Five years in, remembering why we'll win
Five years into this Long War against radical extremists, we measure our progress and naturally feel depressed: enemies proliferating, friends disappearing, the front seemingly limitless.
So stipulated - regarding the war.
And yet, this war's worldwide impact pales in comparison to ongoing changes triggered by globalization. We need to remember that larger context if we're ever going to recognize this struggle's successful conclusion. [continue reading]
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Comments (3)
A continued confirmation to Mr. Barnett's theme that it is not "us" against "them". The "us" representing Judeo- Christian liberal democracies and "them" being Muslims of any nation. I only wish some folks in the media would be as thoughtful. Every time I here the phrase "Islamo-Fascist" from Sean Hannity and more recently President Bush, the self fulfilling prophecy of a clash of civilizations becomes closer.
Posted by Jeff | September 10, 2006 9:53 AM
Again, blown away by your common sense. It's very difficult to prove that this thing is not about oil, Jerusalem, and religion, but about Adam Smith, Einstein, and tradition. Thank you for the assistance.
Posted by Jarrod Myrick | September 10, 2006 12:32 PM
Were all Germans Nazis? No, but there were enough Nazis to make things rather uncomfortable for the rest of the world. By the same token, not all Muslims are "Islamo-Fascist." Given the number of Muslims in the world, it only takes a very small percentage of them having the fundamentalist outlook on things to make life very interesting for quite some time to come.
About 85% of the degrees awarded in Saudi Arabia are in Theology. The form of Islam practiced in Saudi Arabia is Wahabism. This happens to be a strain of Islam that is, putting it politely, galloping into the 8th or 9th centuries. It is also the type of Islam the kingdom is financing throughout the world. Now, you can call it Islamo-fascism, or, you can call it Wahabism. Either way, it does not equal fundamentalism as we in the West conceive fundamentalism to be.
Additionally, while all those Saudi degrees are going to Theology, globalization will not take root in that country. Some would are that the royal family has made a deal with the Devil - the Devil being Wahabism. Well, they now have the Devil by the tail and are afraid to let go. Would Saudi Arabia and the rest of the world be better off without the royal family running things? I think so. So does Osama bin Ladin. Unfortunately, the last time we stood back while a royal family was being gotten rid of, we ended up with the Islamic Republic of Iran. You can call the crew running Iran anything you care to, but they still come out being much more fascist than Boy Scout.
Like Dr. Barnett, I think globalization will win out, in the long run. In the mean time, (with apologies to Gertrude Stein) a rose is a rose is a rose.
Posted by Ed B. | October 21, 2006 4:13 PM