[lit-ideas] Re: How many are the Jihadists, and shall we worry about them?

>as apparently Judy does in support of Simon

totally independently, actually

>Pipes says 10-15%.  Does that mean we have less to worry about?  
>No, Pipes tells us, these fanatical Jihadists comprise a greater number 
>than the equivalently committed Fascists and Communists.  

actually, Pipes said 'if'.  

DP/LH>If Islamists constitute 10 percent to 15 percent of the Muslim 
DP/LH>population worldwide,

(and if, Islamist=someone 'fanatically striving to destroy us')

 There's also the small matter of your absurd caricature of 'Leftists' and your
equally absurd caricature of opponents of the War on Iraq...

Judy Evans, Cardiff


  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Lawrence Helm 
  To: Lit-Ideas 
  Sent: Friday, September 28, 2007 6:43 PM
  Subject: [lit-ideas] How many are the Jihadists, and shall we worry about 
them?



  Gad, here I go getting roped into another really really stupid quibble.  Are 
Communists party members?  Were Fascists members of Fascists parties.  I 
assumed so and said so in the note Simon quoted and then didn't read.  

  Simon assumes not.  He assumes everyone who ever lived in the Soviet Union 
was a Communist and everyone who ever lived in Nazi Germany was a Nazi, as 
apparently Judy does in support of Simon, and gloms onto this invented quibble 
rather than the common sense of what is being said.  

  What is Pipes point and what is mine?  I shouldn't have to spell it out for 
you, but I will.  We are worried about the committed fanatics today.  How many 
are there?  These are the Jihadists, the people we have to worry about.  How 
many notes did I write speculating about their number.  Were 30% of the total 
number of Muslims, Islamists?  Was it some lesser number?  Pipes says 10-15%.  
Does that mean we have less to worry about?  No, Pipes tells us, these 
fanatical Jihadists comprise a greater number than the equivalently committed 
Fascists and Communists.  I assume "party members."  Simon foolishly assumes 
entire populations and then scoffs at me for not making his mistaken numbers 
add up.

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