Germany: New Strategy to Combat 'Political Islamism'

by Soeren Kern
May 27, 2021 at 5:00 am

https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/17404/germany-political-islamism

The policy paper, "Preserving Free Society, Promoting Social Cohesion, Fighting Political Islamism," which whole-heartedly commends law-abiding Muslims who respect Germany's democratic order, argues that the debate about Islamism in Germany is often reduced to violence and terror, but that it is necessary to focus more on ideology. The proposals include improving research and analysis of political Islam in Europe and the methods by which it spreads; banning the foreign funding of mosques; and reducing the number of foreign imams active in Germany.
"Focusing only on the violent part of Islamism, Islamist terrorism, does not do justice to the overall problem.... This political Islamism, which ostensibly acts non-violently, but stirs up hatred, agitation and violence and strives for an Islamic order in which there is no equality, no freedom of opinion and religion and also no separation of religion and state, has spread far and wide in parts of our society." — CDU/CSU policy paper.
"We owe the fight against political Islamism not only to our free-democratic ideals and values, but also to most of the Muslims in Germany who share these ideals with us and want to live with us on their basis. Because it is precisely liberal, secular Muslims who are victims of this illiberal, anti-democratic ideology. Those who publicly oppose political Islamism and its strategies are particularly at risk." — CDU/CSU policy paper.
"These politically extremist, non-violent groups aim to establish an order according to their Islamist ideas by actively preventing integration, dividing Western societies into 'believers' and 'unbelievers,' rejecting equality and religious freedom.... They use democratic structures to undermine and ultimately abolish democracy." — CDU/CSU policy paper.
"The present focus on groups prepared to use violence has led to disregarding the ideological justification of violence. These politically extremist, non-violent groups aim to establish an order based on their Islamist ideas by actively preventing integration, dividing Western societies into 'believers' and 'unbelievers,' rejecting equality and religious freedom, and alienating Muslim youth from Western societies. They use democratic structures to undermine and ultimately abolish democracy." — CDU/CSU policy paper.
"Religious extremism doesn't come out of nowhere. On the contrary, it thrives in isolated parallel worlds that have nothing in common with our values. We urgently need to shed light on this and not only wake up when violence erupts." — Bundestag Member Nina Warken, Integration Commissioner, CDU/CSU parliamentary group.
The German-Moroccan author Sineb El Masrar, in an interview with the public radio station Deutschlandfunk Kultur, said that the policy paper is clearly directed against "reactionary, Islamist organizations" and "that it is not aimed at all Muslims, but at those with a radical agenda."
"Islamists are not interested in democracy. On the contrary. They reject democracy because they only consider politics to be legitimate if it follows regulations that adhere to the politics of Mohammed in the 7th century. — Susanne Schröter, Islam scholar, Die Tagespost.
"The decisive question is to what extent imams are willing and able to explain that these warlike verses and suras are only to be considered in their historical context and that they no longer have any meaning today, i.e. in principle could be deleted.... It should be added that the implementation of the strategy is only possible if, for example, mosque communities or Muslims as a whole are willing to actively contribute, because they understandably know the segregation efforts of many association representatives much better and more closely than most German observers." — Bundestag Member Hans-Jürgen Irmer, member of the Interior Committee, CDU/CSU parliamentary group.

The largest parliamentary group in the German Bundestag, the faction of the ruling Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), has approved a wide-ranging strategy to contain the spread of political Islam in Germany. Pictured: Germany's Bundestag in session on May 6, 2021 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

The plan, outlined in a new policy paper, "Preserving Free Society, Promoting Social Cohesion, Fighting Political Islamism," warns that a growing number of areas in Germany, where German law is overruled by Sharia law, are in danger of becoming "parallel societies."

The document also warns that many mosques and Islamic associations in Germany are controlled by foreign governments and that they are producing a generation of German jihadists who extol martyrdom and threaten Germany's liberal democratic order.

The authors of the report argue that a recent wave of jihadist attacks in Germany and elsewhere in Europe — including the beheading of a schoolteacher in Paris, a crime celebrated by many Muslim pupils in Berlin — requires urgent measures to stop the "poison" of extremist ideology from gaining further ground on the continent.

The policy paper, which whole-heartedly commends law-abiding Muslims who respect Germany's democratic order, argues that the debate about Islamism in Germany is often reduced to violence and terror, but that it is necessary to focus more on ideology. The proposals include improving research and analysis of political Islam in Europe and the methods by which it spreads; banning the foreign funding of mosques; and reducing the number of foreign imams active in Germany.

