Green Energy
Pastorius graciously invited me to join the IBA.
I have been blogging about Multiculturalism and Islam in Europe since 2005 on my blog Snouck Hurgronje.
My blog is named after the Dutch Orientalist and Islam scholar Snouck Hurgronje. He was the first European visitor of Mekka.
The Netherlands was in charge of what is now Indonesia in the 19th and first half of the 20th century. Indonesia is the biggest Muslim country in the world. In the middle of the 19th century the Islamic state of Aceh in Indonesia started a Jihad against infidels. The Jihad involved mostly acts of piracy against Chinese and Western shipping in the straits of Mallacca. The victims were often subjects of the Queen of Great Britain and the British demanded that the Dutch ended the Jihad. Or they would step in themselves. Eventually the Dutch send a force to Aceh and got bogged down in a war against the Jihadists that lasted decades and took a steady toll on Dutch manpower and resources.
After getting nowhere for 25 years Snouck Hurgronje and General Van Heutz came to a strategy based on understanding Islam and its workings in Indonesia. The Dutch went over to the offensive and defeated the Jihadists in a few years.
The parallels between the present situation are, I believe, clear. Islam is a threat not just to the West, but to the whole "infidel" world. Defeating Islam will only happen if we understand it and do not try to fight it in a mode that worked in the previous industrial wars between Western states. In order to defeat it we must look critically at our own ways of thinking about society and war.
I do not think Islam can be crushed and become a unoffensive part of the world. Islam has been around for 1.400 years and has proved itself during that time. But I do think it is possible to make ourselves safe from the Islamic threat in a way that is acceptable to our Western morality.
- Immigration Is The Biggest Mistake In Dutch History
A survey of Dutch citizens shows that over 50% believe that the rampant immigration of the past few years has been the biggest mistake in Dutch history. From the Opinionator at Up Pompeii: AMSTERDAM, 27/03/08 - The majority of the Dutch are negative...
- And Call My Backside, Mervyn, Please.
When they venerate Christ as Lord, and call god Yahweh to curry our respect, and keep the peace, I'll buy the lot of you lunch. Bishop urges Christians to call God 'Allah'Catholic leader believes it would help ease tensions between religions...
- Storm Track Infiltration: What’s Wrong With This Picture?
From The Gathering Storm Last week Spain financed publication of a school textbook it says is unlike any other in the European Union - a primer for Muslim first-graders to learn about Islam, but do so in Spanish as a way to integrate better into society,...
- Analysis Of The Dutch Governmental Collapse From Snouck
For those of you wondering what exactly has been going on with the collapse of the government in The Netherlands, I rather like and recommend this post by fellow Dutch blogger Snouck. This is a beautifully written, concise, and rather humorous account...
- Dutch End Muslim Immigration (slyly)
The Dutch have effectively put an end to Muslim immigration, well, at least the backward, pious Muslim immigrant. I have to admire the Dutch. They have done this so cleverly. First, anyone who wants to immigrate must pass a Dutch exam in their country....
Green Energy
New on IBA
Pastorius graciously invited me to join the IBA.
I have been blogging about Multiculturalism and Islam in Europe since 2005 on my blog Snouck Hurgronje.
My blog is named after the Dutch Orientalist and Islam scholar Snouck Hurgronje. He was the first European visitor of Mekka.
The Netherlands was in charge of what is now Indonesia in the 19th and first half of the 20th century. Indonesia is the biggest Muslim country in the world. In the middle of the 19th century the Islamic state of Aceh in Indonesia started a Jihad against infidels. The Jihad involved mostly acts of piracy against Chinese and Western shipping in the straits of Mallacca. The victims were often subjects of the Queen of Great Britain and the British demanded that the Dutch ended the Jihad. Or they would step in themselves. Eventually the Dutch send a force to Aceh and got bogged down in a war against the Jihadists that lasted decades and took a steady toll on Dutch manpower and resources.
After getting nowhere for 25 years Snouck Hurgronje and General Van Heutz came to a strategy based on understanding Islam and its workings in Indonesia. The Dutch went over to the offensive and defeated the Jihadists in a few years.
The parallels between the present situation are, I believe, clear. Islam is a threat not just to the West, but to the whole "infidel" world. Defeating Islam will only happen if we understand it and do not try to fight it in a mode that worked in the previous industrial wars between Western states. In order to defeat it we must look critically at our own ways of thinking about society and war.
I do not think Islam can be crushed and become a unoffensive part of the world. Islam has been around for 1.400 years and has proved itself during that time. But I do think it is possible to make ourselves safe from the Islamic threat in a way that is acceptable to our Western morality.
- Immigration Is The Biggest Mistake In Dutch History
A survey of Dutch citizens shows that over 50% believe that the rampant immigration of the past few years has been the biggest mistake in Dutch history. From the Opinionator at Up Pompeii: AMSTERDAM, 27/03/08 - The majority of the Dutch are negative...
- And Call My Backside, Mervyn, Please.
When they venerate Christ as Lord, and call god Yahweh to curry our respect, and keep the peace, I'll buy the lot of you lunch. Bishop urges Christians to call God 'Allah'Catholic leader believes it would help ease tensions between religions...
- Storm Track Infiltration: What’s Wrong With This Picture?
From The Gathering Storm Last week Spain financed publication of a school textbook it says is unlike any other in the European Union - a primer for Muslim first-graders to learn about Islam, but do so in Spanish as a way to integrate better into society,...
- Analysis Of The Dutch Governmental Collapse From Snouck
For those of you wondering what exactly has been going on with the collapse of the government in The Netherlands, I rather like and recommend this post by fellow Dutch blogger Snouck. This is a beautifully written, concise, and rather humorous account...
- Dutch End Muslim Immigration (slyly)
The Dutch have effectively put an end to Muslim immigration, well, at least the backward, pious Muslim immigrant. I have to admire the Dutch. They have done this so cleverly. First, anyone who wants to immigrate must pass a Dutch exam in their country....