Clash of Civilizations

(the following is a comment I made to a post on little green footballs and I post it here as well)

We are seeing a great clash of civilizations, all right, but not a biblical one just yet. The jihadis need a leader who reflects their values. OBL fit their needs, but I'm afraid that he's in heaven now with Moe. Neither Saddam or Arafat are believers in the eyes of the islamists that are our principal enemy. Only a true believer will satisfy their need for a holy war to be waged by a holy man.

Watch out, however, for the appearance of an individual who takes upon himself the mantle of Saladin. He may be referred to as a Mahdi or, in loose translation, a messiah or prophet. Such a leader who makes a deal with Saddam or other dictator to act as the great general of islamic forces could create a horrendous amount of trouble for the entire world.

Remember that the enemy is fundamentalism, and I surely include our own home-grown Christian fundamentalists, who also believe in, and want to see the coming of, a new messiah or rapture or armageddon. It takes two to organize a proper dance, and the fact that Bush is a born-again bible thumper himself makes only the identity of his opposite number a mystery. When we know his name, things will start to get VERY interesting.