I have not read all the posts on this subject as I am simply snowed under with work (and probably will be so in the most literal sense in a few weeks). However, my Moscow metro-underground book over the past few days has been Karen Armstrong’s “Holy War”. Reading and watching Mahathir’s odious remarks resonance well with how Armstrong explains in her tome why such rhetoric is so firmly embedded in Christian (then adopted by Arab/Muslim) political rhetoric.
BTW, I don’t know what Chris’ circle has experienced, but the response to Mahathir’s mindless and hateful words have met with zero response among Russians I know.
However, Russian TV has had a lot of fun with Putin's interviews for Star-TV and Al Jazeera during the APEC summit. It was not his words but expressions that said everything. Putin did not disappoint the Arab/Muslim world in terms of what he really thinks of Bush’s America (or at least for many leaders of the Arab/Muslim world). Maybe it was all an act………..
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