 An Islamic Europe
Democracy will result in prosperity if the Western world
and oil gianrts allow it
Ardavan Bahrami
August 30, 2004
iranian.com
“Bernard Lewis, world-famous historian and
expert on Islam, predicted that Europe will become Islamic by
the end of the century
as a result of emigration patterns and birth rates.” Al-Sharq,
Qatar, 8/20/04
Such remark made by a distinguished historian and expert on Islamic
countries like Bernard Lewis is extremely worrying!
However, if we look closely into the social problems regarding
mass immigration of Moslem's to European countries, one can understand
that most of these immigrants are economic refugees.
Of course, such a transition from a Christian continent to an
Islamic one in the near future is not a hypothesis. The Netherlands,
one of the smaller European countries but with one of the largest
Islamic communities in Europe has been predicted to have - in less
than 30 years, majority Muslim population. One can fear the day
when by majority votes the Dutch queen is forced to wear the Islamic
hejab in her public appearances!
Spain, a much larger European country but with a negative birth
rate among its indigenous people will also have a majority Muslim
population in the future.
Such trend will follow in other European states with large Islamic
communities such as France, Germany and Switzerland.
But it seems to me that people are unfortunately very shortsighted
as well as forgetful! All problems, issues and international threats
regarding Islam, Islamic fundamentalism, terrorism etc. commenced
with the establishment of the Islamic Republic in Iran in 1979.
The West should allow as well as aid the Islamic countries to
progress and prosper through secular and democratically elected
governments. Even though such developments may result in a more
expensive economical life for Europeans and Americans due to eventual
industrialization of these countries. But its long-term advantages
are that desperate citizens of these countries will not head westward
in search of a better life for themselves and their family.
 Democracy and secularism in 3rd
world as well as Middle Eastern countries will result in prosperity
if the Western world, and the
giant oil cartels in particular, allow it.
Such changes will reabsorb many immigrants back to their homeland
and therefore, create a more balanced world where a Middle Eastern
or a third world countries' citizen's standard of life will not
be so far behind from those in the Western societies.
But unfortunately all the West aims for are:
i. The constant flow of cheap oil for the Western industry and
ii. The prevention of the M.E. countries to become industrialized
The West needs the cheap oil, if the Middle Eastern countries,
like Iran of the 70s become industrialized nations who also have
the advantage of oil and gas reserves; they will easily take over
the world consumers' markets.
 Can you imagine if Iran as it used to be called in the late 70s
had, "Become the Japan of Western Asia by mid-80's"?
Naturally the West made sure that such path would be closed and
avoided with the advent of the Islamic Republic in Iran!
The West needs to rethink its values and long-term prospects
before it's too late.
A TRULY secular and democratic government in Iran can change
the pattern on an international scale.
*
*
|
An Islamic Europe
