Radical Islam Is Its Own Worst Enemy
Yuir Yarim-Agaev is worried about America's approach to radical Islam:
The winning formula against Soviet communism proved to be peace through strength. A strong military and economy are important, but even more important is standing strong for basic principles. Ronald Reagan, Pope John Paul II, and the Soviet and East European dissidents all understood this.We did not start wars with communism, Nazism or Islamism. They were imposed upon us. Those ideologies thrive on confrontation with the free world. Today we must revisit Kristallnacht, the Holocaust and the Cold War, to recollect our successful experience of dealing with those virulent ideologies.
I'd say Yarim-Agaev is correct on one count: like Communism, more radical versions of Islamism will burn themselves out over time - not because of anything the U.S. does but because they will prove incompatible with modernity and running a functional society. It may take a while, and it may get a bit hairy at times, but fundamentalism has a very lousy track record. There's no reason to worry about the long-term trend, despite the real (and worrisome!) prospect for short-term violence and dislocation.
The fact is, empty slogans like "peace through strength" are not only not applicable - they're patently absurd. The U.S. is exponentially stronger that any combination of Islamist foe and will only grow stronger if societies like Egypt embrace fundamentalism (given it's rather abysmal record in governance).
Those who preach the superiority of Western values should have a bit more confidence in their long-term prospects.
Now, if you really want something to worry about, may I suggest this?
