General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsIsrael: Romney, Walking Gaffe-Man, Insults America's Mid-East Allies
by TeamSarah4Choice
In an attempt to criticize and attack President Obama on foreign soil, Romney ended up attacking the Religion of America's Middle-East Allies and ended up telling the world that Romney would bring back the failed Bush/Cheney Foreign Policies.
Romney told the conservative Israeli News, owned by Rightwinger Sheldon Adelson, "Israel Hayom" that he is "very concerned" about the "Islamic Leaders" being elected in the Mid-East.
Romney's Comment Disturbing on many Levels.
Romney is saying he disapproves of letting people elect their leaders and Romney is tossing out bigoted comments about the Religion of most of America's Mid-East Allies in order to fearmonger against members of one religion. By the way, who is this "We" Romney refers to?
Also disturbing in Romeny's comment is that he is insulting America's Mid-East Allies as most of America's Mid-East Allies have Islamic Leaders and some of those Allies are even Islamic Republics.
Saudi Arabia: Islamic Absolute Monarch
Jordan: Islamic Leader, King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein
Turkey: Islamic Leader, President Abdullah Gül
Egypt: Islamic Leaders for decades. current Islamic Leader: Mohamed Morsi Isa al-Ayyat
Pakistan: Islamic Republic
Qatar: Islamic Leader, Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani
Algeria: Islamic Leader, Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani
Afghanistan: Islamic Republic put in place by Bush/Cheney
Iraq: Islamic Leader, Jalal Talabani under Bush/Cheney's watch
Kuwait: Islamic Leader, Sabah IV Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah
How can any of America's Mid-East Allies trust Mitt Romney when he fearmongers and tosses out the boogie-man words like, "We're very concerned" about the Religion of American's Mid-East Allies? Um -- also, is Romney a bigot against one religion?
- more -
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/07/28/1114277/-Israel-Romney-Insults-America-s-Mid-East-Allies
sibelian
(7,804 posts)A fool! A complete catastrophe! How can anyone take him seriously? Rofl
valerief
(53,235 posts)A thought just hit me. Maybe he doesn't want to be president. Maybe he was given an offer he couldn't refuse, and now he's bumbling his way out of it.
Nah. It's probably just a strategy. Being stoooooopid worked for Dumbya.
A caller to Mark Thompson's radio show said yesterday that he expects Rmoney to make a gaffe with Israel by saying something like, "I love Middle Eastern food. I especially like Hamas with my crackers."
BeHereNow
(17,162 posts)I think you just created new word Val!
Love it!
BHN
Heather MC
(8,084 posts)I love Rommeydon!
He just made an all black Commercial
I can't wait to see his all Muslim Commercial
he also needs an all Asian one but he has to keep the Koreans, Chinese and Japanese Separate
a Hispanic one, but keep Elsavadorians separate from Mexicans and Brazilans.
Wow it is going to be very expensive making commercials that are designed to highlight each separate race, creed, and religion. Too bad he doesn't see us all as equally American.
valerief
(53,235 posts)DCBob
(24,689 posts)What a dumb thing to say.
smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)I expect it to be his biggest f**k up of all times.
gollygee
(22,336 posts)That's called diplomacy. Sigh. He should have stayed home.
oldhippydude
(2,514 posts)i figured the worst he could do was pass out copies of the Book of Mormon..
JHB
(37,163 posts)...so you can then loot the joint".
When Bain made negotiations to take over a company, it was behind closed doors and the only other party he was concerned with were the owners and executives of the other company. He didn't worry about anyone else thought (least of all the employees).
SunsetDreams
(8,571 posts)Who's WE?
