The government should narrow its definition of ‘political Islam’ and recognise that many Islamic political movements share the same values as Britain, according to a report by an influential committee of MPs.
The report criticises th Foreign Office for using the term to describe both groups that embrace “democratic principles and liberal values” and others that instead hold “intolerant, extremist views.”
It was also heavily critical of the FCO’s recent report into Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood, which was conducted by Sir John Jenkins, while serving as British Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, which gave the impression that it could have been influenced by a foreign state. [199 comments]
[TOP RATED COMMENT] Except that political Islam by definition is theocracy not democracy.
[ANOTHER] Democracy, freedom etc is the complete opposite of Islam.
[ANOTHER] Islam is the religion of hate (witness the 100,000 demonstrating in Pakistan for the Christian Governor of their State to be executed). Of the 66 official "trouble" spots in the world all but one are caused by Islam. Islam is intolerant, demanding, and incapable of living alongside other cultures. For our own survival its practice must be proscribed across Europe.
[ANOTHER] Moderates until you draw a cartoon of Mohamed and then they go loopy and demand your head is cut off.
[ANOTHER] ".... many Islamic political movements share the same values as Britain"
No they bloody well don't -- the values of Britain do not include establishing a One World Religion of Islam, nor any requirement that Sharia is universally applicable to everyone
[ANOTHER] National Socialism also 'shared much of our values', it was still the biggest threat we faced at the time. No amount of appeasement changed that.
Indeed, it could be argued that Islam is a much bigger threat given how supine we are in response to it. [The Independent] Read more
