Surreal and Suicidal: Modern Western Histories of Islam

by Raymond Ibrahim // RaymondIbrahim.com 

The full magnitude of the modern West’s ignorance of its own past recently struck via RaymondIbrahim.comme while rereading some early history books concerning the centuries-long jihad on Europe.   The historical narrative being disseminated today simply bears very little resemblance to reality.

Consider some facts for a moment:

A mere decade after the birth of Islam in the 7th century, the jihad burst out of Arabia.  Leaving aside all the thousands of miles of ancient lands and civilizations that were permanently conquered, today casually called the “Islamic world”—including Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Iran, and parts of India and China—much of Europe was also, at one time or another, conquered by the sword of Islam. Continue reading “Surreal and Suicidal: Modern Western Histories of Islam”

The Glue Holding America Together

As it fragments into various camps, the country is being held together by a common popular culture.

by Victor Davis Hanson

National Review Online

By a.d. 200, the Roman Republic was a distant memory. Few citizens of the global Roman Empire even knew of their illustrious ancestors like Scipio or Cicero. Millions no longer spoke Latin. Italian emperors were a rarity. There were no national elections. Continue reading “The Glue Holding America Together”

The Stagnant Mediterranean

Socialism and Islamism don’t foster a climate of economic growth and security.

by Victor Davis Hanson

National Review Online

From the heights of Gibraltar you can see Africa about nine miles away to the south — and gaze eastward on the seemingly endless Mediterranean, which stretches 2,400 miles to Asia.  Continue reading “The Stagnant Mediterranean”

Why Do Societies Give Up?

by Victor Davis Hanson

Tribune Media Services

Why do once-successful societies ossify and decline?

Hundreds of reasons have been adduced for the fall of Rome and the end of the Old Regime in 18th-century France. Continue reading “Why Do Societies Give Up?”

Let Sleeping Germans Lie

by Victor Davis Hanson

Tribune Media Services

The newly elected French Socialist president, Francois Hollande, is warning Germany that Mediterranean ideas of “growth,” not Germanic “austerity,” should be the new European creed. Continue reading “Let Sleeping Germans Lie”

Obama’s Undiplomacy

by Victor Davis Hanson

National Review Online

Most of the criticism of the Obama administration’s foreign policy concerns the failure of “reset diplomacy,” the inability to deal with Iran or North Korea, or the sense that we are ignoring allies and appeasing enemies. Continue reading “Obama’s Undiplomacy”

Why NATO Still Matters

by Victor Davis Hanson

Defining Ideas

Germany’s financial dominance may be worrisome, but is it a threat to European peace? Continue reading “Why NATO Still Matters”

Europe in the Rearview Mirror

by Victor Davis Hanson

PJ Media

The Dream and the Nightmare

The European Union was always a paradox. Its existence was predicated entirely on the notion of German guilt, translating into massive cash transfers east and south. Continue reading “Europe in the Rearview Mirror”

Greek Tragedies

br Victor Davis Hanson

NRO’s The Corner

There are a lot of new twists to the old story of massive demonstrations in Greece. This is the first time in my life (I first went to Greece in 1973) that I can remember Greek rioting and demonstrations that were not anti-American. Continue reading “Greek Tragedies”

Diplomacy Carterizes

by Victor Davis Hanson

NRO’s The Corner

Reset/Outreach R.I.P

It is not surprising how little foreign policy comes up in the debates, given the sorry state of the economy. Continue reading “Diplomacy Carterizes”