"Clerical fascism"

[Chip Berlet]

Doug Sez:

> 
> So ObL is a Saudi, many of his associates are Arabs, and they're all 
> holed up in a non-Arab country. Islam isn't a nationalist or a racist 
> religion, is it? It's universalist towrds its adherents. Iran is a 
> theocracy, but it has elections and a parliament. So we have a 
> non-ethnic, non-nationalist, non-statist formation with no 
> significant industry aside from a chain of honey retailers - that is 
> yet still somehow fascist. I don't get it.
> 
> Doug
> 

...not even trying...

Ethnic includes religion.

Not all theocracies are fascist.

Saudi Arabia is a theocracy that is not quite fascist.
(despite my respect for Katha Pollitt)

These are not just Arab nationalists, they are Islamic
Nationalists. They want many Islamic theocracies. 
Talib=student and in this context we are talking
about a movement of Islamic theology students who
are seeking to purify the religion.

One interpretation of Islam--the majority interpretation--
Is that it is universalist towards its adherents. ObL
despises the reactionary fundamentalist Islamic system
in Saudi Arabia (the Wahhabi movement) because he
sees it as a whore for the US infidels.

Note that the major Black Muslim movement in the
US is critical of Farrakhan and the Nation of
Islam because of their bigotry towards Jews and
White people in general, and because they would
not consider allowing White members.

Not all fundamentalist Muslims agree with each other.
Not all fundamentalist Muslims are fascists.
Not all fundamentalist Muslims are theocrats.
Not all theocratic Muslims are fascists.
Some theocratic Islamic fundamentalists are fascists.

Not all fundamentalist Christians agree with each other.
Not all fundamentalist Christians are fascists.
Not all fundamentalist Christians are theocrats.
Not all theocratic Christians are fascists.
Some theocratic Christian fundamentalists are fascists.

Not all fundamentalist Jews agree with each other.
Not all fundamentalist Jews are fascists. 
Not all fundamentalist Jews are theocrats.
Not all theocratic Jews are fascists.
Some theocratic Jews are fascists.

Fascist movements are different from fascist states. 

Fascist movements can exist in exile.

Fascism denounces modernity while using modern
tools of mass communication. Thus Herf calls
it "Reactionary Modernism."

Fascism has nothing to do with existing industry and
everything to do with reacting against both
capitalism and communism and the alienation
created in the modern world by industrialization
and now corporate globalization. 

ObL is not in Afghanistan for the waters. He was not 
misinformed. He was thrown out of Saudi Arabia for
trying to foment revolutionary Islamic terrorism in an
effort to expunge western influence from Islamic 
countries, especially those with major 
religious shrines.

ObL would be a nationalist real quick if he could
take over Saudi Arabia, dontyathink?

Aryan Nations is a US fascist movement. Nations.
Plural. They want to establish many Aryan Nations 
around the world. It is nationalist in desire and yet
internationalist in scope.

Here is a version of Griffin's definition 
with particulars inserted in brackets: 

= = = = =

[ ObL has crafted a version of theocratic fascism 
that has resulted in a ]  modern political ideology 
that seeks to regenerate the social, economic, and cultural 
life of ...[ all Islamic countries ] by basing [ them ] 
on a heightened sense of national belonging or 
ethnic identity [ rooted in a militant and nasty version of 
Islam rejected by most fundamentalist Muslims]. 

[ ObL rejects liberal ideas such as freedom and 
individual rights, and ... [ would likely press for ]
the destruction of elections, legislatures, and other 
elements of democracy [ in most existing Islamic countries
in an effort to impose his fanatic version of Islam ].

Despite the idealistic goals of fascism, attempts to build fascist
societies have led to wars and persecutions that caused millions of
deaths. As a result, fascism is strongly associated with right-wing
fanaticism, racism, totalitarianism, and violence.

= = = = =

-Chip Berlet