Is Muslim Support Of Al Qaeda Low Enough?
The Pew Research Center has good news on the anniversary of Osama Bin Laden's death:
A year after the death of its leader, al Qaeda is widely unpopular among Muslim publics. A new poll by the Pew Research Center’s Global Attitudes Project, conducted March 19 to April 13, 2012, finds majorities – and mostly large majorities – expressing negative views of the terrorist group in Egypt, Jordan, Pakistan, Turkey and Lebanon.
Great news, right? Only 21% of Egypt, 15% of Jordan, 13% of Pakistan, 6% of Turkey and 2% of Lebanon express even favorable views toward the terrorist group.
Looked another way, of course, that means that al Qaeda enjoys the support of 47,284,049 Muslims in only five of the 50 countries in which a majority of the population is Muslim.
Not a typo -- according to this survey, more than 47 million Muslims in only five countries support the terrorist group. If roughly similar percentages of Muslims support al Qaeda in the remaining countries -- which include Indonesia, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia -- we're talking a lot of support.
I wonder which way the media reports of this survey will frame it -- as comfortingly low support or frighteningly high.
On the other hand, before his death last year, Pew used to measure confidence in Osama bin Laden. And those figures plummeted among Muslims over the years.
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Comments:
Feb '11
Re: Is Muslim Support Of Al Qaeda Low Enough?
1% is too much.
What percentage of American citizens supporting the Klan is low enough?
Edited on May 1, 2012 at 4:57pmJun '10
Re: Is Muslim Support Of Al Qaeda Low Enough?
The next question is, if Al Qaeda managed to crash a jumbo jet into Yankee Stadium during a 7th-inning stretch, would the favorable number (in places like Egypt) go up or down? Are they losing favor in the Arab World for their poor humanity, or for their recently poor batting average?
Jul '11
Re: Is Muslim Support Of Al Qaeda Low Enough?
Hey, my body has only 10% of it with cancer. Oh my goodness I have cancer. I think the second thought fits better.
Feb '11
Re: Is Muslim Support Of Al Qaeda Low Enough?
The question only asks for the respondents' opinion about Al Qaeda. Egyptians' support for the Muslim Brotherhood is probably north of 21% based on parliamentary election results. Lebanese support for Hezbollah must be large than 2% given the vast swaths of territory that organization controls. Pakistanis may have negative feelings toward Al Qaeda, and perhaps the Taliban, but what about their views on Lashkar-e-Taiba?
Feb '11
Re: Is Muslim Support Of Al Qaeda Low Enough?
We are at war with Islam. No polls needed.
Re: Is Muslim Support Of Al Qaeda Low Enough?
That seems to be the other side of the "Practically no Muslims support al Qaeda" error.
I'm simply calling for a more realistic assessment is that there is a significant and serious contingent of Muslims, even if not a majority in all places, that have a political philosophy that supports the enforcement of values that are contrary to what America was founded on and a willingness to engage in violence and terrorism to support those goals.
Aug '10
Re: Is Muslim Support Of Al Qaeda Low Enough?
I've often heard that armed revolution requires the active support of only 10 per cent of a population, or that dictators only need the support of 10 per cent to stay in power.
I've heard this "10 per cent" number attributed to Che Guevara, but I've never been able to find a reference or quote.
In fact, I've never been able to find an authoritative source for this "10 per cent" idea at all.
I've only ever found it on-line as an anecdote, repeated third-hand by bloggers and anonymous commenters.
So, take it for what it's worth.
Regardless, that's the rule-of-thumb I've heard most often: If the leaders are well-organized and well-armed, armed revolution can succeed with the active support of 10 per cent of the people.
That core 10 per cent support is needed to pacify the "silent majority" that is undecided or indifferent, and to suppress the minority active opposition.
May '10
Re: Is Muslim Support Of Al Qaeda Low Enough?
Israel Pickholtz:
What percentage of American citizens supporting the Klan is low enough?
Comparing al Qaeda to the Klan? How Islamophobic!
Aug '10
Re: Is Muslim Support Of Al Qaeda Low Enough?
There are other variables of course.
Example: For sake of argument, assume that the rebel leadership is 1%, the rebel support is 10%, the "silent majority" is 78%, the government support is 10%, and the government is 1%.