Arguably the most important proposal involves reversing the German government's long-standing policy of supporting extremist groups in Germany, which, under the guise of promoting dialogue, has legitimized those groups and fueled the spread of political Islam in Germany.

The strategy has been greeted with a mix of approval, cynicism and skepticism. Some say the proposals are long overdue while others counter that the strategy is too little, too late. Some critics describe it as an electoral gimmick — federal elections are scheduled for September 22 — aimed at capturing the attention of supporters of the conservative party, Alternative for Germany (AfD), which has long called for a crackdown on political Islam.

An English translation of excerpts of the policy paper follows:

"In recent months, Islamist terrorism has returned with full force: A barbaric attack in Nice on October 29, 2020, in which several people were killed; the horrific murder of the French teacher Samuel Paty in a Paris suburb on October 16, 2020; and the bloody attack in Vienna on November 2, 2020. Germany has also been hit by Islamist terror, for example in an attack on the Berlin city motorway on August 18, 2020, and in a knife attack on a homosexual couple in Dresden on October 4, 2020.

"Investigations are being conducted into security failures in the run-up to each of these attacks and whether there is potential for improvement in security structures. Some of the attackers had criminal records and had already been classified as dangerous by security authorities. The investigations are important and necessary, but by no means sufficient. Islamism is not limited to a certain number of violent attacks. The ideology behind it is poison for our free society. It endangers integration and social cohesion by inciting Muslims against our democracy.

"When martyrdom is extolled in some German mosques; when Islamists meet in Berlin, Hamburg and Frankfurt to demonstrate against freedom of expression and freedom of the press and express solidarity with the murderer of the French teacher Paty; when children in Berlin schools dismiss this murder with the remark that the teacher got what he deserved; then we cannot accept that. In addition, it must be stated openly and clearly that the spread of Islamist-tinged nationalism, the agitation against Christians and Jews, the denial of Israel's right to exist and the glorification of war have long been a sad part of everyday life in Germany.

"In addition, there are increasing cases of direct influence of foreign governments on Muslims in our country, partly under the guise of religious freedom and with the spread of Islamist and Islamist-nationalist ideas. These include, for example, the influence of the Turkish right-wing extremist 'gray wolves' on young people in Germany; reporting to the Turkish governmental religious authority Diyanet on alleged supporters of Fethullah Gülen in Germany; and DITIB's [the Turkish-Islamic Union for Religious Affairs, an arm of the Turkish government] support for the Turkish military operation in northern Syria in January 2018.

"Equally worrying are developments at the Islamic Center Hamburg (IZH), which is under the influence of the Islamic regime in Tehran and is the propaganda center for Shiite extremism in Germany, or at Salafist mosque associations, some of which are financed by donors from the Middle East. The abuse of Muslim stakeholders and structures in Germany by foreign governments and Islamist agents, often disguised with reference to constitutionally protected religious freedom, must come to an end.

"Focusing only on the violent part of Islamism, Islamist terrorism, does not do justice to the overall problem. Islamism — like other extremisms — has an ideological basis and the aim must be to explore this ideological underground. This political Islamism, which ostensibly acts non-violently, but stirs up hatred, agitation and violence and strives for an Islamic order in which there is no equality, no freedom of opinion and religion and also no separation of religion and state, has spread far and wide in parts of our society.

"Political Islamism promotes a system of rule that is a fundamental alternative to democracy, pluralism and individual rights of freedom. Its representatives strive for the submission of society, politics, culture and law to norms that correspond to their Islamist ideas. This politicization of religion is expressed in a comprehensive regulation of the lifestyle of Muslims based on the categories of what is permitted (halal) and what is forbidden (haram). Every person is judged on submission to the do's and don'ts of Islam. Individual voluntariness falls by the wayside because of the high pressure to conform. At the center of political Islamism is the Islamist gender order with extensive gender segregation, extreme patriarchalism and the partial or complete exclusion of women from the public.

"We owe the fight against political Islamism not only to our free-democratic ideals and values, but also to most of the Muslims in Germany who share these ideals with us and want to live with us on their basis. Because it is precisely liberal, secular Muslims who are victims of this illiberal, anti-democratic ideology. Those who publicly oppose political Islamism and its strategies are particularly at risk. Prominent critics of political Islamism such as Seyran Ates, Ahmad Mansour and Mouhanad Khorchide have been threatened by Islamist circles for years and can only live under police protection. This situation is unacceptable.

