Indeed, it is gradually depriving even the most denial ridden muslims of their conspiratorial argument that the Mossad or CIA was behind 9/11, and not muslims....deep inside they are just as repulsed as we are by these actions.
I recall hearing a prof named Marvin Zonis talk about Iran and Khomeini shortly after the Shah was forced to abdicate back in '79 or so. Zonis had done a lot of work on Iran, and had interviewed Khomeini in Paris while he was in exile a few years earlier. Khomeini was spouting the line that no Muslim could ever be unjust to another Muslim, and Zonis pointed out to him that his own enemy, the Shah, and the Shah's police, Savak were Muslims and were exiling, killing and imprisoning all sorts of other Muslims. "Ah," said Khomeini, leaning forward with a knowing glint in his eye, "he is a Jew, and is using agents of the Mossad for his dirty work, that is how they do it." Fortunately for Zonis, Khomeini didn't know that he is Jewish.
My point, in case it isn't completely clear, is that the power of rationalization is such that people will believe anything they want to believe, evidence be damned. Look at this thread. All of us think that the people who oppose us are victims of absurd, scurrilous or naive rationalizations. That is, as Carl might say, the way human beings are constructed.
Yes, I'm sure they are, as you say, repulsed. But Machiavelli pointed out long ago that one reason invaders who don't speak the language, practice the religion or know the customs of the country they invade have a hard time in the long run if they don't kill an large number of people (preferably all of them), is that they will never be trusted, even if they do help to overthrow a hated ruler. Five minutes of gratitude is all you can expect. The rest will be, thanks very much, now get out of here. |