Please don't speak for the United States.
bigtree
(86,013 posts). . . chock-full of Bush-era hawks and hacks.
http://www.mittromney.com/blogs/mitts-view/2011/10/mitt-romney-announces-foreign-policy-and-national-security-advisory-team
Cofer Black
Christopher Burnham
Michael Chertoff
Eliot Cohen
Norm Coleman
John Danilovich
Paula J. Dobriansky
Eric Edelman
Michael Hayden
Kerry Healey
Kim Holmes
Robert Joseph
Robert Kagan
John Lehman
Andrew Natsios
Meghan OSullivan
Walid Phares
Pierre Prosper
Mitchell Reiss
Daniel Senor
Jim Talent
Vin Weber
Richard Williamson
Dov Zakheim
US special envoy to Sudan, Richard Williamson:
Romneys foreign policy guru has been intricately involved in foreign affairs at senior levels since the presidency of Ronald Reagan, who appointed him assistant secretary of state for international organization affairs, a role he succeeded Alan Keyes in and immediately preceded John Bolton in.
During the presidency of George W. Bush, he was at various points ambassador to the United Nations for special political affairs, ambassador to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights and the presidents special envoy to Sudan.
In 2008, he worked on Arizona Sen. John McCains presidential campaign as a senior foreign policy adviser.
freshwest
(53,661 posts)But seriously, thanks for the link that needs to be put out to warn people of what he's planning.
War with Iran? You betcha!
Please make an OP from that post, bigtree!
oldhippydude
(2,514 posts)now he can't distinguish between an ali, and a cartoon character.... this is a Dominionist dog whistle not foreign policy..
the man is playing the world stage the same way he played the NAACP
agent46
(1,262 posts)freshwest
(53,661 posts)siligut
(12,272 posts)And how the hell do they expect environmental disasters and still deny climate change?
freshwest
(53,661 posts)But that's from Sin, you know. The fallen nature of mankind led astray by Satan, and proud of it, unwilling to repent. If mankind would surrender to Jesus, the world would be saved, but it won't. So the world must suffer and be destroyed for it. Most of them think Obama's the anti-Christ. And the Pope, well, just maybe. As to Mittens?
They don't care. The world is coming to an end, so they don't have to give a toot what he would do to anyone. They don't have to recycle, reduce, reuse, care for the poor, work to have alternative energy, change the world, or anything.
It's batten down the hatches, keep their powder dry and get ready. Can't trust anyone, the followers of Satan are all coming for the true believers. Some believe in the Rapture, some don't. But they've all given in to it. As I said, they only want to be left alone with their money and their toys to survive.
And they vote.
siligut
(12,272 posts)How long have they been thinking this way? Wasn't Jesus supposed to come 12 years ago? Where do you live or are these on-line conversations?
So while they aren't helping the poor or minding the environment; are they still paying their bills? I get the impulse to batten down the hatches every once in a while, mostly to get off the grid and be prepared for what these people will do because of their expectations.
You know Mormons are always prepared for when things go to hell. There was an article years ago about how some weather phenomena wrought havoc on Salt Lake City and how organized the residents were cleaning it up.
bigtree
(86,013 posts). . . and the set-up has been perfect; with all of the talk of Romney 'turning the page' in Israel from his embarrassment in London.
great post, btw . . . k&r
TheKentuckian
(25,034 posts)Plenty of worse than Bush capability with Weird Willard.
Spazito
(50,549 posts)totally tone deaf in so many ways. The bubble he lives in must be air-tight.
Politicalboi
(15,189 posts)Of the car in the "air tight container" Seamus used to love to be in. LOL!
OverseaVisitor
(296 posts)These are Islamic Countries.
The majority of the population follow the Islamic faith.
Of course they end up with Islamic Leaders.
malthaussen
(17,219 posts)I don't want to spoil the party, but Mr Romney's word choice would indicate that "we" (meaning all right-thinking, good Amurrikan peoples of no color) are "concerned" about the proliferation of xenophobic fundamentalist Islamic leaders in the region, and not that "we" have a down on all of Islam.
Which, however, is a bit outside the point: once again, Mr Romney should have realized that his words were going to be used against him, and exercised appropriate caution.
