| At
the same time there is a counter trend in the West to tolerate or
accommodate Islam, particularly when the oil market, which is still
the life-blood of the world economy, lies in the hand of Islamic
countries. The West therefore speaks of good, true, liberal or
tolerant Islam versus false, militant or intolerant forms. The West
is striving to avoid defining this confrontation as a simply
Western-Islamic conflict, but to align itself with progressive
elements in the Islamic world that are not hostile, at least in
foreign policy, to the West. The most obvious example of this is
Saudi Arabia, itself one of the most totalitarian in the world,
being lumped along with modern Arab countries because of its
pro-Western foreign policy. Yet the West remains uncertain whether
the Islamic world will rise up as a whole and oppose the West,
throwing off pro-Western Islamic rulers for more militant groups. In
this regard most Muslims have a greater sympathy with Islamic
militants than with the Western groups criticizing them.
China is another potential great
threat to the West. China will soon be the largest world economy and
already has the largest population. It has the largest army and a
history of expansionism. It has little concern for human rights and
does not hesitate to sell arms to any country it wishes. Yet the
West meekly accepts whatever China does in fear of its growing
power. So far the West has chosen to try to subvert the Chinese
economically and has not opposed them as forcefully as it has the
Islamic threat. |
