Whatever Ando, that argument with Brandon aside, I'd just like to say I'm not posting history just to incite an argument (though I was a little steamed and was hoping somebody would post more than opinion). Mostly it just gives some perspective when ignorant people give the argument that "The West" is somehow causing problems where there are none. It seems that it always starts with 'Since the Crusades...' and ends with a Norman Rockwell mosque with little old Sunni and Shi'a men casually sharing a park bench out front while the US bombs the crap out a bunch of smiling kids and puppies. Most people don't get much more than the most cursory history when it comes to relations in the Middle East during this era through an average American education - World Civ classes in high schools tend to gloss over the period between AD 300 and AD 1000, and what they do mention doesn't pertain to Islamic influence on Europe beyond trade routes and "big names". I spotted plenty of those statements in the comments, and having studied that specific era and culture in great depth, I always get a little pissed off when I see them.
Anyway, there's not really much to gather from this "article" - it's really more like a combination conspiracy theory and propaganda piece. Clearly the author (scribe?) completely misunderstood the STRATFOR article that he quotes so heavily, and it seems that most of his other sources are "unnamed local people of importance" so we'll just have to take his word as to their credibility. I'd be interested to hear more from the ISI though.
If you don't mind sharing your IP and email address with Big Brother's big brother, you can get a free copy of the report straight from the mouth of the horse, free of misquotes and editing. If you don't want to be on STRATFORs buddy list I can re-post my copy. It's interesting, but the title pretty much says it all.
Anyway, there's not really much to gather from this "article" - it's really more like a combination conspiracy theory and propaganda piece. Clearly the author (scribe?) completely misunderstood the STRATFOR article that he quotes so heavily, and it seems that most of his other sources are "unnamed local people of importance" so we'll just have to take his word as to their credibility. I'd be interested to hear more from the ISI though.
If you don't mind sharing your IP and email address with Big Brother's big brother, you can get a free copy of the report straight from the mouth of the horse, free of misquotes and editing. If you don't want to be on STRATFORs buddy list I can re-post my copy. It's interesting, but the title pretty much says it all.
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