Dear Moshe -
Reader comment on item: Zuhdi Jasser and "Monitoring Islamist Media"
in response to reader comment: Bilal, welcome to our planet!

Submitted by Bilal (United States), Jun 7, 2006 at 21:05

Dear Moshe - for your information I am from India - once a colony of Portguese, British and the envy of Europe - thus the "crown in the jewel" - looted and taxed for the benefit of the British Empire, now the rising star of the east who will soon challenge the hegemony enjoyed by the West. As far as the so-called moderates that you mention serve only lip-service to their own communities and this is just a rather recent anamoly. Where were these moderates when India was being colonized, natives robbed of their rights and the segregation in the U.S. that just ended in 1960s. So you must agree the moderates that you emphatically mention that exist in the West is not anchored in the Western history. This moderation can easily change tide when it is convenient to do so - as far as the Muslim societies - they have just emerged from colonization - most of them became free after India did in 1948 - and only because of second world war - which basically weakened the European Powers - and loosened the British grip on its colonies. I am sure you do not need lessons here - but we all do have short memories.

Muslim societies never had an opportunity to develop democratic institutions - exception of Turkey - they became subject to dictatorships from Indonesia (Suharto) to Syria (Assad), Libya and even the closest ally of U.S. - Saudi Arabia - which is accepted by U.S. moderates as an acceptable ally as long as the oil flows. Thus my argument here is how moderates cultivated U.S. - Saudi relationship as long as it served U.S. global interest - where were these moderates when Bosnia was being rapped - Kosovo - etc. It is just not convenient for these moderates then to speak out - where can Muslim moderates survive if even the govenment of their countries are corrupt and paid by the West. Were there moderates in Nazi Germany when the concentration camps were being set - so let us not insult each other but talk to understand

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