My understanding is that there is no pope of Islam, with infallible interpretation rights.
That's correct. No one specific person empowered as the authorized leader of Islam. Which means there are a number of rival clerics, representing different schools or schisms of Islam, who are all vying to increase their power and control over ever increasing numbers of young muslims.
This is why I, and I hope most others, recognize that this is NOT, nor should be, a war against Islam, but against the minority sects who can be best defined as Islamo-Fascists.
They are NOT currently a majority in the Muslim world. However, in the absence of moderate governments, guaranteeing a place for intellectual and scientific study, and political and religious diversity, there's a distinct possibility that they will increase in power in future years.
They have the strength of dedication to their cause, a will to use terrorism and violence to pursue their cause, and a will to fight to the death to accomplish their goals.
And all of those qualities ARE NOT found within democratic governments, nor even in corrupt regimes because they are too busy paying (playing) off their political rivals to maintain their power.
It's a real shame that people consistently underplay the appeal, as well the threat, of Islamo-Fascism in the Muslim world. They just don't seem to recognize that a few highly motivated people throughout our history have been successful in dominating and recruiting an intimidated and compliant population.
And the Islamo-Fascists will be able to do the same thing to the corrupt regimes that are currently facing increasing pressure from the militants.
And were Saudi Arabia to fall to the likes of Bin Laden, and he were provided shelter and sanctuary there, who can really tell me that the US wouldn't have an obligation to invade the Arabian peninsula and thus, potentially incur the wrath of the entire Muslim world.
Hawk |
