[altopiet]

Raghida Dergham: Is the West Hijacking Arab Revolutions to the Benefit of Islamists?

"Dubai -- While the West speaks of the necessity of accepting the results of the democratic process, in terms of Islamists coming to power in the Arab region, there are increased suspicions regarding the goals pursued by the West in its new policy of rapprochement with the Islamist movement, in what is a striking effort at undermining modern, secular and liberal movements."

"The obsession of some Westerners with the so-called "Turkish model" of "moderate Islam," able to rule with discipline and democracy, seems naïve, essentially because of its assumption that such a model can automatically be applied on the Arab scene, without carefully considering the different background and conditions that exist in Turkey and the Arab countries. There is also some naivety in assuming that the "Iranian model" of religious autocratic rule that oppresses people, forbids pluralism and turns power into tyranny, can be excluded as a possibility. What the movements of modernity, freedom and democracy in the Arab region fear is the replication of the Iranian experience and its revival on the Arab scene. What took place in 1979 after the Iranian Revolution is that the Mullahs hijacked it, excluded the youths from it and monopolized power in the "Islamic Republic" of Iran for more than 30 years"

[Rondec]

It is interesting that in remarks after Gaddafi's killing, Mustafa Abdul-Jalil, head of the NTC in Libya seemed to indicate that Shariah law should be the basis for all law in Libya. I had somehow thought up to that point that the members of the NTC were very moderate in their views (others still maybe, I don't know).

It does seem like we live in a polarized world in which extremism tends to rise to the top.

[stevewig]

...............It does seem like we live in a polarized world in which extremism tends to rise to the top.

In some respects your comments may be true - look at what is going on at the moment in US politics for example!

However, be very careful how you characterize foreign extremism in cultures that you only truly understand translated through Western media headlines. How many Western people can utter more than one sentence explaining, to others, what is Sharia Law?

See this example from the Canadian CBC:

Shariah law in Libya will be moderate, officials say - Politics - CBC News

[Wheatfield]

It does seem like we live in a polarized world in which extremism tends to rise to the top.

Look at what is happening with the right wing in your country. They aren't all that far off of their own version of Sharia law.

[Rondec]

In some respects your comments may be true - look at what is going on at the moment in US politics for example!

However, be very careful how you characterize foreign extremism in cultures that you only truly understand translated through Western media headlines. How many Western people can utter more than one sentence explaining, to others, what is Sharia Law?

See this example from the Canadian CBC:

Shariah law in Libya will be moderate, officials say - Politics - CBC News

I do understand Shariah law more than superficially and I know no more about the intentions of the NTC in Libya than you do. The concern to me was the statement that it would be the "primary source" for law in Libya. Obviously in a country with an islamic heritage, it would be silly not to expect that there would be references to it in the judicial code. However, in most moderate states, it is neither the primary or the sole source of law.

The biggest concern that I have is that rights of women are protected.

[stevewig]

............The biggest concern that I have is that rights of women are protected.

Yes..........., it makes most Western Males feel good inside to say that and it makes them feel superior!

However, it is only very, very recently that Western Democracies have acknowledged that same fundamental right. In fact, certainly within in my lifetime and probably yours too!

Now we want to cram it down the throat of every other society as if it were a fundamental feature of Western Civilization and Christianity rather than a right won by many, many hard years of struggle by the Western feminists against male attitudes and the Church.

[Rondec]

Yes..........., it makes most Western Males feel good inside to say that and it makes them feel superior!

However, it is only very, very recently that Western Democracies have acknowledged that same fundamental right. In fact, certainly within in my lifetime and probably yours too!

Now we want to cram it down the throat of every other society as if it were a fundamental feature of Western Civilization and Christianity rather than a right won by many, many hard years of struggle by the Western feminists against male attitudes and the Church.

I guess I don't follow you at all. If I read you correctly, you are all for oppressing women vigorously until they revolt?

I haven't said and will not say that western countries should come in to any other country, whatever continent it is in, and dictate what their laws should be. However, I still hope that the citizens of each country will have basic freedoms protected and maintained. I feel no sense of superiority when I say that. There are many battles still to fight in western countries for rights and by no means do I think the United States has attained some type of moral high ground when it comes to racial equality or rights for women.

[stevewig]

Now you and I are on the same page I think and in agreement!

[Ratmagiclady]

So says *Dubai?*