How to 'fix' the mid-east

[studiodekadent]

1. Officially declare non-interventionism in the Israel-Palestine conflict. Yes, Israel may be better than most mid-east states (which isn't saying much), and it may be more free than PA-controlled Palestine. But when so many Palestinians are saying that there hatred of America is due to its support of Israel, I think that we should at least acknowlege that is a probable cause. After all, the Jews are not pathetic and weak, they can take care of their own issues. Also, this will mean any attacks on the US after the declaration of non-interventionism cannot be rationalized as "you are supporting Israel."

2. Cripple the Al-Sauds economically by removing their investments from the US. This may cause a recession or at least damage some sectors of the economy. But they are the main bankroller's of Wahhabbi Islam (which is a part of Salafi Islam, but its the worst part!) and if we want to make them suffer, we have to stop letting them make money off the west. After all, the Al-Sauds got their money from nationalized oil revenues, not free market.

3. Make it well known that the Al-Sauds do not lead an Islamic lifestyle. Send their credit card bills to many Muslim clerics.

4. The Al-Sauds will retaliate with petrol prices. Maybe the government should advise (not force) the public to buy hybrid vehicles.

5. Get out of Iraq. It is a waste of time, money and a distraction from the true target (Al Qaeda). Also gets rid of another grievance against the US and so prevents a rationalization of attacks on one other ground.

6. Continue tactical strikes at Bin Laden and his ilk.

7. The Irshad Manji Strategy: set up a microcredit scheme that allows women in Muslim countries to start small businesses. In Islam, there is agreement amongst all sects that if women earn money they get to keep 100% of it to do what they please. Therefore, they could teach themselves to read the Koran, and since they do not like the "beat your wives" interpretation they would be more than open to other interpretations. Ideally I would like this scheme to be funded voluntarily.

8. Intellectual Warfare: promote Mutazilite Islam, Averroes, etc (i.e. the pro-reason tradition that flourished during the Islamic Golden Age) as an alternative to Wahhabism, use intellectual means to encourage individual interpretation of the Koran. In other words, try to make Islam fight over theology, hence destabilizing doctrinal power-blocs. This will promote multiple different strains, including many that are liberal-minded (liberal in the "modernity" sense). Groups like Project Ijtihad (Manji's group) are good in this regard.

Any thoughts?

[BaalChatzaf]

Any thoughts?

Well intentioned and fifty years too late. The Jihadis are within a few years of copping real nuclear weapons or radiological bombs. A "dirty" bomb which is not a true nuke could make downtown Manhattan unlivable for ten years. The economic damage to the country would be horrendous. Then there is also the danger of Abdul the Martyr deliberately infecting himself with small pox (the bacillus is alive and well in Russian vaults). He can come to New York and cough on the crowds during lunch time. Abdul will die of pox but he will kill tens of thousands of others.

One of the less felicitous aspects of our high tech based prosperity is the vulnerability of the infrastructure. There are all those power lines to blow up and all those reservoirs to poison. Not to say anything of blowing the bridges and the tunnels.

Then of course there is having vital computer systems hacked. The bastards don't have to kill themselves to do that.

We have let the Jihadis go too far and we will have to use drastic means to stop them.

Ba'al Chatzaf