Where are the moderate Muslims? Why don't they... oh

PrairieGhost

http://www.channel4.com/news/libyan-protesters-force-islamist-militia-out-of-benghazi

'Chanting "Libya, Libya", "No more al Qaeda!" and "The blood we shed for freedom shall not go in vain!" hundreds of men waving swords and even a meat cleaver, stormed Ansar al-Sharia's headquarters in Benghazi.

"After what happened at the American consulate, the people of Benghazi had enough of the extremists," demonstrator Hassan Ahmed said. "They did not give allegiance to the army. So the people broke in and they fled."'

PrairieGhost

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/libya/9559743/Libya-Benghazi-crowds-drive-out-Islamist-militants.html

'The protests in Benghazi on Friday evening, estimated at 30,000-strong, featured pro-American slogans and banners, unusual for demonstrations in Arab countries. Though many protesters said they were attending "for Benghazi, not for America", some held up placards commemorating Mr Stevens, who lived in Benghazi last year while co-ordinating American support for the revolution.

"We demand justice for Stevens," said one, and "Libya lost a friend" another.'

...

'Officials in Washington have now largely dropped the version of events initially put out, that his killing and that of three other American staff was the result of a protest against the film that got out of hand. Libyan eye-witnesses said there were no protests before the consulate building was attacked on three sides by scores of men waving black Islamic flags and carrying rocket-propelled grenade launchers and automatic rifles.'

PrairieGhost

It does seem as though many want democracy, or at least civil rights; the evidence being that unlike most revolutionaries who fill up a power vacuum with whatever fits, these people won't seem to accept anything else. They've seen the alternatives fester, crash and burn.

RebeccaS

Whenever we see a picture or hear a story about moderate Muslims standing for peace we hear an outcry of "see, they DO exist". Few people actually deny that they're out there, the simple fact is that we just don't hear from them often enough.

It brings me great joy to see them - the moderate Muslims should be our greatest ally in the war on terror because they have such a huge stake in it - but I would like to see them more often. These people are our friends. I wish we would focus more on that aspect than the "told you they existed" aspect. With this attitude we don't embrace them, we just use them as political leverage.

And the people who do deny them aren't just doing it for the sake of it, it's based on a pretty reasonable suspicion of their motives. The Qur'an says that it is OK for Muslims to lie to their enemies, to bring them close and then to betray them. Many are of the opinion that we should be suspicious of so-called moderates because the chances are they aren't moderate at all, they're just trying to get close to double cross us in the end.

PrairieGhost

Hi RebeccaS:

I wish we would focus more on that aspect than the "told you they existed" aspect.

Consider me chastised .

It brings me great joy to see them

It's something, isn't it? Who knows how things'll turn out in Libya, but it's something.

RebeccaS

I really hope for a brighter future for Libya. After all these years, it would be great to see some peace out there. There are concerns about their elections, but if there truly are a number of moderates out there then we could see great things from them. Lord knows they deserve a chance.