24
extrem
ist groups dedicated to violence and an absolute rejection of the
West are small. In addition, she claims, "The radicals do not have a
broad base of popular support. ...Even in Lebanon, however, where
such groups flourish, a poll of university students taken in 1987
indicated that more than 90% disapproved of...assassinations, hostage
taking, and sabotage of government installations." On the other hand,
Marr admits that "there may be only a thin line between the open,
mainstream movements and their clandestine [violent] counterparts."
She concludes that "the Islamic revival is not only here to stay but is
likely to be a leading domestic political force shaping the
Mediterranean region during the coming decades. Despite political
vicissitudes, the various movements loosely collected under the rubric
of 'Islamic Fundamentalism' have shown a staying power that indicates
they have achieved both breadth and depth in their indigenous
societies."85
Like Marr, Abbas Hamdani, professor of Middle Eastern history
at the University of Wisconsin, asserts that "to propose a monolithic
view of Islam and then equate it with fundamentalism would be
wrong.... Except for mass followings in Algeria and Tunisia,
fundamentalists represent a small segment, although a popular, vocal,
and highly motivated one, of the total population. [Hamdani overlooks
the Sudan and Afghanistan, both of which, at this writing, were in
fundamentalist hands.] Even in Iran, which appears to be totally
convulsed in fundamentalism, it is a small minority that has
monopolized power."86 As the case of Iran demonstrates, it only takes
a minority to seize control of a country, especially if that minority is
enthusiastic about using violence. In Germany's July, 1932, elections,
63% of the voters cast their ballots against the Nazis. By the November
elections, the anti-Nazi vote was even larger. Yet Adolf Hitler was able
to achieve dictatorial power only four months later on March 23, 1933,
in part because his storm troopers--like the militant gangs controlled
by the fundamentalists--were willing to murder their opponents.
Khomeini's works advocate vigorously converting or murdering
all those who do not embrace Allah's holy meme. Then they urge a
holy war on the nations of the West. The ayatollah wrote, "Any
<< < GO > >>