Toward a Virtual Caliphate

November 2, 2005 10:44 AM

Since 9/11, the United States has appeared to want to do business only with hand picked and officially approved "good Muslims" – that is, to work with Muslims who fit US requirements as to what Islam should be. The problem, of course, is that the figures and groups who carry Washington's seal of approval often have little to no legitimacy among the constituencies the US wants to influence. Viewed in the big picture and over the longer term, one has to wonder whether US goals and those of the emergent "virtual caliphate" might not overlap more than they diverge.   Toward a Virtual Caliphate    Via Abu Aardwark
posted by y2karl (5 comments total)

Virtua Caliphate, new for the Sega Saturn!
posted by Peter H at 10:54 AM on November 2, 2005

Good article. Qaradawi is an interesting guy; here's a rundown of his opinions (pro–women in politics, anti-Wahhabi). It should be kept in mind that he immediately condemned the World Trade Center attacks ("Islam, the religion of tolerance, holds the human soul in high esteem, and considers the attack against innocent human beings a grave sin"). There are also some interesting quotes in this attack on him by more hardshelled Muslims ("Sheikh Al-Qaradawi has layed to waste and caused to die the creed of loyalty and disownment with respect to the Kuffaar [infidels]. He said about the Christians, 'Then all of the affairs are shared between us since we are the sons of a single land, our destination is the same and our Ummah is one'... He said, 'The enmity that is between us and the Jews is for the sake of land only, not for the sake of the religion…'").
posted by languagehat at 11:07 AM on November 2, 2005

So wahabbi saudi's are 'good muslims' now?
posted by delmoi at 11:13 AM on November 2, 2005

Father of the Aardvark's blog is required reading, IMHO. Especially if you need to catch up on the happenings of Lebanese poptarts.
(He's also looking for a copy of The Game Theory's Lolita Nation on CD, but can't afford the umpteen million dollars for it.)

posted by NoMich at 11:59 AM on November 2, 2005

Wow, I can't believe nobody's got anything to say about this post. Anyway, thanks for making sure I bookmarked Abu Aardwark, NoMich—it is indeed invaluable.
posted by languagehat at 3:18 PM on November 3, 2005