U.S. Risks a Wave of Extremism

Most Arabs are skeptical of U.S. President Bush’s cry to bring democracy to Iraq. Arabs still remember France and Britain’s failed promises of liberation at the fall of the Ottoman Empire. They also fear that Bush is a fundamentalist Christian who will oppress Arab and Islamic identity as the US rebuilds Iraq. If, in the ensuing months, evidence confirms such fears, Islamic fundamentalism will rise. A long US occupation of Iraq will be viewed as a Muslim defeat, which in itself is often seen as an opportunity for religious revival in fundamentalist histories. Furthermore, a number of the Prophet Mohammed’s sayings of an embattled Islam have been interpreted to support terrorism and suicide bombing. Most Muslims are not fundamentalists, but the US risks stoking extremism if it is not careful. According to the author, the key to bringing democracy to Iraq will be to cede power quickly to Iraqis to help them rebuild their nation and also not to squash Islamic and Arab identity. – YaleGlobal