Foreign Affairs Discussion Group Message Board

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group

Public Reply Prvt Reply Mark as Last Read File

Previous 10 Next 10 Previous Next

To: Hawkmoon who wrote (94890)	4/19/2003 11:17:30 AM
From: Sun Tzu	Read Replies (1) of 281500

I agree with everything that you have said here. It is well thought out. Personally I am opposed to all organized religious groups. So I hope my statements about political Islam are not misunderstood. I do not like them. But how can we come up with a good working solution? As you have pointed out, the Muslim populace is disenchanted with all the other solutions ranging from capitalism to socialism to fascism. It will be very hard to sell them yet another western solution. What I am saying is that the best solution is find the means to the goal of peace and freedom within the existing culture. The greatest threat to militant Islam is not from secularism. It is from the moderate Islam. Take the issue of democracy and separation of church and state. You will not be able to sell the American version of it in middle east. But the freedom to choose your religious leader (which is traditionally also a bit of political leader) is fundamental to the Shia. There are even laws as to what minimum number of people can nominate a leader for themselves and do you have the right not to choose one at all. Gather the clerics and pose this question to them, "how can we guarantee that the people remain free to fallow whichever ayatollah they want without this leading to chaos". The solution will be some form and separation of church and state. In general this issue is resolved by accepting democratic elections and a parliament on the condition that the laws passed do not contradict explicit edicts of Islam. This is a workable solution. Once the society progresses, they will change the laws on their own. As I see it, there is a minimum set of things we need to guarantee: protection for the minorities, a confederation model for the states, redrawing state lines along their natural ethnic boundaries, freedom of belief, freedom to vote (including women's right to vote), safe guards against too much power in the hands of any one branch, and safe guards against militant groups. But beyond these basics, the rest of the laws and solutions should be as compatible with the local culture as possible. ST

Report TOU Violation

Share This Post

Public Reply Prvt Reply Mark as Last Read File

Previous 10 Next 10 Previous Next