Sir, – Dr Kevin McCarthy writes (Letters: War against the West?) that there is no war between Islam and the West. Unfortunately, there is a war between Islamist radicals and the West. The writings of Sayyid Qutb provide the intellectual underpinnings for the Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas and Sunni jihadists.
Qutb believed that the West was the enemy of God because it promoted private morality when God must rule over everything and that Jews conspired to spread materialism, atheism and sexual permissiveness. He believed that the West and Zionism were working together to destroy Islam by spreading liberal ideas and were assisted by “false Muslims”.
Qutb's influence can be seen in the gun attacks on Charlie Hebdo in Paris and the free-speech meeting in Copenhagen. Both outrages were followed by murderous attacks on Jewish civilians. These Jews were attacked because of their religion. Islamist radicals hate the West for its lifestyle. In a very real sense Jews are "the canary in the mineshaft" for our freedoms. Apart from a moral duty, democrats have a pragmatic interest in the defeat of anti-Semitism.
We should start by promoting value-based integration, ending the demonisation of Israel and demand that Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Iran cease funding extremism. – Yours, etc, KARL MARTIN Bayside, Dublin 13.
Sir, – With reference to Dr Kevin McCarthy’s letter (“War against the West?”) I understand that in both France and Denmark great efforts have been made to “build strong ties with Muslim leadership ” as he suggests should be done in Ireland . I know it has been done in the UK too.
While one may deplore and object to the bad taste of some cartoons , does that explain the vicious nature of the attacks on centuries old established Jewish communities in both France and Denmark which have had nothing to do with those cartoons? Muslim leaders have either been negligent or complicit in allowing anti-Jewish attitudes to take hold in their communities .
For nearly 2,000 years anti-Semitism had been a Christian problem, now it is a Muslim problem which needs addressing . – Yours, etc, FR BAIGEL, Bury , UK.