Sunday, August 12, 2007
Caliphate conclave
Approximately 100,000 Islamist radicals have gathered at the International Caliphate Conference in Jakarta. That's 100,000 people with the long-term objective of establishing sharia law everywhere on the planet. As Gateway Pundit -- who has lots o' links -- writes, "[t]here's not a thing about this conference that looks peaceful... Not a thing."
If 100,000 people are attending this meeting, how many more would have liked to do?
That's a lot of enemies.
CWCID: Glenn Reynolds.
14 Comments:
By 
D.E. Cloutier, at
Sun Aug 12, 07:53:00 PM:
"If 100,000 people are attending this meeting, how many more would have liked to do?"
Do the math:
Indonesia's population: 234,693,997 (July 2007 est.)
Muslims: 86.1 percent
Percent of Indonesian Muslims who support a hardcore Islamic agenda: Low estimate, 2 percent; high estimate, 11 percent.
The 2 to 11 percent are mostly powerless people--the so-called "little people"*--who don't have the money to travel far from their homes.
(*"Little people" is the term the Indonesian business class uses to describe them).
By SR, at
Sun Aug 12, 08:29:00 PM:
Another intelligence failure. A well placed Trident missile could have taken out all 100 K of them at once.
By D.E. Cloutier, at
Sun Aug 12, 08:32:00 PM:
SR, I would rather shoot the missile up the butt of someone who thinks like you do.
By 
, at
Sun Aug 12, 09:23:00 PM:
SR and DEC:
The important thing is that the Indonesians kicked the two main speakers out of the country.
You have to think positive:
It is better that they are out in the open.
100,000, most of whom will be on camera at some time. What a treasure trove for the world's intelligence services.
Looks like we got the FISA problem fixed up just in time.
By D.E. Cloutier, at
Sun Aug 12, 09:45:00 PM:
Good point, Davod. But I would bet you that 90 percent of the people at the gathering don't have phones. Most likely at least half of them can barely read or write.
Indonesia is boxed in by China, India, Australia. The ethnic Chinese Indonesians control a big part of the Indonesian economy. The radical Islamists are, for the most part, poor.
Should we keep an eye on Indonesia? Absolutely. (A 16-year-old madrassa student killed a Dutch acquaintance of mine and his wife in the country 20 years ago. The student wanted to kill all non-Muslims.) But Indonesia is not among the most dangerous threats to us.
By D.E. Cloutier, at
Sun Aug 12, 10:05:00 PM:
P.S. Don't be impressed by the way Indonesians are dressed in the photos. White shirts and other clothes are cheap in Indonesia.
By , at
Mon Aug 13, 12:52:00 AM:
100:000 radicals who should exit this world wirhout harming the inocent by striking them where they get the support THE UN
By , at
Mon Aug 13, 05:28:00 AM:
DEC:
"Indonesia is boxed in by China, India, Australia. The ethnic Chinese Indonesians control a big part of the Indonesian economy. The radical Islamists are, for the most part, poor."
While China, India, Australia, and the ethnic Chinese may be able to sway the Indonesian government through economic means, the radical islamists are not worried about the economy.
Considering the Indonesian government pardoned the ringleader (or was he just the spirtual leader)of those responsible for the Bali Bombings, I wonder how much influence Australia has in Jakarta.
The radical Islamists can be lead by the right people.
The military used to play a big part in the running of the country. I wonder:
Is the military still influential?
To what extent has radicalism infected its ranks?
Economic influence is a two way street. Indonesia and its closeness to the Malaca Straits is, and always will be, a large part of the equation as Outlined in this June 2004 paper "STRAITS OF MALACCA : Security Implications" by the South Aisa Analysis Group "The littoral states of the Straits of Malacca are, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore. The straits, situated between the coastline of Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore to the East and the Indonesian island of Sumatra to the West (see map below), extends 6oo miles (900 km) from its widest point (about 350 km between Northern Sumatra and Thailand) to its narrowest (less than 3 km wide between southern Sumatra and Singapore). At its shallowest, it has a reported depth of just 25 metres. According to the International Maritime Organisation, at least 50,000 ships sail through this strait every year They transport about 30 per cent of the world’s trade goods and 80 per cent of Japan’s oil needs."
Just when do the economic partners apply leverage?
By D.E. Cloutier, at
Mon Aug 13, 12:38:00 PM:
Davod:
The Indonesian terrorist organization Jemaah Islamiyah has its roots in Darul Islam ("House of Islam"), a radical movement in that began in 1940s. This stuff has been going on a long time in the country.
One thing that makes Indonesia different: Many Indonesian Muslim have combined the teachings of Islam with Hinduism, shamanism, and other beliefs. In a survey released last June, two per cent of the Indonesian Muslims said they believed their religion allows violence against non-Muslims.
At the moment, the Indonesian police seem to be doing a good job in the battle against Islamic extremists. There are occasional setbacks (just like in other places). I see no evidence that radical Islamists have a major influence in the military. (The air force is one of my customers.)
The Strait of Malacca is essential to the economic well-being of both China and India. China, India, and the U.S. will always keep the Malacca Strait open. Indonesia doesn't have the military power to control it anyway. The country can't even stop sea piracy in its waters.
Australia has no influence in Indonesia. Toyota probably has more influence.
By , at
Mon Aug 13, 02:18:00 PM:
DEC:
This is a little off topic but I think it is pertinent to the discussion.
Your comments regarding the Indonesians combining of religions reminds me of something I read about the Haj.
The pilgrims used to wear their traditional dress to Mecca. The Haj looked like the coming together of many different peoples linked by a common religion.
Only after the Saudis captured Mecca from Jordan in the late 1920s did the dress change. The Saudis brought with them the Wahabis and they instituted the the strict dress standard.
By D.E. Cloutier, at
Mon Aug 13, 03:19:00 PM:
By D.E. Cloutier, at
Mon Aug 13, 03:31:00 PM:
P.S. Davod, you might like this old post on my blog:
"One Night in Jakarta"
Link:
http://jungletrader.blogspot.com/search?q=%22One+Night+in+Jakarta%22
By Dawnfire82, at
Mon Aug 13, 08:34:00 PM:
"Jemaah Islamiyah" is Arabic for "Islamic Group/Organization" and is the same name as an Egyptian terrorist organization. I wonder if they share more?
By D.E. Cloutier, at
Mon Aug 13, 10:02:00 PM:
I don't know, Dawnfire82. According to Indonesian news media several years ago, one of the JI leaders in Indonesia claimed Osama bin Laden had visited Indonesia in the 1980s and had picked up his ideas from them. It might be true; it might not. I don't know if Egyptian Ayman al-Zawahiri ever visited Indonesia.
Could Osama be in Indonesia right now? You bet. Lots of pirates and smugglers. The country is still trying to figure out how many islands it has.