The rebels' 11% needs to be more attractive than the government's 11%. If the rebel supporters take too many liberties with the 78% in the centre, the centre will shift to the government.
A drug boss that does more for local health care and schooling than the government, for example, has an advantage. That advantage disappears if the drug boss' supporters start shooting up the town.
Oct '10
Re: Is Muslim Support Of Al Qaeda Low Enough?
Despite the Muslim view of Al Qaeda, The Muslim uma is not unaware of the political correctness that infects the West and kowtows to Islamism at every turn and which has the active support of the left. CAIR and the rest of the Islamist lobby are accomplishing far more than terrorism.
Muslim emigration to Europe and the US is accomplishing what Al Qaeda and terrorism in general cannot.
Every revolution needs it's extremists. They serve the function of making the others in the revolution appear reasonable. And they are then better able to accomplish their goals.
Mar '11
Re: Is Muslim Support Of Al Qaeda Low Enough?
Percentages are essentially irrelevant. "Support" only tells you whether someone will idly stand by while their "brothers" murder innocents.
The only thing that matters is how many people are willing to sacrifice their lives to advance what is, in the end, a death cult.
Edited on May 1, 2012 at 6:55pmFeb '11
Re: Is Muslim Support Of Al Qaeda Low Enough?
Not if shooting up the town inspires enough fear.
Aug '10
Re: Is Muslim Support Of Al Qaeda Low Enough?
Israel Pickholtz
Not if shooting up the town inspires enough fear.
Not if the government ultimately proves effective at protecting the town.
Like I wrote earlier, there are lots of different variables.
Dec '10
Re: Is Muslim Support Of Al Qaeda Low Enough?
raycon: Despite the Muslim view of Al Qaeda, The Muslim uma is not unaware of the political correctness that infects the West and kowtows to Islamism at every turn and which has the active support of the left. CAIR and the rest of the Islamist lobby are accomplishing far more than terrorism.
Muslim emigration to Europe and the US is accomplishing what Al Qaeda and terrorism in general cannot.
Every revolution needs it's extremists. They serve the function of making the others in the revolution appear reasonable. And they are then better able to accomplish their goals. · 47 minutes ago
Exactly.
Another question might be "do you support the aims of Al Qaeda, only with different (peaceful) means?"
The answer would likely be frighting.
Nov '10
Re: Is Muslim Support Of Al Qaeda Low Enough?
I seem to remember reading in a previous Pew poll that, regardless of whether Pakistanis supported or opposed militant Islam, about three-quarters of them still supported the death penalty for apostasy.
Yep. And it's even worse for stoning adulterers.
http://www.pewglobal.org/2010/07/29/concern-about-extremist-threat-slips-in-pakistan/
"I think that, should you change you mind about our religion, I'll hurl large jagged stones at you, until you depart this world a bloody pulp. But, of course, I could never support those extremist Taliban guys...no sirree!"
A charming country.
Jul '11
Re: Is Muslim Support Of Al Qaeda Low Enough?
Ignorance of what radical Islam is a deadly mistake. Nothing is off the table either short term or long term as far as their methods go. They will strangle us with the rope of political correctness.
Dec '10
Re: Is Muslim Support Of Al Qaeda Low Enough?
What's to worry? Can't be more than a tenth of one percent of those 47 million who'd be willing to carry out terrorist attacks on the West.
That's only... carry the two... hold on...
47,000.
47,000 individuals willing to be used as human bombs... hmm....
Okay, worry.
Apr '11
Re: Is Muslim Support Of Al Qaeda Low Enough?
AQ does a lot of things, with quite separate organizations being responsible for different stuff. Ask Iraqis what they think of AQ's Iraqi killers and you'll get much higher support amongst the people they defend (now, a small subset of the Sunnis) than amongst the people they kill.
Ask Jordanians, likewise, you'll get a low figure if they're thinking about the attacks on Jordan. Ask them about whether they'd want to support attacks on the crusader states, though? I bet those numbers go up a lot.
It's also worth noting that opinion polls in oppressive countries tend to reveal more about which views are likely to encourage the least reprisal than they do about anything else. An opinion pollster probably seems more likely to be an American or government agent than an AQ one.