Comments on: From within http://www.neptunuslex.com/2008/03/04/from-within/ The unbearable lightness of Lex. Enjoy! Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:45:53 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Zane http://www.neptunuslex.com/2008/03/04/from-within/comment-page-1/#comment-424699 Zane Wed, 05 Mar 2008 08:33:21 +0000 http://www.neptunuslex.com/2008/03/04/from-within/#comment-424699 "Why would the jihadists make them disenchanted with Islam if their fight has nothing to do with religion in the first place? Unexplained, of course. " Quite a different take on this article at Jihadwatch (http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/020184.php) Spencer is right, though. All through the article is that strange dichotomy, in which sharia/jihad is not caused by Islam, and yet the religion itself is discredited in the eyes of those quoted by the implementation of sharia and jihad. Take Sara in Basra. Is she free to ditch the headwrap? Free to head to another town, another country? Hell, is she free to leave her house without the supervisory male of her own family? How did this reporter find her, and who was around when she spoke to the reporter? And if her identity was found out, what would happen to her? She might not be gang-raped by Saddam's sons now, that much the war brought her. Now she gets to be gang-raped and honor-killed by Khomeini's heirs. Somehow, I don't consider that much of a success. It's all good and well that fathers are trying to keep their sons from running off to jihad, since in Iraq that means death in the near term. That doesn't mean that jihad is rejected, or Islam is rejected. In fact, Sharia (depending on school) does not allow young men to go to jihad without their parents' permission. And while jihad is compulsory, there are specific exceptions in cases where there is no way the mujahidin can win the battle. Then it is better to cut a deal ("hudna") and wait for a better opportunity. In other words, Iraqis are exercising that small discretion in not joining the gangs that are getting clobbered by the USA, but really, I don't see anything here to tell me that anything has changed. “Why would the jihadists make them disenchanted with Islam if their fight has nothing to do with religion in the first place? Unexplained, of course. ”

Quite a different take on this article at Jihadwatch (http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/020184.php)

Spencer is right, though. All through the article is that strange dichotomy, in which sharia/jihad is not caused by Islam, and yet the religion itself is discredited in the eyes of those quoted by the implementation of sharia and jihad.

Take Sara in Basra. Is she free to ditch the headwrap? Free to head to another town, another country? Hell, is she free to leave her house without the supervisory male of her own family? How did this reporter find her, and who was around when she spoke to the reporter? And if her identity was found out, what would happen to her? She might not be gang-raped by Saddam’s sons now, that much the war brought her. Now she gets to be gang-raped and honor-killed by Khomeini’s heirs. Somehow, I don’t consider that much of a success.

It’s all good and well that fathers are trying to keep their sons from running off to jihad, since in Iraq that means death in the near term. That doesn’t mean that jihad is rejected, or Islam is rejected. In fact, Sharia (depending on school) does not allow young men to go to jihad without their parents’ permission. And while jihad is compulsory, there are specific exceptions in cases where there is no way the mujahidin can win the battle. Then it is better to cut a deal (“hudna”) and wait for a better opportunity.

In other words, Iraqis are exercising that small discretion in not joining the gangs that are getting clobbered by the USA, but really, I don’t see anything here to tell me that anything has changed.

]]> By: RPL http://www.neptunuslex.com/2008/03/04/from-within/comment-page-1/#comment-424693 RPL Wed, 05 Mar 2008 01:32:45 +0000 http://www.neptunuslex.com/2008/03/04/from-within/#comment-424693 This seems to be a perfect example of the Law of Unintended Consequences. If this can help bring even more stability to the situation in Iraq, then G-d bless. Pun intended. This seems to be a perfect example of the Law of Unintended Consequences. If this can help bring even more stability to the situation in Iraq, then G-d bless. Pun intended.

]]> By: thebastidge http://www.neptunuslex.com/2008/03/04/from-within/comment-page-1/#comment-424694 thebastidge Tue, 04 Mar 2008 20:59:52 +0000 http://www.neptunuslex.com/2008/03/04/from-within/#comment-424694 Iraqis certainly don't seem to be so well-educated. I hear about 70% can read enough to get common signs, maybe 30% can read to nearly high school level, and a few percent are college-educated, but even many of them purchase their diploma rather than get educated. I've run into many people here that I suspect cannot read Arabic. I would say that Egypt is likely to have better literacy rates, Lebanon probably as well, perhaps even Syria. Iraqis certainly don’t seem to be so well-educated. I hear about 70% can read enough to get common signs, maybe 30% can read to nearly high school level, and a few percent are college-educated, but even many of them purchase their diploma rather than get educated.

I’ve run into many people here that I suspect cannot read Arabic. I would say that Egypt is likely to have better literacy rates, Lebanon probably as well, perhaps even Syria.

]]> By: jpr http://www.neptunuslex.com/2008/03/04/from-within/comment-page-1/#comment-424696 jpr Tue, 04 Mar 2008 20:20:20 +0000 http://www.neptunuslex.com/2008/03/04/from-within/#comment-424696 Looks like they don't want to live in the 9th century, either. I read somewhere that Iraqis have the highest literacy rate and are generally the most educated among Arab state's peoples. Perhaps education can be a bad thing for religious extremism 'round those parts, hopefully. Looks like they don’t want to live in the 9th century, either. I read somewhere that Iraqis have the highest literacy rate and are generally the most educated among Arab state’s peoples. Perhaps education can be a bad thing for religious extremism ’round those parts, hopefully.

]]> By: FbL http://www.neptunuslex.com/2008/03/04/from-within/comment-page-1/#comment-424695 FbL Tue, 04 Mar 2008 19:07:04 +0000 http://www.neptunuslex.com/2008/03/04/from-within/#comment-424695 Profound, CPT J. Thank you. Profound, CPT J.

Thank you.

]]> By: HomefrontSix http://www.neptunuslex.com/2008/03/04/from-within/comment-page-1/#comment-424698 HomefrontSix Tue, 04 Mar 2008 18:31:05 +0000 http://www.neptunuslex.com/2008/03/04/from-within/#comment-424698 <i>We share the same biology Regardless of ideology Believe me when I say to you I hope the russians love their children too </i> Sting was right. He just had the wrong part of the world. We share the same biology
Regardless of ideology
Believe me when I say to you
I hope the russians love their children too

Sting was right. He just had the wrong part of the world.

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