I have just fininshed reading a brilliant post I found at "The Mesopotamian", relating to the insulting cartoons of Mohammed displayed by newspapers across the globe. The timing of these pictures being re-printed, let alone the ferocity of the response even amongst usually somewhat quiet Muslim communities has a suspicious feel about it, and in this post Alaa expresses similar concern and suspicion.

The argument to back what is said is very logical, intelligent and draws also on Alaa's experience
with religion and extremism.

Basically it appears there are people out there (I am not going to level accusations at any one group here, it is a lot of people, on all sides of the spectrum) who want to increase the rift between Westerners and Muslim's world-wide, and it appears they have hijacked the "Cartoon Saga" in an attempt to push the situation over the edge and out of control.

Fortunately they hadn't counted on the increase in strength and influence of rational communities across the globe the last year or so, which have ensured ties between Muslim communities and the rest of the world will never be severed no matter what strain is put on them. I will never give up on my friends in the Middle East now, not after the experience of being in amongst the emotions of Iraqi (and other) bloggers.

I will fight against this kind of extremism and segregation of minorities until the day we can get along, are you with me? Go read Alaah's post and leave a comment:

http://messopotamian.blogspot.com/2006_02_01_messopotamian_archive.html#113902733806858491