"In some urban quarters and areas in Germany, but also in many of our neighboring countries such as France, Belgium and Austria, parallel societies influenced or shaped by Islamic influence have formed over the years and decades — often with the tolerance of society out of misunderstood tolerance: leading French Islamic scholars recently sounded the alarm that around 150 municipalities in France are now in the hands of Islamists. Anyone who identifies himself as a Jew or a homosexual there must fear for his life; women who dress according to Western fashion in public can expect attacks and abuse. Children and young people who grow up in these milieus are particularly at risk of being receptive to ideologies. The necessary integration work with the families is only possible with great difficulty. Such a development must be prevented in Germany by all means.

"There is currently a lack of a comprehensive systematic overview and linking of knowledge available in Germany and Europe about the activities, personnel and financial resources of Islamist groups active in Germany and Europe, as well as about their international networking, their strategic goals and the range of their ideologies. In this country, the focus is primarily on groups that openly call for violence. Representatives of political Islamism who are involved in politics and society are often perceived as legitimate religious representatives and not as followers of an extremist ideology. The present focus on groups prepared to use violence has led to disregarding the ideological justification of violence. These politically extremist, non-violent groups aim to establish an order based on their Islamist ideas by actively preventing integration, dividing Western societies into 'believers' and 'unbelievers,' rejecting equality and religious freedom, and alienating Muslim youth from Western societies. They use democratic structures to undermine and ultimately abolish democracy."

A Five-Point Action Plan

The policy paper outlines five broad measures aimed at understanding and fighting political Islam:

Supporting basic research on political Islamism in Germany and Europe. This includes: establishing academic chairs to focus on Islamism and its structures, networks and financing; providing federal authorities with financing for researching the structures of political Islamism; implementing a scientific study on the experiences and problems of school teachers with Islamist influences and forms of Islamist-motivated behavior to better understand the extent to which political Islamism is influencing children, young people and adolescents; establishing a "Political Islamism in Germany and Europe" documentation center; establishing a "Political Islamism in Germany" expert group in the Federal Ministry of the Interior that would develop recommendations in the fight against political Islamism in Germany and report to the Federal Government and the Bundestag once a year; networking and exchanging information on political Islamism at EU level, for example by strengthening the Helsinki-based "European Center of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats."
Terminating state cooperation and contractual relationships with organizations of political Islamism. In the future, all financial donations, subsidies, contractual relationships and collaborations with Islamic clubs and associations that are being monitored by German security agencies must be discontinued at the federal and state levels. This includes rescinding statutory tax breaks and charitable status or groups that pursue anti-constitutional aims. Exceptions to this are necessary contacts between governments and federal and state authorities.
Training imams in Germany. Most of the imams working in Germany are posted from abroad. The proposal calls for providing academic and spiritual training for imams in Germany, while maintaining religious freedom and the separation of state and religious communities. The strategy aims to promote an Islamic practice of faith that respects German values.
Financing of mosques. Many mosques and Islamic religious communities in Germany receive funding from third countries. The plan calls for increased transparency of membership structures and financing flows, including a requirement to disclose every direct and indirect source of funding, including donations, subsidies, contracts and collaborations, to the federal tax office.
Preventing radicalization. The plan calls for improved cooperation between federal, state and local governments and civil society. It calls for expanding the National Prevention Program against Islamist Extremism; investigating the risk of radicalization processes in the penal system in Germany; and expanding information and awareness programs for specialists from the areas of police, justice, school and education, social work, youth welfare and refugee aid, among others.

Select Commentary

The lead author of the paper, Bundestag Member Christoph de Vries, said:

"Religious extremism and its representatives must be met with the same distance and rejection as the political extremists from the left and right. Fundamental values such as equality, protection of minorities and the priority of our laws over religious rules are non-negotiable. There can be no religious exception to this. The enemies of our constitution and their ideologues cannot be partners of our state at the same time. That is the clear message of our position paper. Our goal is to understand the ideological breeding ground on which political Islamism thrives with broad scientific research and to tackle the problem with a comprehensive package of measures at the root level. It is precisely liberal, secular Muslims who are victims of this illiberal, anti-democratic ideology and are threatened by Islamists. Our aim is to promote social cohesion and to ensure that Muslims in Germany do not fall into the clutches of radical, intolerant ideologies."

