It has been some time since the last post. The Red Sox have gone down the tube and the Iraq war has gotten real nasty-- and several more American soldiers have been killed. The daily slaughter of Iraqis is sickening. It is immposible to understan the mentality of people like that.
During the summer I've read a few books trying to understand the situation better.
The expert on the ME is Bernard Lewis and one of his books is "What Went Wrong?".
This is not about us but about how the Muslims view their current situation in the world. How did they get left so far behind? At one time they were the most enlightened people on earth and ruled most of the known world. The crusades eventually broke their grip and at the same time brought their enlightenment back to Europe that was in the midst of the Dark Ages. The West then took the initiative and ran with it while the Muslims pulled back isolated themselves content to believe that their prophet Mohammed had given them the last and true words of God. Now their humiliation and vexation over the corrupting ideas of the West are causing them to find explanations that the Mullahs use to foment hatred and aggression against the West. Thom Friedman stated the he felt the Islamic faith has to go through a reformation similar to the Catholic church before it can break with its jihadist position.
Another book about the ME is "Cobra II". This is a comprehensive review of what has transpired from before 9/11 to the current status. It is a revealing narrative of the utterly ideologic basis for decisions by Rumsfeld, Cheney, and Bush that were totally irrational and contrary to the advice of military expert and public opinion.
Their stupid blundering has led to the current bloody stalemate in Iraq.
The Report of the 9/11 Commission is another account of how unprepared and inefficient the past administrations have been in dealing with the Islamic radicals.
Because of political considerations the Commission avoids putting direct blame on individuals but it is plain to see where the fault lies.
I will limit this diatribe because previously I found the longer ones cut short.
During the summer I've read a few books trying to understand the situation better.
The expert on the ME is Bernard Lewis and one of his books is "What Went Wrong?".
This is not about us but about how the Muslims view their current situation in the world. How did they get left so far behind? At one time they were the most enlightened people on earth and ruled most of the known world. The crusades eventually broke their grip and at the same time brought their enlightenment back to Europe that was in the midst of the Dark Ages. The West then took the initiative and ran with it while the Muslims pulled back isolated themselves content to believe that their prophet Mohammed had given them the last and true words of God. Now their humiliation and vexation over the corrupting ideas of the West are causing them to find explanations that the Mullahs use to foment hatred and aggression against the West. Thom Friedman stated the he felt the Islamic faith has to go through a reformation similar to the Catholic church before it can break with its jihadist position.
Another book about the ME is "Cobra II". This is a comprehensive review of what has transpired from before 9/11 to the current status. It is a revealing narrative of the utterly ideologic basis for decisions by Rumsfeld, Cheney, and Bush that were totally irrational and contrary to the advice of military expert and public opinion.
Their stupid blundering has led to the current bloody stalemate in Iraq.
The Report of the 9/11 Commission is another account of how unprepared and inefficient the past administrations have been in dealing with the Islamic radicals.
Because of political considerations the Commission avoids putting direct blame on individuals but it is plain to see where the fault lies.
I will limit this diatribe because previously I found the longer ones cut short.
posted by Don.B. | 10:05 AM
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