-- Mal
ProSense
(116,464 posts)I don't want to spoil the party, but Mr Romney's word choice would indicate that "we" (meaning all right-thinking, good Amurrikan peoples of no color) are "concerned" about the proliferation of xenophobic fundamentalist Islamic leaders in the region, and not that "we" have a down on all of Islam.
It appears you're joining the party, and dispelling a straw man. Romney didn't say "Islam."
In the context of his statement, there is no distinction between his use of the term "Islamist government" (Egypt) and Islamic rule (Egypt).
In fact, the xenophobia of wingnuts targets Islam so Romney is essentially playing into it.
malthaussen
(17,219 posts)Thus I say the Romney quote supplied does not provide evidence of a prejudice against Islam.
As for Islamist and Islamic, the point is that there is a difference between the two. I don't see any indication in the cited quote that Mr Romney was expressing "concern" about all the Islamic governments in the area, but only about the Islamist ones. So to take an expression of "concern" about one kind of political ideology as a blanket attack on different ideologies in the area is extending the message beyond bounds justifiable by the context.
As for the xenophobia of wingnuts targeting Islam, of course it does, and of course Mr Romney is playing to them -- and the Israeli wingnuts -- that's his base.
-- Mal
Jeff In Milwaukee
(13,992 posts)think that Mitten is making that distinction? Do you think he 's smart enough to even know that there is a difference?
Do you think that people in Middle East countries as saying, "Oh, he said Islamicist, not Islamic. He's not talking about us."
malthaussen
(17,219 posts)I think his message is clearly "Us xenophobes are worried about Islamic xenophobes." Whether or not he personally thinks all Islamics are xenophobes (if he thinks at all) is well beyond my competence to hold an opinion.
Do I think the people in the Mid East are thinking what you say? I'd guess not, and I said his team should have realized his words could be interpreted that way.
-- Mal
Jeff In Milwaukee
(13,992 posts)The guy who still thinks the UK goes by the name of "Great Britain"
malthaussen
(17,219 posts)It might just could be that he is using "Islamist" because he is ignorant of the term "Islamic," as people use "Democrat Party" instead of "Democratic." The only reason I entertain the notion is that RW wingnuts are not the only ones "concerned" about Islamist expension in Islamic regions, and that given the fact that some Islamists are in fact not particularly fond of us, it is at least a defensible position for the country to be "concerned."
-- Mal
oldhippydude
(2,514 posts)as a direct appeal to Sheldon Adelson's wallet.......... just sayin, another example of citizen's united on steriods
malthaussen
(17,219 posts)Mr Adelson is already shoveling the cash at the GOP as fast as he can. OTOH, you could call it an example of "Value for money already spent," or Mr Romney earning his pay by citing Mr Adelson's desired line.
-- Mal
vlyons
(10,252 posts)did not know the difference between Shiites and Sunni moslems in Iraq. And in Syria there are Alawites, who are loosly allied with Shiites, but also somewhat sympathetic to Sufis, who are despised by other Shiites. The Islamic religion has different sects, just like Christianity. It's complicated, too much so for Mitt.
cthulu2016
(10,960 posts)The distinction is commonplace, even in (or particularly in) neo-con circles.
They have a whole line of argument against the Arab spring because it happened under Obama, and Mitt is repeating that argument.
The argument relies on the term "Islamist" which they use all the time.
DCBob
(24,689 posts)Somehow I doubt it.
ProSense
(116,464 posts)Thus I say the Romney quote supplied does not provide evidence of a prejudice against Islam.
You are linking Romney's quote to "the xenophobia of wingnuts targeting Islam"
You previously said:
I don't want to spoil the party, but Mr Romney's word choice would indicate that "we" (meaning all right-thinking, good Amurrikan peoples of no color) are "concerned" about the proliferation of xenophobic fundamentalist Islamic leaders in the region, and not that "we" have a down on all of Islam.
To your current comment:
As for the xenophobia of wingnuts targeting Islam, of course it does, and of course Mr Romney is playing to them -- and the Israeli wingnuts -- that's his base.