The spokesman for the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, Mathias Middelberg, added:

"So far, when looking at Islamism, groups prone to violence have been in the foreground. With the package of measures that we adopted in the position paper, we are now focusing more on the ideological basis. In order to fight political Islamism in the long term, we will in particular strengthen basic research in this area and further advance imam training in Germany. On the other hand, we want to create more transparency with respect to the foreign financing of mosques in Germany and prevent possible state cooperation and contractual relationships with Islamist organizations and expand prevention work. With this comprehensive strategic approach, we have the means at hand to tackle Islamism at its roots."

The integration commissioner for the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, Nina Warken, said:

"Religious extremism doesn't come out of nowhere. On the contrary, it thrives in isolated parallel worlds that have nothing in common with our values. We urgently need to shed light on this and not only wake up when violence erupts."

The German-Moroccan author Sineb El Masrar, in an interview with the public radio station Deutschlandfunk Kultur, said that the policy paper is clearly directed against "reactionary, Islamist organizations" and "that it is not aimed at all Muslims, but at those with a radical agenda." She added: "There are quite a lot of Muslims and mosque associations that are not affiliated with Islamist associations. Dialogue with them must be sought more intensively."

Mouhanad Khorchide, a Lebanese-Austrian Islamic theologian and sociologist who is a professor of Islamic pedagogy at the University of Münster in Germany, said that the policy paper reflects a growing awareness of the problem of political Islam in Germany: "It is important to implement concrete measures that put pressure on this misanthropic ideology to prevent situations as in France, where Islamists control entire city districts."

The renowned Frankfurt-based Islam scholar Susanne Schröter expressed skepticism about the new strategy. She said that secular states have a fundamental challenge when dealing with Islam, which is political by nature due to its law, Sharia.

In an interview with Die Tagespost, a Würzburg-based Catholic national weekly newspaper, Schröter noted the difficulty in finding the dividing line between an Islam that threatens the democratic order and permitted political participation based on the Islamic faith. The popular comparison between "Political Islam" and Christian Democracy is misleading, she said, because the representatives of political Islam are not interested in political participation, but with system change:

"Islamists are not interested in democracy. On the contrary. They reject democracy because they only consider politics to be legitimate if it follows regulations that adhere to the politics of Mohammed in the 7th century. They are striving to establish an Islamic normative order in which Sharia rules and politics is dominated by religious leaders."

The political editor of Die Tagespost, Sebastian Sasse asked if the CDU's renewed focus on internal security has to do with the upcoming federal election:

"It is interesting that the proposals are being published right now and in this condensed form. The signal is clear: 'We have understood' is the message to the electorate. The fight against political Islamism is intended to show that the CDU still sees itself as a 'Law and Order' party....

"Whether this catalog of measures is the starting point of a line that will run through the entire election campaign or will soon disappear into the drawer again — that will determine whether the Union manages to reinvent itself as a people's party of the center-right."

In an essay, "The CDU Discovers the Problem of Islamism," published by the German blog Tichys Einblick, commentator Zara Riffler also expressed skepticism of the new strategy to combat Islamism, which has long been a taboo topic in Germany. She predicted that any serious crackdown on Islamism would be met with charges of 'Islamophobia':

"It must be assumed that German MPs will fear being labeled as hostile to Muslims if they support tough measures against political Islam. The effect here is that Islamist actors have long been manipulating the discourse in Germany: Liberal scholars and publicists who criticize political Islam are branded as 'Islamophobic' and thus as pathological. Such battle concepts have an impact on top-level politics....

"It is conspicuous that only the term 'political Islamism' is used throughout the policy paper, no longer the term 'political Islam.' Is that the trick with which the proposals are supposed to be sold more easily — because 'Islamism' is conceptually further removed from 'Islam'? Islamist actors in Germany are agitating against the term 'political Islam,' which is preferred by liberal scholars and renowned experts. The goal behind it: to block research by manipulating discourse. They try to portray the use of the term 'Political Islam' as hostile to Muslims. Many politicians are intimidated by this and therefore mostly speak of 'Islamism' — also because they do not understand that the critics are mostly Islamic extremists, not ordinary Muslims.

"MP Christoph de Vries said: 'The choice of the term 'political Islamism' is primarily about remaining consistent in the designation of the different extremisms — left-wing extremism, right-wing extremism, Islamism — and at the same time expressing the political instrumentalization.' It is not the terms that are decisive, he said, but rather the content, research and awareness-raising."

