True to Professor Cole's statement in the first paragraph of his article above, I still vividly recall, as a layman arguing with a friend out of curiosity in 1988, thinking to myself of the consequences of thousands of so-called the Arab Afghan Jihadists enticed by the CIA, the Regan Government and the Largess of the Saudi Royalty to volunteer to fight the infidel Soviets what could happen afterwards to these volunteer Arabs fighting in Afghanistan, many thousands of war trained Arab Afghans, when the Afghan war is over and they return to their original Arab countries? Those returnee Arab Afghans ultimately formed the nucleus of what later became known as "Al-Qaeda," what started originally as the brainchild of the CIA, the Regan Administration and the subservient Saudi authorities brandishing Islam to entice theses volunteers to engage in the fight against the Soviet soldiers under the banner of Jihad. My fears as a layman, unfortunately, proved true. One then puts the question, who was the ultimate culprits?
Professor Juan Cole has written an excellent article based on facts and measurable statistics. I am very glad that I see eye to eye with Professor Cole on this matter as I wrote in an article on the subject entitled "Margaret Thatcher: An Enduring Legacy of World "Class Division" and "Wealth Disparity" circulated two days ago:
"Termed the “Big Bang” of the dismantling of the regulatory system in Great Britain, concomitantly with the privatization of public enterprises and the giving of a freeway to the Financial Center to dominate the economy, all in one go, Mrs. Thatcher, dubbed “The Iron Lady,” created a universally invasive culture of “Class Division” and of increasingly widening gap of disparities of fast accumulating wealth between the very few Haves and the increasingly impoverished Have Not."
How better, safer, peaceful and prosperous our world would had become had we had so many of the sane, judicious, well- informed and caring wise Americans as Professor Juan Cole. Thank you Professor Cole for having done your piece.
It really strikes me that a Scholar as Bernard Lewis would not come forward and cast an opinion on Netanyahu's following quotation or misquotation as being, if untrue, being put out of context; the Onus falls on Bernard Lewis to approve or object to Netanyahu's deployment of an intellectual scholar's possible speculative renderings to serving a political agenda of potentially very ominous consequence.
Bernard Lewis according to Netanyahu had allegedly stated:
Netanyahu even delivered an excursus on Shiite theology at the UN (yes):
“There’s a great scholar of the Middle East, Prof. Bernard Lewis, who put it best. He said that for the Ayatollahs of Iran, mutually assured destruction is not a deterrent, it’s an inducement.
Iran’s apocalyptic leaders believe that a medieval holy man will reappear in the wake of a devastating Holy War, thereby ensuring that their brand of radical Islam will rule the earth.
That’s not just what they believe. That’s what is actually guiding their policies and their actions.”
Excellent, factual and a moderate article by Professor Juan Cole. In an article in the bi-monthly July/August 2012 edition of Foreign Affairs, Professor Kenneth Waltz of Columbia University goes as far as advocating that Iran ought to possess nuclear arsenal for the sake of restoring stability to a Middle East went widely unstable for many decades since Israel developed, of all the countries of the region, it's nuclear weaponry program.
Netanyahu & his Likud adherents are riding the wave of a submissive US Polity still enjoying the privilege of a US leading in a unipoar universe.
© 2025 All Rights Reserved
True to Professor Cole's statement in the first paragraph of his article above, I still vividly recall, as a layman arguing with a friend out of curiosity in 1988, thinking to myself of the consequences of thousands of so-called the Arab Afghan Jihadists enticed by the CIA, the Regan Government and the Largess of the Saudi Royalty to volunteer to fight the infidel Soviets what could happen afterwards to these volunteer Arabs fighting in Afghanistan, many thousands of war trained Arab Afghans, when the Afghan war is over and they return to their original Arab countries? Those returnee Arab Afghans ultimately formed the nucleus of what later became known as "Al-Qaeda," what started originally as the brainchild of the CIA, the Regan Administration and the subservient Saudi authorities brandishing Islam to entice theses volunteers to engage in the fight against the Soviet soldiers under the banner of Jihad. My fears as a layman, unfortunately, proved true. One then puts the question, who was the ultimate culprits?
Rajai Masri
Professor Juan Cole has written an excellent article based on facts and measurable statistics. I am very glad that I see eye to eye with Professor Cole on this matter as I wrote in an article on the subject entitled "Margaret Thatcher: An Enduring Legacy of World "Class Division" and "Wealth Disparity" circulated two days ago:
"Termed the “Big Bang” of the dismantling of the regulatory system in Great Britain, concomitantly with the privatization of public enterprises and the giving of a freeway to the Financial Center to dominate the economy, all in one go, Mrs. Thatcher, dubbed “The Iron Lady,” created a universally invasive culture of “Class Division” and of increasingly widening gap of disparities of fast accumulating wealth between the very few Haves and the increasingly impoverished Have Not."
Rajai Masri
How better, safer, peaceful and prosperous our world would had become had we had so many of the sane, judicious, well- informed and caring wise Americans as Professor Juan Cole. Thank you Professor Cole for having done your piece.
Rajai Masri
Palestinian American
It really strikes me that a Scholar as Bernard Lewis would not come forward and cast an opinion on Netanyahu's following quotation or misquotation as being, if untrue, being put out of context; the Onus falls on Bernard Lewis to approve or object to Netanyahu's deployment of an intellectual scholar's possible speculative renderings to serving a political agenda of potentially very ominous consequence.
Bernard Lewis according to Netanyahu had allegedly stated:
Netanyahu even delivered an excursus on Shiite theology at the UN (yes):
“There’s a great scholar of the Middle East, Prof. Bernard Lewis, who put it best. He said that for the Ayatollahs of Iran, mutually assured destruction is not a deterrent, it’s an inducement.
Iran’s apocalyptic leaders believe that a medieval holy man will reappear in the wake of a devastating Holy War, thereby ensuring that their brand of radical Islam will rule the earth.
That’s not just what they believe. That’s what is actually guiding their policies and their actions.”
Excellent, factual and a moderate article by Professor Juan Cole. In an article in the bi-monthly July/August 2012 edition of Foreign Affairs, Professor Kenneth Waltz of Columbia University goes as far as advocating that Iran ought to possess nuclear arsenal for the sake of restoring stability to a Middle East went widely unstable for many decades since Israel developed, of all the countries of the region, it's nuclear weaponry program.
Netanyahu & his Likud adherents are riding the wave of a submissive US Polity still enjoying the privilege of a US leading in a unipoar universe.