Again, what?
Here's Romney's quote:
He specifically referenced "Egypt."
From the OP:
Egypt, like all the other countries the diarist cites, is in fact under Islamic leadership.
You are inserting a distinction, a fuzzy one at that, not made by Romney.
progressivebydesign
(19,458 posts)unblock
(52,426 posts)the grammatical parallel isn't perfect, but the propagandistic point is to leave one word clean (islamic/jewish) in order to be able to claim that the speaking isn't actually a bigot and is showing religious deference, and imbue the other word with negative connotations in order to communicate the exact bigotry that the speaking can later deny.
thus, the speaker can claim to have respect for our christian/jewish heritage and respect for the jewish people, then slam israel as a "jew nation".
similarly, the speaker can claim respect for individual islamic people, but slam foreign leaders or terrorist threats as "islamist". when they are called out, they can always deny bigotry, saying oh, no, i'm not insulting anything islamic, i'm talking about the islamist violence and terrorism.
malthaussen
(17,219 posts)Good analysis of the method, IMO.
-- Mal
SoCalDem
(103,856 posts)being called Christ-ies?
Twisted language is infuriatingly ignorant
One of the BIGGEST ones that has always bugged the hell out of me is the way people routinely say EYErack and EYEran.. It's EE-rock and EE-ron
It shows an intense disrespect in that they could not even be bothered to learn the proper pronunciation..
Would Texans like being called TEEX-Ayns?
or how would we like it if others called us AmeriCANS?
Would Mitt like to be called MITE?
aquart
(69,014 posts)Malikshah
(4,818 posts)It's so unfortunate that folks equate Islamist with xenophobe. It misses the reality of what's been going on in each of these countries.
malthaussen
(17,219 posts)... that to give Mr Romney credit for being aware of that would be a stretch.
-- Mal
citizen blues
(570 posts)I did not understand the difference so I looked it up and read a couple different websites. The Daily Beast has a pretty good explanation of the difference between the two:
http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2010/10/22/is-it-islamic-or-islamist.html[link:http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2010/10/22/is-it-islamic-or-islamist.html|
What I came away with is a sense that Islamic refers to the religion while Islamists are basically Muslim Fundamentalists. Mitt knew that the word Islamist would serve as a dog-whistle back home while those in the middle-east would understand the difference.
I have other problems with what was said though. First, he's questioning other countries' right to elect their own leaders. Second, I too am wondering who this "We" is. The Mittwit is currently a private citizen and has no right whatsoever to speak for citizens of the U.S. Third, I'm sure there are plenty around the globe (and in the U.S.) who would be equally "concerned" over the U.S. electing a president from a 150 year old secretive cult that up until the 70's taught that people of color were the "marked" descendants of Cain.
harmonicon
(12,008 posts)Dailykos is chock-full of faulty reasoning and bad writing? Who woulda thunk it.
I'm constantly amazed that people will manufacture bullshit and trump up charges against Romney when all you have to do is look at his record and his proposed policies to see all the fault you need to criticize him.
The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,926 posts)Mittens' comments will not necessarily be read in English. The fine distinction between "Islamic" and "Islamist" might not survive translation.
OverseaVisitor
(296 posts)Islamist [ˈɪzləmɪst]
adj
(Non-Christian Religions / Islam) supporting or advocating Islamic fundamentalism
n
(Non-Christian Religions / Islam) a supporter or advocate of Islamic fundamentalism
OverseaVisitor
(296 posts)Noun 1. Islamist - a scholar who knowledgeable in Islamic studies
bookman, scholar, scholarly person, student - a learned person (especially in the humanities); someone who by long study has gained mastery in one or more disciplines
2. Islamist - an orthodox MuslimIslamist - an orthodox Muslim
Islam, Muslimism - the civilization of Muslims collectively which is governed by the Muslim religion; "Islam is predominant in northern Africa, the Middle East, Pakistan, and Indonesia"
Moslem, Muslim - a believer in or follower of Islam
dballance
(5,756 posts)Can we send in Seal Team 6 now to extract him before he does more harm? The radical Islamists must be overjoyed. Now they have a US possible President bashing countries for properly and legally electing the governments they want. He's certainly giving them fodder to justify jihad against the US abroad and in the US. Who the FUCK is Mitt Romney or the USA to tell the people of a country electing the leadership they want is bad just because they are Islamic?????
