Terrorism has no boundary
Reader comment on item: Which Has More Islamist Terrorism, Europe or America?

Submitted by kamekish (India), Jul 6, 2008 at 02:44

It is surprising to see that Marc Sageman can write a book, which can be published by one of the University press of United States and has such gross mistakes. Based on the figures of arrest of 2,300 for Europe and 60 for USA, all the analysis and writings go irrelevant.

Thanks to Daniel for bringing us the correct perspectives.

I fully agree on the views of Daniel that socio-economic improvements are unlikely to solve Europe's problems. I would like to stretch this discussion little further. Socio-economic development of any community is not going to solve the problems of violence and terrorism in the country. That's how Pakistan enhances their cross boarder terrorisms in India after getting American dollars for fighting Bin-Laden. Palestine increases their terrorist's activities after receiving aids from foreign funds.

Violence is an integral part of human personality. This has nothing to do with the economics. Violence will go on till the time people have different lifestyle, culture and assets.

Violence can be managed and minimized through proper education and unlearning our basic fighting instincts.

Any community not concerned with educating their children for modernity are going to fall prey to violence and terrorism. Modernity must be learned only after unlearning conservativeness or traditions. That's how I always talk about unlearning before learning. People have to unlearn things before they opt to learn even good things.

When I talk about unlearning conservativeness and traditions, I refer to even ideologies like Islamist or communist or fascists. Any amount of education also not going to improve the violent mentality of individual till they detach from old, failed and conservative ideologies.

Even Sageman's analysis, "Europe growing Muslim culture of alienation, marginalisation and jihads isn't taking root in US" may be unrealistic and untrue. Muslims or for that matter any community will remain alienated, marginalized and jihadis till the time they integrate themselves with modern tools like global language, global culture and globalisation.

Governments whether in Europe or USA have to come out with such polices to integrate alienated groups. Action like banning Burqua, saris or pagdis etc. must be initiated and implemented for the homogeneous growth of society.

Daniel covered it earlier at http://www.danielpipes.org/article/4783 or that sweet reply from an Indian from Pune http://www.danielpipes.org/comments/105545

Future of humanity lies on these steps taken by visionary leaders of the world irrespective of their associations with the party or the nation. I am happy that Dutch government took such steps earlier, which I wrote in my blog. http://kamekish.sulekha.com/blog/post/2006/11/dutch-going-to-unlearn-burqua.htm

What happened in France is the need of the hour to ensure that illiterate and conservative communities come in the main stream. France banned hijab (headscarves), Pagdies and now beard. Even Punjabis from India objected these moves but such banning are required for the future of humanity. Thousands of people opposed these move across world http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/headscarves/signatures-3.html but governments and policy makers must be firm.

India as democratic nation may not have power and courage to take these revolutionary steps at the doomed future of common people, but the powerful country like USA, European nations and Arab nations must take initiatives to modernise humanity. They must come out with modern outfits, modern lifestyles and educations, which governs 21^st century.

In India, we are not having these analysis because of lack of data either from our universities or other government institutions. So there is no tradition of any such analysis among Indians. People are still busy in writing and getting published their own autobiographies like L K Advani (My Country My Life), Jaswant Singh (A Call to Honour), P Chidambram (A View From The Outside: Why Good Economics Works For Everyone) etc. or biographies like Sunil Dutt written by his daughters (In loving memory of Sunil and Nargis). Now even 30 years old Aishwarya Rai is thinking of writing her autobiography.

Indian writers and publishers are just ignorant about ideas, analysis or future discussions. I am, privileged to read these analyses at www.daielpipes.org Thank you Daniel and other Americans who contribute for these data and analysis.

Today, I feel that it is irrelevant to talk about which has more Islamist terrorism Europe or America. In the age of Leaderless Jihad, terrorists from Boston or Montreal are blasting cycle bombs at Jaipur. Governments of the powerful nations including United Nations have to take initiatives to curb these menace of humanity.

Thanks Daniel for providing me opportunities to speak out the truth for the betterment of humanity.

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