I'd certainly agree that our willingness to support for "despots" and other sundry abusive governments encourages the very elements we'd prefer didn't exist. But then again, like your suggestion that moderate islamic groups are marginalised to increase the scarecrow effect of the more extreme elements of the mulsim brotherhood, one only has to look at Israel where the IDF generally target those who might be acceptable to encourage the sense of militant outrage amongst palestinians. If you eliminate anyone who will negotiate, you don't seem so intransigent by later refusing to meet those who won't.

In my experience, the people who think of Islam as incompatible with democracy tend not to be Muslims.

I'm sure their view is that those who don't agree with them cannot be muslims. It's the nature of religious belief to exclude any who might disagree and become "holier than thou".


keep to the Fen Causeway