Antiseptic,

(1) ""imposition" implies force. " of course it does, what point are you making? You haven't replied to my comments on the destruction Islamic attacks caused to European civilisation or to the exaggerated claims in regard to the contribution of Islamic scholarship to Western culture, or the the oppressive nature of Moslem rule. Do you, in fact, understand any history from the 7th century until say, 1683, when the last significant Moslem attack on Europe was defeated?

Again, what's the course you're studying?

(2"Have you studied the history of the last 60 years?" What history, be more specific?

"The Abbassid and Umayyid Caliphates lasted for several hundred years. How long do you reckon the US model will last." So what, Western history is far older than that. What has Islamic civilisation achieved in the last millennium? As often before, you've confused quite separate moral and political issues.

I think I understand the point you're trying to make--I don't support US policy in the ME ( particularly American support for Israel) and in my opinion, the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan are war crimes. You are, either deliberately, or naively, failing to distinguish between the Islamic ideology and the human rights issues involved in the ME and North Africa. Whitewashing the crimes committed in the name of Islam, or its history, is a pointless exercise.

"'Im afraid your prejudice is showing - or perhaps that's just the bit you blow smoke out of... Either way, it's not a pretty sight."

Remember, you were the first to make offensive remarks, so here's a piece of psychologising from me.

You make assertions without any support and fail to refute, or even answer comments that I've made, so (1) you're either bluffing, (2) a rather confused leftist who can't distinguish race and ideology (3) a cultural relativist desperately attempting to find some virtue in Islamic culture or (4) a Moslem, which would explain your dissembling method.

Antipeptic,

Strictly speaking, the various Egyptian and the Roman Empires each lasted for a couple of thousand years, while the Abbasids and Umayyids each barely lasted 150 years, after surviving the First Moslem Civil War and the Second Moslem Civil War, in the seventh century. The Abbasids' capital of Baghdad was sacked by the Muslim Mongols, and again by the Muslim Timur - each time, massive piles of bodies marked the event.

Yes, sure is a peaceful religion.

Dear Loudmouth,

http://lostislamichistory.com/mongols/ tells about the destruction of Baghdad by the Mongols. The Mongols who destroyed Baghdad were not Muslims.

From that account:

“Besides some raids and massacres on the borderlands of Islam, Genghis Khan did not invade far into the Muslim world. Under his successor, Ogedei, the Muslim world continued to be spared Mongol wrath. However, in 1255 that peace would end. The Great Khan, Mongke, put his brother Hulagu Khan in charge of an army whose goals were to conquer Persia, Syria, and Egypt, as well as to destroy the Abbasid Caliphate. The campaign’s goal appears to be a complete destruction of Islam. Hulagu himself even had a very deep hatred for everything attached to Islam. Much of this came from his Buddhist and Christian advisors who influenced his policies.”

The two big slaughters that marked the twentieth century were two World Wars largely carried on by the Christian powers against each other with the assistance of the Buddhist-Shintoist Japanese.

At the beginning of the twentieth century with the chief exception of Turkey and Afghanistan all Islam was under the colonial domination of the Christian European powers. The British, French, Dutch, Belgian, Portuguese, Spanish, Russian and Italian empires were not built in a fit of absent mindedness. They were even justified to spread Christianity.

Google gunboats and missionaries to get many references to their close association. In spite of the close and lamentable association of Christianity and violence I believe, possibly in spite of the evidence, that Christians can live peacefully in the world and respect the rights and lives of non-Christians.

Deleted for abuse. And if I see anymore it will go too.

Gee Cohenite, one sentence and you foam at the mouth?

Deleted. Refers to previously deleted comment.