The Gun or the Ballot Box? Hamas or Al Qaeda?

by Counterpunch (reposted)

Sun, Apr 2, 2006 1:18PM

In his speech to the Foreign Policy Centre last week, British Prime Minister Tony Blair described the war against Al Qaeda and its associates as a battle "between those who embrace and see opportunity in the modern world and those who reject its existence."

Blair's emphasis on empowering and supporting "those in favor of uniting Islam and democracy, everywhere," highlights the difficulties posed for western governments by the recent electoral victory of the militant Palestinian group Hamas.

Though Hamas is considered a terrorist organization by the US and EU for its attacks on Israel, some believe the success of Hamas' electoral participation could reduce regional support for groups like Al Qaeda which reject popular participation in government.

They describe a growing schism between reform-minded Islamists like Hamas and its parent group the Muslim Brotherhood, who seek to Islamize their societies through the democratic process, and those, such as Al-Qaeda, who refuse the democratic political system altogether, attempting to force a radical transformation through the use of violence.

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http://counterpunch.org/chassay04012006.html

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