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The state of the States -- and the rest of the world.

Reader comment on item: Another Voice Predicting Islamism's Doom
in response to reader comment: The Brexit monkeywrench and the Globalist machine

Submitted by Michael S (United States), Jul 7, 2016 at 13:17

Thanks for the response, Daniel.

It's difficult to separate Middle East commentary from Big Power politics; because every major power seems vitally interested in the area -- from Japan's massive dependence on ME oil, to China's "Maritime Silk Road", to India's deep involvement in the Arabian Peninsula, to direct Russian, European and American military involvement in places like Syria. While you are observing the developments in Europe and the UK, let me just voice some of my concerns:

1. China. Most of my family lives there, so I am deeply concerned. Under President Xi, China is undergoing a MASSIVE political upheaval:

"More rising political stars have fallen off the ladder to top Communist Party jobs [in the past 3½ years]... than in the previous 91 years of party history."

-- http://www.scmp.com/frontpage/international

Xi is engaged in a widespread "anti-corruption" campaign. Since everyone in China is corrupt, including Xi himself, this can be interpreted as a massive purge of political enemies. The Chinese leader has been getting paranoid of suspected enemies, both at home and abroad; and this is not good for the world at large. He has especially targeted the Christian churches in China, tightened Party grip on the Internet, and squelched democracy movements in Hong Kong and elsewhere. He is risking war with the US, Japan and nearly all his neighbors, with his assertive expansionism into sovereign waters, and he continues to claim Taiwan as one of his provinces -- threatening armed invasion to obtain it. China may not be in Israel's immediate neighborhood; but with 20% of the earth's population, it cannot be ignored. Oh, and by the way, China's economy has gone sour. This is not good, considering the above.

2. Japan, Taiwan and South Korea. All three are "Western" powers in the Orient, having values and political practices that resemble those in Europe and the US. All three are also capable of developing nuclear weapons programs, any time they decide to do so; but all are afraid to do so. All three feel threatened by China and, in the case of Japan and S. Korea, by N. Korea. All three are militarizing, some with advanced indigenous military industries. All three, also, have defense agreements with the US, though none feels certain that the US will come to their aid in time of need. If China does decide to attack them, therefore, under the watch of President Obama or possibly President H. Clinton, there is a good chance that they will quickly capitulate as the Americans turn tail and run. This will not be good for Australia and the rest of the world, including Israel.

3. India. Having long been skittish of Big Power politics outside of South Asia, India under PM Modi has begun to flex its muscles. They are quickly developing towards a military base on a par with China's, complete with submarine-launced, nuclear-tipped ICBMs, two aircraft carriers and advanced joint military projects with Israel and Russia. They have been active in anti-piracy operations in the Middle East, where millions of Indians work overseas; and they have begun asserting themselves in Vietnam and the South China Sea. They are continually threatened by terrorists, and by the possibility of yet another war with Pakistan; and they have recently contended with China over their NW border region. They have also made incursions into Burma, purusing rebels in their eastern states. India is right next to the ME, just off the mouth of the Gulf of Oman; so, like China, it, too, should not be ignored.

3. Europe is going to Hell in a handbasket. What more needs to be said? I await your report, on how things are going there.

4. The US. I, and many of my friends, are eagerly waiting for December to arrive, and we at least do not have to put up with SPECULATION about the presidential election, and all its attendant BS. I don't know why we should have to put up with this stuff. There isn't a news network, including Fox, that even bothers to give accurate, honest news anymore; so outside of local news, weather and sports, the rest of the world may as well not exist -- especially Washington, DC, which seems to be located on another planet. Of course, I am hoping Donald Trump will get elected and wipe the walls with Establishment butt; but people like Daniel Pipes are trying to keep this from happening. Alas! Meanwhile, I get my US news from the Cambodia Times.

Submitting....

