The other side to this is a massive sense of apocalyptic viewpoint among Muslims. The danger to this kind of thinking is apparent – it precludes rational policy making. Even if the leaders are rational, not a sure bet, the more radical population can force them to adopt dangerous positions.

This sort of viewpoint, thankfully, is not as widespread as anti-Americanism and anti-Semitism. In fact, even anti-Semitism may not be exactly as Krugman makes it sound. He explains that Mahathir uses anti-Semitism as a political tool more than anything else; he ramps it up and down. When the Islamo-fascist viewpoints on his right grow too powerful, he moves towards their positions to curry support. So it is both better and worse than it sounds: there are reasonable people in the Muslim world, but they are always ready to swaddle themselves with these evil ideas.

When Mr. Auster linked to this a week or so ago I blinked at first. But then what struck me was what’s missing here — there’s no mention of ‘militant’ or ‘moderate.’

About as far as he goes is his passing apologetic on the Koran statement. (See also his reply to first post at the bottom of his article.) But in context, this comes across as a last gasp of a dying hope.

Whether he sees the situation as ‘the militants are winning the hearts and minds of the Islamic world, as I warned they might,’ or we see it as ‘it’s the religion itself that’s the problem,’ we are essentially arriving at the same place, forced by the external realities if nothing else.

The question now is whether the West has the backbone and fortitude to take a stand against the Mohammedan world over its increasingly bold and virulent anti-Semitism. And with anti-Semitism on the rise even in the West, fueled in part by the Mohammedan immigration here, this truly represents an ominous crossroad.

I think you are reading too much into this. Pipes notes the anti-Semetism rooted in Muslim culture, but blames the current situation on the “political radicalization” that occured in the 1970’s.
“Although anti-Jewish sentiments among Muslims go back centuries, today’s hostility results from two main developments: Jewish success in modern times and the establishment of Israel. Until about 1970, however, Muslim resentment remained relatively quiet.

But in the 1970s, political radicalization combined with an oil boom gave states like Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Libya the will and the means to sponsor anti-Jewish ideas worldwide. With barely a Muslim voice to counter ever-more-outlandish theories, these multiplied and deepened. For the first time, the Muslim world became the main locus of anti-Jewish theories.”

The reality is that anti-Semitism has its roots in the founding of Islam. Mohammed led a campain of mass murder, enslavement, forced conversion, and rape on the Jewish community of Arabia in the 620’s. http://www.jewishpeople.net/judandkabinp.html

Jews were allowed to live, but only where Muslims let them and in a condition of perpetual victimhood known as “Dhimmitude”.
The same holds true for Christians.

The establishment of a Jewish state in Israel and Christian one in Lebanaon was an anathema to the Muslims and they have attacked both through war, terrorism, and demographics. Lebanon is conquered and occupied today due to the alliance between Shi’ites, Druze, and the Syrian government.

The idea of Jewish independence is at odds with Islam. For Muslims, the natural condition of Dhimmi is servitude. Thus the existance of Israel and strident opposition to Muslim expansion must be due to the perfidious Jews.

I had initially shared Ron’s skepticism, but it does seem that Dr. Pipes is changing his tone in a non-trivial way. If you compare his statement in the recent article to his older treatments of historic Mohammedan anti-Semitism — http://www.danielpipes.org/article/161 — there does seem to be a hardening of his perception.

Ron of course is correct that the reestablishment of Israel has radicalized Mohammedanism. The reemergence of an independent Jewish sovereignty in what they consider Muslim land conquered fair and square wasn’t supposed to happen in their heretical eschatology and represents an afront to their religion. But this is something Dr. Pipes may finally be grasping — that ‘moderate’ Mohammedanism cannot escape this trap.

It will certainly be interesting to see what Dr. Pipes’s subsequent statements will reveal, but there does seem to be an awakening to reality taking place.

I’m going to call attention to a point Dr. Pipes made, because I would make it again (and again):

“But in the 1970s, political radicalization combined with AN OIL BOOM gave states like Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Libya the will and THE MEANS to sponsor anti-Jewish ideas worldwide.” (emphases mine)

We are _never_ going to turn the tide on the problem until this is addressed. The timid, token steps being taken are window dressing. A full solution is being blocked by those in power with the money, in turn enriching the nations surrounding tiny Israel who yearn for her destruction.

People are going to burn in hell for this.

These comments all point back to my previous argument that the problem is Islam itself—WHEN Islam senses it has the power to affect the non-Islamic world; and therefore that the goal of this war must be to remove from the Mohammadans such power and the hope of having such power.

http://www.amnation.com/vfr/archives/001729.html
http://www.amnation.com/vfr/archives/001777.html

I always felt that D Pipes knew that Islam itself is a menace. But that for strategic reasons he claimed it was the Islamists (10-15%) of Islam were the only culprits. Islamists being the active Jihadists and their silent partner, supporters. This is an attempt to persuade peace loving Muslims to reject their murderous co-religionists.

GWBush does the same thing, it’s sort of a party line. Who wants to be at odds with the entire Islamic world?

My opinion is that Islam is the problem. The Koran commands the Muslim to emulate the “exemplary life” of Muhammad and be sure of reaching paradise. Little good can come from a religion founded by a delusional brigand/murderer/assassin/. The good that does come is from Muslims who have a heart big enough to ignore the murderous imprecations of Koran/Hadith. Such Muslims do exist, unfortunately they are the ocean that the Jihadist fish swim in and find concealment.

Study the assassins and you find the template for Muslims terrorism. Establish a unassailable redoubt, sanctuary, from which you can send assassins. Today’s assassins are the suicide bombers and terrorists. They can kill scores at a time instead of stabbing just one in the back. The assassins were terminated when the Mongols stormed their mountain fortress and kicked the Master assassin to death

__________________

Assassins —> http://www.users.bigpond.com/billmastermind/moments71.htm

Sometime in the eleventh century, at approximately 1090, the leader of the Ismailis, Hasan ibn al-Sabbah captured ‘Alamut’ a fortress atop a mountain in northern Persia. From that almost impregnable redoubt he and his followers carried on a reign of terror throughout the area and beyond against the sect’s enemies. The Grand Master of the sect later became known to the Crusaders as, ‘The Old Man of the Mountain’.

Under the Mongol warrior, Hulagu, the castles of the Assassins became prime targets in his campaign to conquer Iran and Iraq. The Mongols were masters in the art of siege warfare and in 1256 they took Alamut from the Sect. The last Grand Master was dispatched ignominiously, being kicked to death by the Mongol troops.

It took more time to completely destroy the Sect’s power in the area, but it was inevitable. Its members were hunted down and killed as enemies of established order. Still the Ismailis survived but without the added baggage of their assassin heritage.

To underscore the dilemma of how the West may or may not confront the Mohammedan world over anti-Semitism, here is a disturbing report:

“According to a Eurobarometer poll carried out for the European Commission, to be published next Monday, 59% of Europeans believe Israel poses the biggest threat to world peace, ahead of the U.S., Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, and North Korea, the Spanish daily El Pais reports.”
http://www.eubusiness.com/afp/031030153736.jdyshutd

Es tu Europa?

I would like to read the article that is said to be Pipes new take on Islam. Since when did this happen? Please send me a copy. Thanks.

Victoria can load the the Pipes article into her own browser by clicking on the hyperlinked text in the blog entry. It’s the text that says, “a new turn in his understanding of Islam.”