Daniel J. Pipes

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Pretence is more than just a possibility its a near certainty

Reader comment on item: [Finding Moderate Muslims:] Do you believe in modernity?

Submitted by Lloyd Lionel Klein (United States), Nov 26, 2003 at 18:52

Your method of distinguishing public Muslim figures is on the ball; and western governments, not just the USA, have failed miserably at this task.

To put it as politely as possible - Islamists take the cake when it comes to rewriting history, both ancient and current; even as it is happening, they regularly put their own spin on events. Clearly the questions you suggest for distinquishing between radical and moderate Muslims are academically sound, but hardly useful if you need to depend upon truthful answers from Islamists. One need only study the words of, arguably, the word's most famous Islamist, Yassir Arafat, to know that the words he distributes to his henchmen are often diametrically opposed to what he tells the western press. So what is it he really believes? I'm not sure that even he really knows.

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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 and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".

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