Dear Melanie

I too read of Malaysian PM Mohammed Mathathir's chilling comments at the Muslim summit. To its credit, the (London) Independent in a leader (October17, 2003) explcitly condemned him , but the rest of the media inexplicably remained silent ( no doubt reasoning that "that's what those people think that and they know no better" (personally I think we do moderate Islam a disservice by not criticizing its extremists on the grounds that it might be seen as "Islamophobic"

Keep up the fight
Terry

The most jaw-droppingly stupid of Mahatir's statements is that Jews invented communism, democracy and human rights in order to protect themselves. It's not just anti-semitic - it's just plain stupid. (Actually, something very similar was stated to me by an educated Greek-German a few months ago. The mind reels...)

We in the West are prone to disbelief when confronted with evidence of psychological dissonance on such a large scale. We are loath to condemn groups wholesale, as the Malaysian PM did so easily with Jews (with the approval of EVERY leader of the Muslim world). Tough! It's high time we realized that, when we talk of "fanatical Islam", we are not speaking of a pathological minority of Muslims, but a frighteningly large majority. We can no longer afford the comforting illusion that "it's only their political and religious leadership; that most are just decent chaps held hostage to barbaric regimes". Remember, all the 9/11 terrorists lived in western nations!

As I write the madrassas are teaching students to memorize parts of the Koran. I suspect somewhere the Koranic injunctions to kill infidels and Jews is the subject material.

I am under no illusions, J.S. Kern.

Frightening in its essence. But what's even more disturbing is the reluctance of any media to go out and ask their local mullah: "Do you support these views?" If Sharon had said all muslims are satan spawn, the neighbourhood rabbis' doors would have been rapped to the ground.

Well, this speech seems to have rattled a few cages amongst Melanie's regular contributors - considering it was censored out of our mainstream press, or certainly downplayed.

You are dealing with a dangerous world-wide religious cult here - I understand everyone's paranoid comments but does anyone agree with me that demonising it in the press will only make things worse ? These people feed of illusions of power and influence - the best policy is to ignore they exist, carry on regardless and one day they might get bored and go away. If you offer resistance or moral indignation, they will only see that as publicity or legitimisation ie. they will feel they are making progress.

Think of it as a new kind of cold war.

Jimmy--

I take precisely the opposite view. We must somehow break through the paranoid defensiveness that sees any criticism of such views as proof of their thesis, i.e.,the truth of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, such criticism, in their view, being evidence of Jewish influence and control.

Nothing less than unremitting criticism coupled with suggestions to view the real world instead of basking in the validation of conspiracy theories, will have any chance of success.

Silence in the face of unrealistic worldviews is not effective; vide Stalinism in the USSR, not to mention 1938 onward.

My heart goes out to all the Jewish people who had to hear such tripe this week from the supposed 'moderate muslim' Mahatir!!

Secondly I deeply agree with Theo and Mr. Kern.....I'm afraid we are not dealing with some small abberant movement within Islam but with Islam itself........I dare say if one were to ask for the opinions of 1 billion muslims what they thought about this insane speech that a great majority would nod there heads in approval!

Of course, if Muhammed were alive himself, he would also agree........such is the doctrine of Islam.........we must awaken to the Fact that Islam sees the world as 2 sphere....Darul Islam and Darul Harb.......all non muslims belong to the latter and the former believes in conquering all of us.........by all means necessary!

We didn't listen the ravings of that Austrian in Mein Kampf and it nearly cost us all of our freedoms......we must be aware of the ravings of the 7th century Hejazian!!

Devon in Canada

The speech has finally emerged in the New York Times today, Tuesday, October 21. There is also an interesting article on the op-ed page by regular contributor Paul Krugman. He notes that most of the speech was about the need for reform and progress in the Muslim world. Krugman says that the references to Jews was part of a delicate "balancing act aimed at domestic politics." Mahathir is always caught between an entrepreneurial Chinese minority and the less affluent Muslim Malay majority. The words about the Jews were there to help the main message of the speech be better accepted by his audience.

I have no idea if Krugman is right. But if he is, it is still not totally comforting. If he has to pander to anti-Semitic attitudes, then it only shows how strong they are even in his part of the world.

Dear Eropean, American

I'm from MAlaysian, what have Mahathir done is good for our religion, can you all don't critise other people's opinion, and I don't think Bush have brilliant ideas,killing each other, no respect others people religion, so, what you all think about this, does it good for world of killing each other???? can somebody tell me what kind of him(BUSH)... good, nice, bustard

Nuridani,
What Mahathir has done is NOT good for your religion, not good for you or anyone else. To spout off such obvious stupidities is not helpful to him or anyone who listens to him. As far as G.W. Bush goes, he is doing what needs to be done to protect America and Americans. Terrorism must be faced head on and defeated. There is no place to hide, no sanctuary anywhere. There will be no safety for anyone unless it is defeated completely. Unfortunately, terrorists are operating under the illusion that they can win a war versus the rest of the world. While I take heart in the knowledge that eventually terrorism will be defeated, sadly I believe that the world situation will get MUCH worse before it gets better.

Travis,
do you think that if make a war will settle the everything, have you thought what do you feel if someday will happen to your country, what do you feel if you see children died everywhere, innocent peolple die, and what do you feel there will happen on your family, I don't think you can't imagine it right,yes, of course bush just wanna protect their country but at least he should respect others people religion, then people will respect of you. don't you think is not fair to the innocent people??? and I can say majority of the people are not support Bush's way, make a war can't settle the problem, the best way is respect each other!!!!!