Re: FW: Racist book "The Arab Mind" used to train military , but best use is as a doorstop.

["Chris Doss" <nomorebounces@xxxxxxx>]

Chris Doss wrote:

Putin is referring to Wahabbi jihadis

But that's what people like Stephen Schwartz, Paul Berman and Ian Buruma
are speaking of, as well. We need to organize a crusade against the
dirty Wahabbists so that civilization can prevail.

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I am but vaguely familiar with their positions -- keep in mind that you are speaking to someone who is not in the United States.

Russia's concern is jihadi activity along its southern rim, mostly financed from abroad. Islamic fundamentalism is completely alien to post-Soviet Muslims, which is the main reason why the wahabbi dream of a pan-Caucasian caliphate is fantasy, and why, instead of meeting Khattab and Basayev with flowers, the Dagestanis met them with rifle fire. (Though actually people like Khozh-Akhmet Nukhaev, who after all used to be a big Mafia guy, combine Islamic fundamentalism, Caucasian tribal culture, extreme nationalism  and gangster mythology in a weird mixture.)

The population of Russia is about 20% Muslim. The population of Moscow is about 15% Muslim. The third-largest ethnic group, the Tatars, is Muslim. The last thing Russia wants is a crusade against Muslims, or to use language that implies it.