Siddiqui: Arab Islamists less scary than Republicans

[CHIMO]

Islamists have emerged as winners in all three post-Arab Spring elections — Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia. This has spooked some people — “Islamists ascendant” and “Muslims on the march.” This is unwarranted, based on known facts.

Truth be known, the Islamists sound far less scary than the American presidential candidates for the Republican party.

Islamists have invoked God far fewer times than Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney, Michele Bachmann, Rick Perry and, until his recent departure due to revelations that he broke his Christian wedding vows, Herman Cain.

The candidates have been competing in proclaiming fidelity to Jesus. Whether they are sincere or merely striking poses for the benefit of the party’s fundamentalist core constituency is moot, for the purposes of our discussion here.
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorialopinion/article/1100078--siddiqui-arab-islamists-less-scary-than-republicans

[Lithos]

1. They are about the same

The big difference is that one is based on a group parliamentary system where individuals do not have to try and out do each other which in turn shapes the conversation.

[Boston_Chemist]

2. Imagine what would happen if a Republican clown got elected to be President of the USA,

* And misled the most powerful country in the world into a nonsensical war,
* And destroyed a well educated society with a higher rate of educational achievement than the USA,
* And caused the death of 100s of thousands of civilians,
* And bankrupted his country with his inane policies,
* And left a legacy of corruption that ruined the Democratic President's term,
* And destroyed his country's reputation, both abroad and not abroad.

I happen to be in substantial agreement with Mr. Siddiqui.