A Chilling Spring

Since my last column many people have talked to me about the release of Gilad Shalit. As we all know, two Jews equals three opinions! It has been amazing to hear just how divided people are. Both here and in Israel people are concerned about the bigger issue of prisoner trades. Will it help or will it only embolden Israel’s enemies? It is certainly too soon to know but I think we can put that issue in a larger context. While Gilad’s return home was occupying much of Jewish news two other very ominous events occurred. Voters in Tunisia gave power to an Islamist party and the newly victorious Libyan interim government announced that it would seek to change Libyan law to a model closer to Sharia law. Increasingly, this is becoming the fruit of the “Arab spring” and I have to tell you that it is leaving me with a real chill!
We have been told over and over that the continuing wave of Arab democracy would bring new hope for the Mid-East. I do not believe that is true. This continuing “democratic” wave is only creating new dangers to Israel and the West. As each new country “falls” and supporters of Sharia rule are able to come to power there is less and less chance for peace. I don’t understand why people are willing to die in the struggle against a tyrant and then chose a new tyrant to take his place. That may sound harsh or perhaps like I haven’t given these new rulers a chance to show what they will do but the facts speak for themselves. Those countries that embrace and propagate Sharia are the countries that are the most radical.
It is this same radicalism that threatens to bring new war to the Middle East and new terror to the West. If you look at recent events in Egypt it is clear that the animus that overthrew the government was almost instantly turned against Israel and America. It is very easy to see this becoming the trend in the new “democratic” Arab world. What of Iran? The longer we choose to do nothing to deter Iran the braver the rest of the Arab world will become. Again, all of this will be fueled by a theology and legal system that seeks to bring Muslim dominance. Much of the stability in the Arab world (for better or worse) was fostered by governments that embraced a secular model of life. These governments forced this stability by abusing their own people and now that accumulated hatred is turned against other enemies. The Arab spring is proving to be a very chilling experience.