The Economist (August 27)
“In the wreckage of the Arab world today, many act as if the idea that Islamists can play a useful democratic role is broken, too. They are being repressed anew by reactionary regimes, challenged by violent jihadists and looked upon with suspicion by voters whom they failed…. Yet the blanket repression of all Islamists is the worst possible response. In the end, it will lead only to more resentment, more turmoil and more terrorism.”
Tags: Arab, Democratic, Islamists, Jihadists, Reactionary, Regimes, Repressed, Resentment, Suspicion, Terrorism, Turmoil, Useful, Voters, Wreckage
Newsweek (August 15)
As events in Charleston illustrates, “anti-government Americans are a bigger threat than Islamists.” Yet, since 9/11, public consciousness has largely fixated on Islamic terrorism. Law enforcement agencies know better. Studies have shown that police “consider anti-government violent extremists, not radicalized Muslims, to be the most severe threat of political violence that they face.”
Tags: 9/11, Anti-government, Charleston, Extremists, Islamists, Police, Terrorism, Threat, Violent
USA Today (July 7)
ISIS has revived the caliphate last abolished in 1924. While ISIS may have hoped to “provide a visible symbol of unity for the world’s Muslims,” reintroducing the caliphate might prove “the very worst thing it could have done.” Lacking an agreed upon succession process, “there are bound to be rivals. Already, ISIS is literally at daggers drawn with al-Qaeda and other Islamists…. ISIS has vastly raised the stakes and conceivably made itself a target for some fanatical and well-armed enemies.”
Financial Times (January 29, 2014)
After such great hope, the Arab Spring evaporated. Whether some countries ultimately took steps forward or backwards remains unclear. A few have obviously fallen into anarchy. “Still, amid all the gloom, there is one country – Tunisia – which suddenly appears within striking distance of successfully completing the journey from dictatorship to democracy.” With a new constitution clearing the path for free elections, Tunisia may be able to stand “as a beacon of what can be achieved if Islamists and secularists set aside their differences for the greater good.”After such great hope, the Arab Spring evaporated. Whether some countries ultimately took steps forward or backwards remains unclear. A few have obviously fallen into anarchy. “Still, amid all the gloom, there is one country – Tunisia – which suddenly appears within striking distance of successfully completing the journey from dictatorship to democracy.” With a new constitution clearing the path for free elections, Tunisia may be able to stand “as a beacon of what can be achieved if Islamists and secularists set aside their differences for the greater good.”
Tags: Anarchy, Arab spring, Constitution, Democracy, Dictatorship, Differences, Elections, Greater good, Hope, Islamists, Secularists, Tunisia