Bundestag Member Hans-Jürgen Irmer, member of the Interior Committee for the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, concluded:

"The representatives of Islam must emulate the Enlightenment and its influence on Christianity, because if, for example, German imam training is to be promoted, the basis of all theological considerations remains the work of the prophet Mohammed and the Koran, which has 200 passages calling for the annihilation of unbelievers. The decisive question is to what extent imams are willing and able to explain that these warlike verses and suras are only to be considered in their historical context and that they no longer have any meaning today, i.e. in principle could be deleted.

"As long as this is not the case, there can be no real understanding between religions in the long run. It should be added that the implementation of the strategy is only possible if, for example, mosque communities or Muslims as a whole are willing to actively contribute, because they understandably know the segregation efforts of many association representatives much better and more closely than most German observers."

A recent poll revealed that three-quarters of Germans are in favor of more resolute action against Islamism. The survey, conducted by the Erfurt-based opinion research institute INSA Consulere on behalf of Die Tagespost, found that 74% of Germans agreed that the government should combat radical Islam. Only 8% of those surveyed opposed taking a harder line; 12% did not have an opinion.

The poll found that 90% of supporters of the conservative party Alternative for Germany stated that they would like more decisive action against radical Islam in Germany. This was followed by 84% of CDU/CSU voters; 83% of Social Democrats (SPD); 73% of Greens voters; and 71% of Free Democrats (FDP) who agreed that Germany should act more forcefully against radical Islam.

Soeren Kern is a Senior Fellow at the New York-based Gatestone Institute.

© 2024 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute. No part of the Gatestone website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied or modified, without the prior written consent of Gatestone Institute.

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Comment on this item

36 Reader Comments

Bernard Couvreur • May 31, 2021 at 17:32

Now that the correct diagnostic is made, when does the effective treatment start ?

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Carl A Goldberg • May 30, 2021 at 23:08

Maybe, with the influence of Riffler and Shroeter, the politicians will finally understand that the problem is with Islam itself, not with "Islamism". When we say that the problem is with Islam itself, we mean that the problem comes from the Koran with all its jihadist and supremacist verses. What so many German politicians still don't get is that ALL Moslems will tell you that the Koran is Allah's literal and direct word -- perfect, unchangeable and valid forever. This means that, whatever is in the Koran, everyone is stuck with forever. Because Allah's words are eternally valid, the argument that the jihadist verses must be seen as historically conditioned and no longer valid, fails. Any Moslem who says that any verse of the Koran is no longer valid is considered an apostate and liable to the death penalty under Sharia law. That is why the following statement by a high-ranking German political leader is a pipe dream and nothing more: "The decisive question is to what extent imams are willing and able to explain that these warlike verses and suras are only to be considered in their historical context and that they no longer have any meaning today, i.e. in principle could be deleted...." This decisive question has already been answered: NO IMAM would be willing to explain that those warlike verses should be considered only in their historical context. Absolutely out of the question.

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badu • May 28, 2021 at 10:26

When talking about radical Islam, the Germans should be aware that there is no such thing as radical Islam. All Islam is radical. It is just that some fight in the front line and others are in the baggage train. Ex Muslim author Wafa Sultan says this and so does the president of Turkey, Recep Erdogan.

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David Ashton • May 28, 2021 at 10:09

If you find anything to criticise in the religion or behaviour of Muslims in What-Was-England you are accused of "institutional racism".

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Karen • May 27, 2021 at 23:01

The West needs to reach an understanding that the Islamic faith is just that, the Islamic faith, you cannot separate political Islam from religious Islam, it is all just Islam, a way of life governed by sharia/Allah's divine law which trumps any man-made law.

The ideology isn't like any other religion wherein an enlightenment might happen. One must not only read the Koran but exegesis found in the Tafsirs ie by ibn Kathir which explains in detail each Koranic verse, but one must study the sharia compendium 'The Reliance of the Traveller'. The R of T and Tafsirs explain the doctrine of abrogation which details very clearly that the violent and hate-filled surahs 8 & 9, said to be the final surahs revealed, abrogate or negate all the peaceful earlier surahs.

In particular one must pay attention to 2 other Islamic doctrine 'Commanding the Right and Forbidding The Wrong' found in book q. and the al-Wala' wal-Bara' or hating what Allah hates w59.2 Let me be clear, Allah hates half of his creation which are non-believers.

