Afghanistan - pride and prejudice - Part VI [last updated 14th March 2010]

Afghanistan met General Guthrie's 'just war' criteria! Sir John Keegan, military historian, thought 'orientals' prefered treachery and deceit as the best ways to overcome an enemy!

Veteran Catholic economist donning Neo-Con plummage, Michael Novak, rationalised "that a limited and carefully conducted war to bring about a change of regime in Afghanistan was morally obligatory."

Read on.....[Part VI of a multi-part dossier]
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When the MCB convenes its ‘Muslim Leadership Dinner’ on 22nd February there will be Jack Straw MP taking the lectern representing Labour, and later in the proceedings, so will the leader of the Liberal Democrats, Nick Clegg MP. Noticeably missing from the stage will be any senior representative from the Tory front bench. An oversight by the MCB or is this David Cameron’s policy decision?

The front page of the Jewish Chronicle (22nd Jan 2010) has as its headline ‘Muslim Council deal row’. The article by Martin Bright cites a “strongly worded” letter from the Board of Deputies of British Jews to the Communities Secretary John Denham. If accurate, it marks an unprecedented intrusion to shatter good interfaith relations.

Prince Charles's voice of moderation and understanding charmed Muslims gathered at a gala dinner organised by Islamic Relief on 17th December 2009

It is not often that an Archbishop of Canterbury visits the Trade Union Congress. The Church of England is sometimes described as the Conservative Party at prayer – but its present head is sufficiently his own man to be respected across the political spectrum. Dr Rowan Williams delivered the first keynote address of the day at the TUC conference ‘Beyond Crisis’ on 16th November and his erudition seemed to have a calming effect on usually rumbustious trade union gatherings where guest speakers can be given a rough ride.

David Goodhart of Prospect would have us believe that Islamophobia is an "exaggeration", and smacks of Muslims' victim culture. Kenan Malik has asked: "Does Islamophobia really exist? Paul Goodman MP declares "The non-Muslim majority has no reason to beat itself up in a frenzy of liberal guilt...For some Islamist organisations, Islamophobia is less a testing problem than a rhetorical device to delegitimise criticism".

Well, here are the facts....fighting talk leads to abuse and fighting in the streets...and possibly even worse.

In March 2010, one Ian Davidson admitted producing a chemical weapon - in this case ricin, see the Financial Times report below.

The Home Office and the Department for Communities & Local Government were quick to propound their escalator theory on how Muslims get radicalised; but it is 'racist talk to ricin' which should be their pressing concern

And where are our civil society leaders (with the exception of trade union activists), the faith leaders, the Goodhart/Kenan Malik litterati, the overnight 'Islamic experts' and the Goodmans of Parliament not doing more to face down the mounting xenophobia? Why, in the words of the Muslim Council of Britain, this 'lacklustre' response?

Let us hope they start noting the signals such as the Ricin conviction and documentation from Bob Lambert and his colleagues at the European Muslim Research Centre, University of Essex [see link below]

Next time superior-sounding politicians lecture us on the need to sign up unquestioningly to the shared values of liberal, democratic Britain, perhaps someone ought to raise a few caveats.

Dear Mr Susman

You were recently quoted in The Times as stating “we need to reach out to the Muslim community, in a way that isn't superficial and that is real. I intend to talk to people in the mosques and the academic community and the student community" (22nd Sept.)

One of the greatest attributes of India is in its diversity and in lies its admiration, and that it pronounces the soul and success of the country....but it yields a panorama of enchantment and disenchantment

Nauman Khan reflects on how divine dispensation and religious imagery is sought to justify war and the cruelty of man on man....religious fundamentalism is alive and well in the west, causing action and reactions elsewhere...