Mideast Diplomacy

When I started reading Scruton’s article, I began writing it off as just another ignorant and misleading article on the Middle East. However, it soon became apparent that this was more than just some silly man’s uninformed views on a topic he knew nothing about.

To ascribe terrorism to the religion of Islam, whose meaning is “peace” in Arabic, is as preposterous as ascribing enmity of Christ to Christians. To describe the country of Lebanon’s recent political history as a “success” is almost laughable, let alone to ascribe that “success” to Christianity.

Christianity’s contributions to Lebanese society are noteworthy and great. However, it was Islam’s unprecedented tolerance towards all other religions that provided Christians and Jews a nurturing refuge from oppression throughout its history.

The West’s intolerance of Islam, however, has always been a shock to Muslims, who view Christians and Jews, as well as others as “People of the Book” and thus are accorded respect. In thanks, the West slaughtered 5 million Muslims in Spain during the Spanish Inquisition, God knows how many more during the Crusades and imposed the unholy state of Israel on them. These acts of violence, initiated by the West, are the only destabilizing forces in the region.

Scruton is clearly against a peace conference because he is unabashedly a follower of this regrettable school of thought. His attitude towards Muslims is as barbaric as the dictators he condemns. Muslims know that God does not lose battles waged in his name. Time is on God’s side.

GEMAL SEEDE, Burbank