The Reliance the Traveller lays out that Islam abrogates all religions, that Muslims are to consider Jews and Christians belonging to cults as described in book w4.2 and that Islam is to be the last religion on the earth and is to spread and rule o8.7(20). Book o. outlines in detail 'Jihad', it is perpetual war against non-Muslims until all are 'for Allah' and gives the scriptural basis for this.

So-called moderates have no power, either ideologically, scripturally or legally (sharia) as much as we might like to believe.

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Joan

Karen • May 29, 2021 at 10:56

Dr. Bill Warner defines Political Islam as the part of the Islamic doctrine that pertains to the non-Muslim or Kafir. The doctrine is comprised of the Koran, the words of Allah, the Hadith, examples of Mohammed's words and deeds, and the Sira, his biography. The Hadith and Sira are necessary in order to have specific information on how to practice the religion of Islam. A large part of the doctrine is about us, the Kafir. Dr. Warner gives this example about separating the politics from the religion: Islamic prayer is a religious act; commandeering the streets to pray is a political act. Dr. Warner's approach is scientific, objective, only concerns the doctrine and allows us to tease the strands of Political Islam out of the whole ideological fabric.

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Karen

Joan • May 30, 2021 at 14:16

Joan,
Yes I'm well aware of Dr. Warner's view but I don't agree that 'Political' Islam can be teased out (except for study) and not considered an important part of the ideology. I do understand that Muslims, as individuals, no matter where they live, believe in some, none or all of the ideology. Political Islam is never going to be ignored or annulled as it forms a large part of the ideology and once a population reaches a certain amount of Muslims then the full weight of Islam is then imposed. How do you separate Mohammad's actions in Medina as it's mostly political: raids, murders, beheadings, expulsion, rape, booty, imposing his religion & forbidding all others in Arabia, imposing jizyia elsewhere .... So-called Mecca Muslims hold no sway and would be considered apostates. Please read ibn Kathirs Tafsir and Reliance of the Traveller. The political part has abrogated almost all the religious part that it's really not worth being a Muslim, one would be better to join a Unitarian church or convert to Christianity.

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jule • May 27, 2021 at 22:57

Islamists do want democracy as long as they think they can get a majority of loyal Muslims or by pressure and force as in Gaza electing Hamas, or Egypt when they elected Mubarak. That is what political Islam is. Takeover by politics. Get a majority and/or scare the rest or worse.

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waljay • May 27, 2021 at 21:07

Why are the Germans just now figuring out what most of us knew a few months after 9/11?

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S.B • May 27, 2021 at 19:23

"Secular Muslims": no such thing. These reports are magical thinking. The slow death of Eurabia continues.

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Carl A Goldberg

S.B • Jun 6, 2021 at 14:49

I disagree. There are secular Muslims, that is, people who identify as Muslims but who, to varying degrees, do not follow Allah's commands in the Koran. Many Muslims do not go to mosque. Of those who do go to mosque, many do not follow the jihadist commands in the Koran and the Sunnah. The Abraham Accords are an example of such secularization: those Moslem leaders are flagrantly violating the Jew-hating commands in the Koran by normalizing relations with Israel. MBS in Saudi Arabia is introducing reforms, not reforms of Islam to be sure, but reforms in Saudi law which go against the religious commands. Many Muslims are becoming fed up with the doctrines of their own religion and they simply ignore them. Others become so fed up that they apostatize. We would like to see many, many more such Muslims; and we should encourage secularization among Muslims in every possible way.

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Jon zig • May 27, 2021 at 15:32

Great article, but I find it hard to believe the German and EU governments didn't understand there would be a massive escalation of murder, destruction and civil unrest, with bringing third-world Muslim populations into Europe. Did they suddenly forget the last 1,400 years of hatred toward anyone not Muslim? The Muslim world has been about conquest, terroristic strategies and jihad to push their religion and Sharia laws since the 7th century. I don't buy it.

One has to ask why the entire planet is becoming more of a dictatorship than a global society with peace and harmony. The one worlders are delusional at best, and more likely collaborating criminals. Their Marxist ideals are poison to western civilization. Makes me wonder why western Govs. allowed this mess, and what are their goals and motivations? Hard to tell when their positions are so destructive, illogical and idealistic. Now the German Gov. wants to make it all better. It's a fools errand to think a whole population of Muslims are going to abandon their religious ideologies and beliefs and suddenly become peaceful German citizens. It only takes a small percentage of radicals to keep these countries on their current trajectories.