This is such a repeat of the US lashing out against the imaginary threat of those evil Communists in the '50s and '60s. I guess s lot of us didn't learn anything from that colossal failure. Like how we needlessly lost 58,000 US troops in Viet Nam. Not to mention the civilian casualties and destruction of Viet Namese villages, cities and infrastructure.
Get your freaking head out of your ass idiot. Not all Muslims are terrorists and they're not coming to the US to rape our virgins and impose Sharia law on us. Just like the communists never came to the US to overthrow our government and install a communist regime.
So while he's at it he may as well add China to his trip and go bash Communism
Since the Cold War isn't over in his mind and our biggest threat is still the Soviet Union (again, which hasn't existed for more than 20 years) I'm sure he can work in a trip to China to bash that still evil red ideology of communism.
STFU Mitt. Then get on your plane and fly back home. I suggest you go to Utah and not MA. After all the international damage you've done so far you're going to be better off "in the middle of nowhere" than in a liberal, urban center like Boston.
alfredo
(60,078 posts)tyroneous
(6 posts)Well said
SDjack
(1,448 posts)original investors doesn't translate into international diplomacy. Mittens is the epitome of the "Ugly American". No way I would travel for years to any of the countries that he has/will visit -- I don't like being spit on.
summerschild
(725 posts)freshwest
(53,661 posts)aquart
(69,014 posts)Transparent, much?
Scurrilous
(38,687 posts)Raven
(13,906 posts)pitchforx
(49 posts)unblock
(52,426 posts)and welcome to du
magical thyme
(14,881 posts)and welcome to DU!
aint_no_life_nowhere
(21,925 posts)No one in America, not even Republicans want to see Chimp 3. If the fact that Romney's only policies, both domestic and foreign, are Chimp policies was more widely known, he wouldn't stand chance.
JoeyT
(6,785 posts)but it looks like Bush was the smart guy with good people skills.
I guess this is the danger of being ultra-rich and having that much power from birth: Everyone is too afraid to tell you what a fuck up you are, so you don't find out until the entire world is laughing at you.
Tom Ripley
(4,945 posts)and that is why he knew it was important to have people run interference for him. Romney appears to be absolutely oblivious to his shortcomings.
DallasNE
(7,404 posts)I'm sure an awful lot of these voters don't have a drivers license so maybe he could go that route to get the leaders "elected" in those countries that meet with Romney's approval. And does this mean that Romney would have preferred that the old brutal dictators remained in power? What is not said says as much as what Romney said because he hasn't said what he plans on doing about the "problem" of these democratically elected governments in the Middle East. Flailing like a fish out of water is not a policy.
agentS
(1,325 posts)Tunisia and Morocco have had relatively bloodless Arab Spring events, and their current elected governments are not shooting thousands of people (a la Syria) at the moment. What's the problem with this guy?
I think I get it. He's mad because these leaders won't take the bribes to play 'nice' with Israel, like what we did with the dictators to stop MidEast wars with Israel in the 80s. But, if you look at where the people are in their sense and feeling and actions, they're not pushing their leaders for war with Israel. They want jobs, not bombers.
"We're very concerned in seeing the new leader in Egypt as an Islamist leader.""
Concerned about what? Compared to a few other parties in Egypt, the Brotherhood is a bit more moderate than the average when it comes to Islamism in government. And with the power struggle with the military to deal with, I don't think we'll see sharia law in Egypt any time soon.
progressivebydesign
(19,458 posts)There is YOU and Karl Rove and the Koch Brothers and the Tea Party, you do NOT speak for America!!!
