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Pipes and Jasser deserved the debate victory.

Reader comment on item: "Better Elected Islamists than Dictators"

Submitted by Stuart Fagin (United States), Oct 10, 2012 at 18:05

Pipes and Jasser deserved the debate victory. Gerecht and Katulis failed to substantiate their central point; that Islamists, when elected, offer a more likely pathway to a liberal democracy than do western-aligned dictatorships. They could provide no examples of Islamists governments transforming in this way. Indeed, the Turkish example, (as well as the unmentioned Hamas example in Gaza) indicates the direction of political motion is the opposite of what they hope for.

By contrast, Pipes and Jasser call attention to the several historical examples of western-aligned dictatorships transforming to functioning democracies such as Spain and Greece. The Philippines may also be mentioned. Pipes and Jasser also make the significant point that, in contrast to western-aligned dictators, the Islamists' project causes them to be outwardly aggressive and thus threatening to the west. From the standpoint of national interest the dictator is preferred. I was also put off by Katulis' histrionics and his continuous mischaracterization of the opposing position. I much prefer the cool style of Pipes and Jasser.

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Reader comments (14) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
the argument is this [30 words]asafOct 20, 2012 19:58199942
Islamists are never better than dictators [98 words]StasOct 17, 2012 19:28199892
Tough call [86 words]stranchanOct 16, 2012 21:25199867
an obivious conclusion [71 words]Jules PostenOct 12, 2012 10:51199731
Pipes and Jasser deserved the debate victory. [167 words]Stuart FaginOct 10, 2012 18:05199681
loyalty [80 words]mythOct 10, 2012 08:49199669
IThe title says half the truth [25 words]AlexandrosOct 10, 2012 06:34199662
PIPES ET CO. V REUEL M GERECHT , FORMER CIA INTELLIGENCE OFFICIAL. [22 words]JERRY BORISOct 8, 2012 15:56199588
1real islam [264 words]havasOct 8, 2012 14:48199584
9Real muslim [118 words]PrashantOct 9, 2012 02:20199584
8Capitalism and religion [290 words]MozereOct 9, 2012 07:37199584
capitalizm [310 words]havasOct 10, 2012 10:29199584
1Reading koran [55 words]theantislamistOct 13, 2012 10:40199584
Witness Against the Proposition [32 words]Mel SherwoodOct 7, 2012 11:09199550

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