Beeb on Daesh

For John, BLUF:  The military part of this fight against Daesh, or ISIS, as George likes to say, is only part of the solution.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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From the BBC (The Beeb) we have news from Egypt, where "Al-Azhar [Universtiy] top cleric calls for religious teaching reform".

The Grand Imam of Egypt's top Islamic institution has called for a radical reform of religious teaching to tackle the spread of Islamic extremism.

Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb of Cairo's al-Azhar University said that a historical misreading of the Koran had led to intolerant interpretations of Islam.

It is a start.  As I commented on someone's Facebook post,

A thousand small steps.  The Dyer Bill died in 1918, but it appeared again, in another form and under another name, later.  And, what, 1948, we got serious about this stuff and finally in the 1960s pushed Lynching away?  Daesh is like the Klan.  Millions of People will have to say "not my way."  One at a time.  Or, it will spread east and west and north and south.  IMHO

Yes, it is an annoyance at this point, for us, but it could quickly become a big deal even for the US.

They responded:

Billions are already saying "That's not MY Islam," Cliff, and have been doing so for some time.  The problem with leaders like the head of al Azhar condemning jihadi violence is that those already converted to jihadism or vulnerable to the message -- as well as billions of other Muslims -- already dislike and distrust the Egyptian religious establishment for its close, mutually supportive relationship with the corrupt, repressive Egyptian state.

And there is that problem.  This is, in part a reaction to suppression and oppression in the Arab world.  Many youth do not adopt a "western model" but look for what they see as their Islamic roots.

From my perspective, not recognizing that Daesh is from Islamic roots is to tie one hand behind our back.  It is not Islam, but, as Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb says, a corruption of Islam.  That means that Muslims have to stand up and push it away, condemn it, and condemn those who are Daesh advocates, Daesh supporters, Daesh apologists.  At the same time they have to clean their own house.  This is not something we can do for them.  Our participation needs to be in terms of support, as a too forward approach by the US, by the West, just feeds into the propaganda of Daesh, and aids their recruitment.

In the mean time we best assist by helping others fight the military arm of this organization.  And by helping existing regimes find a way to help their People become participants in their own forms of Government.

This is not easy.  Remember the movie The American President?  And not just for Actress Annette Bening.  The "President", Andrew Shepherd, says, and not just for America:

America isn't easy. America is advanced citizenship.  You gotta want it bad, 'cause it's gonna put up a fight.  It's gonna say "You want free speech? Let's see you acknowledge a man whose words make your blood boil, who's standing center stage and advocating at the top of his lungs that which you would spend a lifetime opposing at the top of yours.

Giving the People a voice in Government is not easy.  You have to want it bad.  Sometimes citizens go for the easy route, letting someone else do the work for them.  This someone else is sometimes known as a dictator.  Maybe known as a "strong man".  In Spanish, a Caudillo.  Participatory democracy is the hard way, but the best way.

Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb's comments may signal a major mind shift in the Middle East.  I hope so.

Regards  —  Cliff