Seriously.. WTF? He is NOT a statesman, and he is NOT even a fucking representative of America.. he's a TOURIST!!! And he's making these presidential type statements.
SORRY MITT! Just like dressing up as a State Trooper didn't make you one, saying "WE" does not mean you speak for the American Government.
The Obama campaign needs to address this. And he needs to STFU. He's not even the nominee yet.
freshwest
(53,661 posts)madamesilverspurs
(15,813 posts)from the "Mormonist" candidate. Lovely.
Not.
-
qwlauren35
(6,152 posts)It looks like the article is wrong, and Romney is correct. To a point. Some Islamists are jihadists. Some are not. The president of Tunisia is a moderate in the Islamist party. He is NOT a jihadist. He even supports women's rights. Only someone trying to appeal to Israel would criticize Tunisia's new government.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/17/rachid-ghannouchi-tunisia_n_1679022.html
Morocco on the other hand, has some radicals in its Islamist government, ruled by the PJD party.
"The PJDs core voters object to a two-state solution because it allows Israel to exist. In news reports, rank-and-file PJD members refer to Israel as the Zionist entity.
Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2012/07/24/moroccos-islamists-apologize-for-jewish-visitor-but-not-for-hamas-politburo-chief/#ixzz24rjOFFXI
So, Romney didn't make a gaffe. He made a VERY accurate statement. And to a very specific audience. I don't like the man, but the dailykos got it wrong this time.
ProSense
(116,464 posts)The moron is questioning people's right to elect their own government.
Romney's statement:
How on earth is he "right" by being "disappointed" in Tunisia? You point out why he's wrong, and there are other things wrong with his statement, yet you conclude that he made a "VERY accurate statement."
What the hell is this: Leave Romney alone day?
I mean, his statement is idiotic and insulting on multiple levels.
cthulu2016
(10,960 posts)If you cannot distinguish the words "Islamic" and "Islamist" then why write an article?
ProSense
(116,464 posts)"If you cannot distinguish the words "Islamic" and "Islamist" then why write an article?"
but I'm begining to wonder about those who believe Romney's statement makes any such distinction.
Seriously, WTF?
cthulu2016
(10,960 posts)Your error has been explained to you throughout the thread, and you're not interested.
ProSense
(116,464 posts)"Your error has been explained to you throughout the thread, and you're not interested."
Less than a handful of people making bogus claims about what Mitt meant, a couple walking back what they meant, really doesn't make your point.
Calling the diarist an idiot and ignoring the idiotic and dangerous statement Mitt made amounts to silliness.
Douglas Carpenter
(20,226 posts)about using a world like Zionist. Both words mean very different things to different people. There are many people who might be called Islamist who are not Muslim fundamentalist extremist. Just as there are many people who might be called Zionist who are not supporters of the extreme expansionist elements of Israel. Any careless use of the term Islamist by a major political figure could very well be interpreted by many ordinary Muslims as anti-Islamic - just as the careless use of the term Zionist could be interpreted by many Jewish people as anti-Semitic.
qwlauren35
(6,152 posts)Once again, Herr Mittens proves that there are times when he emphatically does not misspeakwhen hes sucking up to the right.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/07/28/arab-spring-comment-was-a-romney-love-letter-to-the-israeli-right-wing.html
ProSense
(116,464 posts)...that proves the diarist's point, and it was not a "very accurate" statement.
It made no damn sense.
flamingdem
(39,333 posts)cindyperry2010
(846 posts)is what he is messing it up in another country
Enrique
(27,461 posts)I don't think Romney is mostly concerned about them being Islamist, but by them being democratically-elected Islamist governments, and I'm guessing Saudi Arabia doesn't like them any more than Romney does. I don't see this as a gaffe, just an expression of his neocon foreign policy.
"I don't see this as a gaffe, just an expression of his neocon foreign policy."