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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Reader comments (63) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
2Islamism is Islam [97 words]Edward L. MayMay 15, 2021 14:11267013
2Very accurate comment [144 words]A very concerned readerMay 16, 2021 22:54267013
Escaping the Pall of Doom; Where Does One Go, Whom Does One Follow [403 words]M ToveyJul 26, 2016 11:18230894
Erdogan could be "Gog". Don't know about Putin [262 words]Michael SJul 29, 2016 07:29230894
1McCarthyite attack against Trump over Russia. [276 words]Michael S.Jul 31, 2016 12:11230894
Prophesying Doom - Specifying Israel's Part is the Point - It's All For Reaching Them [219 words]M ToveyAug 2, 2016 19:25230894
Gog, not God [17 words]Michael SAug 3, 2016 06:09230894
Whoa; Not So Fast [161 words]JerryJul 21, 2016 16:13230589
Muhammed has to step down [310 words]Michael SJul 29, 2016 06:45230589
Agree [165 words]JerryAug 1, 2016 18:37230589
Bernie Santars. Make my day. [605 words]Michael SAug 3, 2016 06:05230589
Russia -- not the Soviet Union [539 words]Michael SAug 7, 2016 04:50230589
Another voice predicting Islamism's demise-reply [137 words]John JonesJul 19, 2016 03:37230507
It Was Never Intended That Islam (and Islamism) Would Last Forever [482 words]M ToveyJul 13, 2016 11:32230415
The ism is the norm, to spread Islam. [54 words]LynnJul 12, 2016 09:43230372
Islam is irksome; but the West has already conquered the whole world [513 words]Michael SJul 20, 2016 11:08230372
Islam is irksome? [24 words]LynnJul 21, 2016 15:12230372
What comes AFTER the Muslims is far more horrible. [970 words]Michael SJul 22, 2016 20:51230372
Are you talking about the two that will witness in Jerusalem? [431 words]LynnJul 25, 2016 08:30230372
The Two Witnesses explained (?) [1649 words]Michael SJul 27, 2016 12:33230372
Fulfillment of prophecies. [756 words]Michael SJul 27, 2016 18:04230372
Zerubbabel, and Davidic descent [468 words]Michael SJul 30, 2016 05:42230372
How do you explain? [56 words]LynnAug 5, 2016 11:06230372
No Davidic line for Mary [195 words]Michael SAug 6, 2016 22:09230372
Well if you are wrong it will be revealed as promised. [24 words]LynnAug 10, 2016 12:47230372
Elizabeth was a Levite [65 words]Michael SAug 15, 2016 02:41230372
Witnesses [48 words]JonOct 28, 2016 14:47230372
Zerubbabel and the Two Witnesses [857 words]Michael SOct 31, 2016 23:54230372
2 witnesses [167 words]JonNov 4, 2016 22:47230372
The Davidic vs. Levitical orders [1031 words]Michael SNov 6, 2016 00:26230372
Reply [34 words]JonNov 8, 2016 13:39230372
I appreciate your comments. [151 words]Michael SNov 10, 2016 01:17230372
Two Witnesses Video Study [21 words]ParadoxApr 19, 2017 09:44230372
God's two witnesses: in the church, and among the Jews, the living out of the word of God in us [1294 words]Michael SApr 22, 2017 12:47230372
1A question asking your opinion [94 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
AlexandrosJul 5, 2016 06:01230281
The Brexit monkeywrench and the Globalist machine [187 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Michael SJun 27, 2016 21:15230200
The state of the States -- and the rest of the world. [748 words]Michael SJul 7, 2016 13:17230200
Islam: A real civilizational threat [127 words]BillJun 24, 2016 17:11230144
4Any report of the impending death of Islamism is greatly exagerated [415 words]Rich McJun 24, 2016 15:25230142
On the endurance of Islamic ideology. [164 words]CheapSpeechJul 1, 2016 04:04230142
Islamism: A Primitive Idea From The Distant Past [186 words]DaveJun 24, 2016 09:06230138
Demise of Islamism? [415 words]Max HocuttJun 24, 2016 08:59230137
Nationalism [212 words]SAKOVKTJun 24, 2016 08:53230136
1The overthrow of the Great Progressive Empire [794 words]Michael SJul 30, 2016 22:29230136
1The "Ism" that will not go away [92 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Mike RamirezJun 24, 2016 08:29230134
Doing away with evil systems [329 words]Michael SJun 26, 2016 06:26230134
3Shi'a Sunni split v Islamism [372 words]dhimmi no moreJun 26, 2016 08:07230134
1Islamism Stems from a Medieval Belief System [343 words]Mike RamirezJun 26, 2016 08:42230134
In the near future, we may long for the benign days of Islamism [426 words]Michael SJun 24, 2016 05:04230131
True Islam Does not Strive for a Benign Version of Itself; It Does Not Have Enough Patience [241 words]M ToveyJul 7, 2016 15:37230131
I agree. [678 words]Michael S.Jul 9, 2016 19:31230131
Turkey's PM Erdogan is apparently cozying up to Assad, Hizbullah and Iran [116 words]Michael SJul 12, 2016 03:58230131
Why Mystery Babylon Baffles - Its Underlying Base of Deceit [168 words]M ToveyJul 12, 2016 13:05230131
The coming Messianic Kingdom [371 words]Michael SJul 15, 2016 11:17230131
As Presumed-Turkey is Still a Component of Middle East Conventions-Especially After the Coup Attempt [124 words]M ToveyJul 18, 2016 11:25230131
Judaism Set to Be Redeemed; Cleansed; It is the Basis of Its Future [175 words]M ToveyJul 18, 2016 11:36230131
Ezekiel 10 [731 words]Michael SJul 21, 2016 02:48230131
In the Middle East, all things are possible [622 words]Michael S.Jul 21, 2016 04:30230131
All Things Possilbe by Human Perception Do Not Follow the Fulfillment of the Eternal's Plan [99 words]M ToveyJul 22, 2016 13:48230131
Ezekiel 10 Speaks of What was Lost - And What Should be Looked For When It Returns [152 words]M ToveyJul 22, 2016 18:20230131
Judgment Day is coming for all [508 words]Michael SJul 24, 2016 04:50230131
There are many differences about what people think the Bible means. [387 words]Michael SJul 25, 2016 04:37230131
Judgment Day IS Approaching - But not All Will Experience It the Same Way [397 words]M ToveyJul 25, 2016 13:52230131

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Mark my comment as a response to The state of the States -- and the rest of the world. by Michael S

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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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