Submitted by Avraham(United States), Apr 7, 2004 at 23:35
I had read Ms. Benard's report/analysis before, but I think that Dr. Pipes' commentary here makes things even more clear.
Personally, I would also support Kemalian secularists moreso than I would the other aforementioned groups of Muslims, but I do believe that both Dr. Pipes and Ms. Benard miss a crucial point: winning the war against militant Islam is not just about supporting and allying with preexistent groups that share our vital interests. It is also - and perhaps more importantly - about creating and helping Muslims create a new type of Islam.
If we are going to be "religion-building," if we are going to reconstruct Dar-al Islam,we must not just use pre-cut or old lumber, but also chop down new trees in previously uncharted forests. As a final note, I personally feel (as do Doctors Avishai Margalit and Ian Baruma) that whether the new Islam blends religion with politics is irrelevant so long as the new Islam shares our vital interests (although I recognize that Dr. Pipes has far more expertise in this area than I and these two writers do).
Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Comments are screened for relevance, substance, and tone, and in some cases edited, before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome, but not hostile, libelous, or otherwise objectionable statements. Original writing only, please.