...Mitt being Mitt, stupid statements and all: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021032639
benddem
(3,172 posts)in Poland! How tin eared can this man be?
crimson77
(305 posts)Every single country including England would throw us overboard if they had the chance, maybe except Poland.
AsahinaKimi
(20,776 posts)unMittigated Disaster.
spanone
(135,917 posts)he knows nothing.
treestar
(82,383 posts)And he still hasn't thought about the actual job itself.
Smilo
(1,944 posts)he has been elected and is desperately trying to get us into war - he is Bush III without the affability.
Botany
(70,627 posts)Goes to England and insults the English
Goes to the Mid-East and insults Islam
You just know a polish joke or two is coming @ his next stop.
I might be wrong but I can't remember somebody running for President going outside of
the United States and being openly critical of US policy in that region.
mick063
(2,424 posts)people are pulling Mitt's strings like a puppet. It just goes to show how stupid THEY are. They choose a "loose cannon for a puppet. Their man carry's Sarah Palin mental capacity, Bush arrogance, and his own unique brand of disconnect.........all rolled up into an untidy package........at the top of the GOP ticket.
The entire GOP infrastructure is comprised of:
Puppets propped up by Plutocrats with Bain mentality.
Religious fanatics that wish to impose their extreme beliefs on all of us.
Islam phobic flag wavers that are itching to turn the Middle East into glass.
Lemmings that think FOX News is actually news.
Not a lick of sense in the whole lot of them with respect to international relations.
proReality
(1,628 posts)a roll of duct tape to shut his mouth?
alfredo
(60,078 posts)Monk06
(7,675 posts)SoCalDem
(103,856 posts)Islam is the world's second largest religion after Christianity. According to a 2010 study, Islam has 1.62 billion adherents, making up over 23% of the world population.[1][2]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_Muslim_population
Islam is the predominant religion in the Middle East, in Sahel, in the Horn of Africa and northern Africa,[3][4][5][6] and in some parts of Asia.[7] Africa harbors the highest percentage of Muslims (52.39%)[8], Large communities of Muslims are also found in China, the Balkans, and Russia.[9][3] Other parts of the world host large Muslim immigrant communities; in Western Europe, for instance, Islam is the second largest religion after Christianity, where it represents 6% of the total population.[10]
According to the Pew Research Center in 2010 there were 49 Muslim-majority countries.[11] Around 62% of the world's Muslims live in South and Southeast Asia, with over 1 billion adherents.[12], The largest Muslim country is Indonesia home to 12.7% of the world's Muslims followed by Pakistan (11.0%), India (10.9%), and Bangladesh (9.2%).[3][13] About 20% of Muslims live in Arab countries.[14] In the Middle East, the non-Arab countries of Turkey and Iran are the largest Muslim-majority countries; in Africa, Egypt and Nigeria have the most populous Muslim communities.[3][13]
A study conducted by the Pew Research Center in 2010 and released January 2011[15][3] found that there are 1.62 billion Muslims around the world. The study found more Muslims in the United Kingdom than in Lebanon and more in China than in Syria.[3]
aquart
(69,014 posts)There were more Jews in Roman colonies than in Judea during the Roman Empire.
Tarheel_Dem
(31,247 posts)Godot51
(239 posts)An Ignorant Abroad.
brush
(53,957 posts)95% of the people in those countries are Islamic, thus you're going to have Islamic leaders elected. What else are they going to be, Mittey, Seventh Day Adventists?
sarge43
(28,946 posts)With any luck he'll keep jamming both feet in his mouth and head up his ass until he disappears.
BlueinOhio
(238 posts)Seems like the Islamics shouldn't be the only ones offended. Rmoney is against the Arab Spring, that makes him anti democracy. Has anyone read Gene Sharp's book From Dictatorship to Democracy? "Go Bucks" (couldn't help it)
riverbendviewgal
(4,254 posts)and show what people are puppet handling Rommey....
I liked this in the Kos piece.