Islamic Republic of Britain

The Mirror newspaper publishes an article describing what life in the Islamic Republic of Britain would be like. Its seems bizarre to me that the people who would most be affected by Sharia law- artists and musicians- seem to be those who are most opposed to a war on the Islamofascists.

All contact between the sexes would be banned. Discos, bars, public swimming pools, youth clubs - anywhere women and men could meet - would be closed down. Sunbathing, beach holidays and all forms of female sport would be outlawed. Fashion magazines such as Vogue could only be published if all images of female flesh were blacked out.

The only weak point in the article is the assertion that solving the Arab-Israeli problem would "weaken support for the fanatics' cause and help stabilise an inflamed region"- the only solution that the Islamists want is for Israel to be wiped off the map. And what exactly has Israel to do with Islamic terrorism in the Far East or even the Taliban in Afghanistan? Despite this, it's a good read. Perhaps one that will give some pause for thought.

Tim Blair also posts on "why they hate us", answering with Christopher Hitchens'

We know very well what the “grievances” of the jihadists are.

The grievance of seeing unveiled women. The grievance of the existence, not of the State of Israel, but of the Jewish people. The grievance of the heresy of democracy, which impedes the imposition of sharia law. The grievance of a work of fiction written by an Indian living in London. The grievance of the existence of black African Muslim farmers, who won’t abandon lands in Darfur. The grievance of the existence of homosexuals. The grievance of music, and of most representational art. The grievance of the existence of Hinduism. The grievance of East Timor’s liberation from Indonesian rule. All of these have been proclaimed as a licence to kill infidels or apostates, or anyone who just gets in the way.