Take Out Saudi Arabia and Pakistan First [130 words]SinghaJun 19, 2007 23:08
Can't do all this.. Singha. [56 words]Jevan JeddiJun 20, 2007 15:38
STOP IT! [113 words]LDCJun 20, 2007 17:27
Seamus: FYI, Pakistan has a Treaty with Saudia [60 words]Jevan JeddiJun 22, 2007 13:05
Reply to Jevan Jeddi [174 words]Seamus MacNemiJun 23, 2007 01:02
re: Stop it! [222 words]RodgerJun 23, 2007 21:40
Rodger, you... [6 words]LDCJun 24, 2007 16:42
How about an inter-Islamic war? [284 words]IanusJun 29, 2007 14:01
America intifada [205 words]steven LJun 19, 2007 23:04
Enslavement of shariah or freedom of our constitution?? [108 words]JaladhiJun 19, 2007 22:04
Anti Israel sentiments hardened [65 words]Gamaliel IsaacJun 19, 2007 21:56
I know this is fiction ... but [132 words]OliverJun 19, 2007 21:42
beware [7 words]dfwhite19438Jun 19, 2007 21:14
Possible Scenario, Except... [15 words]LDCJun 19, 2007 21:13
Except ... [83 words]freemanJun 20, 2007 21:49
Intifada in the Red States [168 words]KSynnottJun 19, 2007 20:21
to KSynnott [72 words]ASJun 22, 2007 04:50
Red States [102 words]ksynnottJun 23, 2007 22:56
Do Intifada too against terrorists [205 words]OlieJun 19, 2007 20:10
American Intifada - Maybe with a Twist [195 words]M. ToveyJun 19, 2007 19:37
Re:American Intifada-Maybe With A Twist [84 words]AnneMJun 20, 2007 20:21
The Prophetic View of Dr. Pipes. [356 words]MikeJun 21, 2007 13:29

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Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened for relevance, substance, and tone, and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome, but comments are rejected if scurrilous, off-topic, vulgar, ad hominem, or otherwise viewed as inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the Guidelines for Comments. For informational purposes, we identify countries from which comments are sent.

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