Quote:
Originally Posted by surge_factor
I got to thinking about this the other day;
Tensions are high between Islamic countries and nations of other ideologies (e.g. Israel, the U.S., pretty much all of Europe etc.) and there are currently wars being waged, and cultural clashes occurring daily. But ultimately, do you see the new climate of terrorism, Islam's growing influence, and the mounting focus/scrutiny of Islam resulting in an all out war between allied nations on both sides?
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Well, the jihadis see themselves as already engaged in a holy war but Islamic countries are another story.
Frankly, the Arab world has repeatedly proven itself to be crap in a fight. They're not looking for war anytime soon. Not with the U.S., any European country or even Israel.
The Arab world (
not every country with a large Muslim population) is where the vast majority of Islamic extremism emanates from.
Indonesia is the most populous Muslim country on the planet but I don't see them spoiling for a fight with anyone (unless it's a small, indigenous people fighting for independence on one of the many islands in the archipelago).
Now, as for the 'other side', I don't see there being any country in the Western world that would or could go to war as an explicitly Christian force opposing the rival religious identity of other countries.
It doesn't matter how much of a Bible-basher George Bush is, or how much airtime televangelists get, the U.S. is not a Christian country and can never correctly identify itself as such.
I can't think of any country, currently, that is a theocratic Christian state in the same way that e.g. Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Iran are theocratic Islamic states.
Perhaps the Vatican, if you consider it a state?
So the jihadis can call their struggle a 'holy war' if they want but I don't see any countries going to war in the name of a religion.
I don't see any official 'Islam vs. Christianity' scenario happening at all.
The way the world looks right now I'd say it was impossible.