I was stunned when they first opened the borders. I continue to be amazed at the lack of outrage from the citizens of Europe, that were there before they opened the gates. There's been some push-back from Europeans, but not enough to wake up their slumbering leaders that are aging out around the world. Sure hope they sort it out. Assimilation of smaller groups would have been more "equitable" for immigrants and citizens alike. The USA shut off immigration in the early mid 20th century until the mid 1960s. It was done to allow the assimilation of the millions of multi-ethnic people that had immigrated to the US at the end of the 19th century through the beginning of the 20th or until after WW1. It might have been a decade or two after WW1.

The difference, most new immigrants were Christians and Jews and the Gov. still recognized the need for some time (a generation) to assimilate them as Americans first and their previous citizenship second. Something to think about. What happened to these commonsense solutions to age-old problems?

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tedh754 • May 27, 2021 at 14:22

What? They aren't all grateful refugees?

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Ernst • May 27, 2021 at 12:29

The German Bundestag is playing silly, kicking the can down the road. The only possible solution is strict enforcement of laws and social mores. Sharia courts should be outlawed as extortion, etc. Threats should be taken seriously as assault.

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Rafael Aguilo • May 27, 2021 at 11:09

If Muammar Gaddafi was alive today he would be saying: "I Told You So!"
Must be laughing in his grave.He predicted the eventual downfall of Europe:
"There are signs that Allah will grant Islam victory in Europe - without swords, without guns, without conquests. The 50 million Muslims of Europe will turn it into a Muslim continent within a few decades."

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Mrs, M J Jones

Rafael Aguilo • May 28, 2021 at 03:39

Didn't he also say "We will conquer the West with our women's wombs."?

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Rafael Aguilo

Mrs, M J Jones • May 28, 2021 at 11:17

Yup!

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Peter Rotberg • May 27, 2021 at 10:52

Dear Soeren
"Political Islamism"- Add this definition to Political Encyclopedia
As the Holy Bible goes "Any successful action is in an a good starting point
Hebrew:
סוף מעשה - במחשבה תחילה
Took quite a few years till the nations started awakening to this simple truth - among them
1. Germany
2. Austria
3. Czech Republic
4. Some Scandinavian Countries
5. Italy
Yes to inter religious cohesion and cooperation
Definite NO to the "right" of Primarity and Domination of any cult and Religion on others.
Peter Rotberg
Friend and Supporter.

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Heidi Walter • May 27, 2021 at 10:46

I really don't know how you got the idea that CDU/CSU are really attempting to do something against the political Islam for they are the ones letting Merkel run rampant with opening the borders in 2015 causing an influx of these people which nobody can control. We don't know who is in Germany and if they think that they may know who it is they cannot guarantee that the identification given is the real one. We had people with 17 and more identities. Even now, as they are saying that they will do something against the political Islam, Mr. Laschet, head of North Rhine-Westphalia, lets DITIB, which is Erdogan's organization, help out with the Islam curricula for schoolchildren.

Be careful what you believe, the native Germans learned not to believe anything they are saying. But then who cares, we have become second class citizens and only allowed to work and pay for their well being. (Article in German, headline: Laschet's speaker prohibits questions in regards to Islamists) He is supposed to be the next chancellor if the CDU/CSU wins the election in September and don't be fooled, political Islamists have subversively and successfully infiltrated government offices and the political parties.

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Morris Givner • May 27, 2021 at 10:21

For the past 1400 years, the conquering Arab armies gave the vanquished in the Middle East, Southern Europe and Africa three choices: death by the sword,conversion to Islam and dhimmitude - a life of partial slavery. The Muslim invasion of Europe over 500 years ago was stopped at Vienna by the heroics of the Serbs. Unfortunately,Merkel and her advisors didn't know their history and invited millions of Muslim immigrants into Europe. The ignorant President Clinton ordered NATO to bomb Serbia to save Kosovo. In the most recent Arab-Israeli war in Gaza,the Arabs sent 4500 rocket bombs into the heart of tiny and Democratic Israel to kill and maim her citizens. The Western media have devoted their total energy in sympathy for the Gaza Arabs and have portrayed Israel as the villain. It is without doubt that the Western media are complicit in evoking antiSemitism while portraying the Arab aggressors as angels on Earth,

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Harvey L

Morris Givner • May 27, 2021 at 17:18

This problem with the western mainstream media is what is putting fuel on the fire as masses believe the lies they print where democracies such as Israel are portrayed as racist and the CCP as saviours of the world

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Now in UK • May 27, 2021 at 09:39

Too late. The 5m+ Merkel let in plus all their families now being flown in will ensure Germany is indeed Islamic at some point in the future - along with all the baggage i.e. narrow backward views a great many bring too. She should have realised all this before her act of folly. My view is she did fully realise the implications and that this mass influx is all part of the grand reset to - literally - change the face of Europe. The intention with Germany in particular, was it should cease to exist.

