Islamic fundamentalism is rapidly spreading in large part because of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
I don't think if I'd agree with this. Afghanistan definitely has less Islamic fundamentalism since their war. And I think what is spreading is not really "Islamic fundamentalism" (which does not require violence at all, it just means being more pious than your average Muslim). I don't think the recent London bombers are accurately described as Islamic fundamentalists; rather, I'd say they were impressionable youth that got caught up in the violent cult-like collection of Muslims that was produced by the 10 year Soviet-Afghan war. There were 1,000s upon 1,000s of Muslims that went to fight for years in that war (or holy Jihad, as they were told) and when it ended they, like many revolutionaries, couldn't change themselves into normal peace loving grocers, clerks and goat herders, and ended up in their ridiculous global jihad that they think they are in. Those losers are recruiting others to the "cause", and the Iraq-Afghan wars makes their recruitment task easier as their story (make the Crusaders pay!) has at least some basis in reality now (their are non-Muslim powers in what they consider Muslim lands).
I don't know if the distinction means that much, but its not really "Islamic fundamentalism" as much as it is "Islamic jihad" brainwashing.
I still say the way to finish the whole thing is to force the Muslim countries to democratize, and then the jihadis will have to take their case for a united Islamic region to their own population at the various nation's ballot boxes. If their own people reject the idea, the recruiters are going to have a much harder time getting new people to join to overthrow their own societies.
In this vein I think it is pathetic that Mubarak is going to run for a 6th term (or however many it will be) in office. One reason China has zero democracy but does really, really well may be due to the relatively common occurence of changing top leadership, as well as more committee-based leadership as opposed to one strong man rule. |
