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Are Muslim countries safe?, Are Muslims bad?, Civilisation, Civilisation vs Barbarianism, Defend the modern world, Is Islam evil?, Is Islam true?, Is it safe?, ISIS, ISIS videos, John Cantlie, Morocco holiday, No to Turkey in the EU, Syria, Terrorism, Travelling to a Muslim country, Tunisia holiday, Turkey
Each week, the world is treated to another episode of ‘Lend me your ears’, the oddly compelling news series fronted by an abducted war-photographer turned puppet of ISIS called John Cantlie.
In each instalment, no doubt to stall for time before his decapitation, Mr Cantlie, in a Guantanamo-Orange t-shirt and seated behind a black desk, puts admirable effort into the role he is cruelly being forced to play; a Westerner who has come to know and accept the arguments of the Islamic State (ISIS).
The beginning of each episode is the same. Mr Cantlie (with a strange, dull-eyed sincerity) states “I’m John Cantlie, the Westerner abandoned by my government”. This line, almost certainly written by his jailers, is an effort to extract money for Mr Cantlie’s freedom, just as worked with the French government for the release of one Mr Cantlie’s former cellmates. It almost certainly won’t work with Britain.
The story of how Mr Cantlie fell into this morbid predicament is tragi-comic. The journalist was originally kidnapped two years ago by Islamist fighters in Northern Syria and was held hostage until moderates from the Free Syrian Army managed to secure his release. After heading back to Britain where he stayed for a couple of months, Mr Cantlie decided to revisit the increasingly lawless patch of Syria that provided him with his previous misfortune. He was soon re-captured, this time by ISIS, and now he seems to possess no hope of seeing the civilised world again.
I do sympathise with Mr Cantlie’s situation. I really do. But the question must be asked all the same: why the hell would any rational person – no matter what their objective and however noble it is – travel from the world of parliamentary democracy to a domain run along 6th century Islamic lines? What was the prize of such adventurism? A glossy shot of a corpse or a used tank shell? Surely the statistics reported by the Assad government and FSA sources illustrate the tragedy unfolding there in perfectly stark terms. What is the obsession with seeing everything?
The issue is broader than this one case of course. It isn’t just terrorism that potentially waits for you in the world of Islam, but uncountable instances of rape, abduction, sexual harassment (especially in Egypt) and ludicrous judicial punishments (in Abu Dhabi and Dubai).
The solution? Don’t go to the Islamic world. Stop travelling there. Whatever ancient (pre-Islamic) marvels, or professional thrills attract you, they are not worth your death or the tears of your family and friends.
If you want the ancient world, travel to Israel instead. Walk the hallowed streets of Jerusalem and Safed. Enjoy the thrill of seeing everyday people with assault rifles slung around their backs, charged with the maintenance of the civilised world’s frontline. See what happens to your political views when you try to imagine what it’s like living so close to the previous millennium that you feel its vile breathing.
Muslims are a generally dangerous people. It isn’t just a few bad apples. The whole barrel is rotten. And for the same reasons you wouldn’t travel to a Papuan jungle filled with cannibals, stop travelling to the Islamic world.
D, LDN.
Defend the Modern World 
I think some of these people get a thrill from going to war zones and some feel a responsibility to report what is going on, often a bit of both. No doubt there is money in good photos and reports, too. But it is too dangerous – I think only security services should be there now to monitor how dangerous these states are becoming.
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Indeed. People seek a juvenile kick. It’s not just warzones though. I really have no sympathy with people who go to Dubai and end up in prison for kissing in public (or some comparable offence).
Why Dubai? For the weather? There are a hundred tropical cities one could travel to, why go to the one run by a clique of waddling medieval sheikhs?
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Reblogged this on Mysteries and commented:
This is the question that never seems to be addressed, as if it’s just completely normal to head over to a place where the chances of a dire end are increased. They must have known the risks
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“Why the hell did they go back?” It’s not like they didn’t know the territory. These men knew of the risks full well, and chose to risk it again.
As horrible as their fates are, John Cantlie and James Foley would have fully understood the dangers of working there, having been confronted with these (assholes) militant (shits) before. (sorry; rude words)
Becoming a revert (convert?) or doing service work for the Syrian people isn’t any safeguard.
Hard to have 100% sympathy for anyone caught in this trap. We all now know. Muslim countries are bloody horrid places.
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Indeed and Mr Cantlie has undoubtedly brought this situation upon himself. Nevertheless, our governments should be doing more to help him (and the others).
I hope people get the message and stay out of that region. No polaroid is worth being beheaded over.
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Humanitarians in Syria are the easiest targets. If Westerners want to help – they should donate money and let local charities do the groundwork.
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Yes, on my next trip to Europe I will have to boycott our national airline Qantas; due to their alliance with Emirates they’ve moved their half way hub to Dubai in favour of Singapore or Bangkok.
Though Virgin Australia has also done the same deal with Etihad in Abu Dhabi.
Hello Singapore Airlines!
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All good points. And further – let me say that I like your comments here. Too much, many of the core issues you write on are so poorly covered by others. It is a joy to read well-thought out comments as you write, and views that allow a balance, complex view of the modern world without a sense of lost of grounding to the past.
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Very nice of you to say. Thank you Dav.
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