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Peter Rotberg

Now in UK • May 28, 2021 at 02:54

It's never too late !
And I still believe Boris Johnson will make Great Britain - Christian, Great and United again
Peter Rotberg.
Friend and supporter

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Hatman1793 • May 27, 2021 at 09:36

Does Angela Merkel play any part in these circumstances? After all, wasn't she the architect of encouraging over 1 million Moslems to come into Germany as refugees? Wondering why this cultural change wasn't anticipated? Oh ya, Merkel didn't give a hoot, she was just virtue signalling to the EU & bad Americans.

Merkel & her ilk, elitist compatriots in government who perpetrated this catastrophe can retire to their villas, hide behind Executive Protection while EU citizens suffer.

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SonnyJim • May 27, 2021 at 08:36

Ignorance, simple ignorance. These politicians do not understand Islam. They think it's the same as Christianity and apply those tenants to Islam. The Quran is the LITTERAL word of god. It's not open to interpretation, there will never be an "Islamic Reformation". There Quran and the Haddiths are clear, there cannot be a separation of church and state. The "church" is the state and vice versa in Islam. Until leaders understand that they will never make any headway in defeating this toxic ideology.

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Martia Katz • May 27, 2021 at 08:13

All the law-abiding Jews were murdered and now they have Islam instead. Karma can be a bitch.

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dia tsung

Martia Katz • May 30, 2021 at 04:32

Its called sowing the wind and reaping the world-wind.

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Carole Chapman • May 27, 2021 at 07:37

The problem with this is that Muslims who don't believe in the supremacy of their religion are apostates and as such liable to be put to death.
The whole point of Islam is that is in their eyes the only religion and everyone else is wrong. There is no equality, no freedom of speech and no gay rights.
The liberal hand wringers are just hoping the crocodile will eat them last.

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Alan • May 27, 2021 at 07:09

Finally some common sense starting to emerge in German politics. Better late than never.

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Mrs, M J Jones • May 27, 2021 at 05:56

I haven't time to read the whole article but what I have read gives me hope that Germany has finally woken up to the menace of Islam and that the rest of the West will do the same. If we don't then our granddaughters will be wearing burkas.

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Saul Troen • May 27, 2021 at 05:44

I suggest a series of articles explaining that the current rulers of Iran (Aryan) are continuing the arrangement made by Hitler with the rulers of Persia that resulted in Persia changing its name to Iran to show that the rulers of Persia are Aryans like the Nazis. At least, this is how I view the Iran desire to destroy the Jews - a continuation of Nazi actions.

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Kenneth Stephen Besig • May 27, 2021 at 05:43

Europeans need to address their demographic weakness by having children. That is the only sure way to pass on European history and traditions. But that is not about to happen and Europe will continue to try to preserve its traditions and values by importing Third World immigrants who have no interest at all in keeping Europe European.

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barry

Kenneth Stephen Besig • May 27, 2021 at 10:20

Germany, and Europe generally, is already very crowded, wildlife is going extinct, and climate change emissions are a growing threat, we don't need more people. Better if Germany and Europe generally reduced immigration to negligible levels, promoted birth control both within their immigrant communities and around the world.

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David Ashton

Kenneth Stephen Besig • May 28, 2021 at 10:15

Mr Besig
Your first two sentences are absolutely right. Wake up to woke!

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Jon • May 27, 2021 at 05:26

Another excellent research paper destined to be completely ignored.

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Hamish MacDonald • May 27, 2021 at 05:22

"...a growing number of areas in Germany, where German law is overruled by Sharia law, are in danger of becoming "parallel societies."

This is quite accurate, omitted by most news media, refers to an ever-growing awareness among those who have read such titles as "Islam and the suicide of the west" [Solimeo] or "Modern-day Trojan Horse, The Islamic doctrine of immigration" by Solomon and Maqdisi, and who wait painfully for the politicians wake up and act.
The article is both timely and valued and should be widely circulated.
Nevertheless is also important Germans take a cold hard look at an area of deep omission: Their birthrate. Laws are important and politicians also, but if Christianity is to continue, encouragement of homemakers is paramount.

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