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I just came from a great speech from an expert on the Arab world and former State Dept. official, someone who actually has a clue. Its too bad he's not President. From the transcript:
"...this is a fight that cannot be fought by the West alone—in fact, the fight against the killers who pervert and exploit a great world religion is most effectively fought by Muslims themselves. We must help and support them, because the outcome affects the security and welfare of the entire world.
It is more appropriate for Muslims to refute the extremists’ false arguments that Islam condones terrorism, suicide bombing, the killing of innocent men, women, and children.
And Muslim voices are the ones that will be most effective in calling for the reform of the madrassas that deny Muslim children any opportunity to cope and excel in the modern world, that prepares them not for life but only for early and senseless death.
Muslims are the only ones who can dispute theologically the extremist teachings that are distributed free to millions.
Many good decent Muslims have spoken out against those who have tried to hijack their religion. Unfortunately, all too often, they have to do so in the face of threats and intimidation from well-funded extremists.
We need to do everything we can to support those moderate voices and assist their courage in speaking out...
...Based on my own experiences with Muslims – not only with Indonesians when I was U.S. Ambassador for three years, but Arabs and Turks and Bosnians and Pakistanis and Malaysians and many others – my own outlook is prudently optimistic, despite the many obstacles."
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