But Who Cares?
A rare example of positive news regarding Islam and the Middle East - some very astute remarks by ex-Iranian president Mohammad Khatami at a conference in Kuala Lumpur (entitled 'Who Speaks for Islam? Who Speaks for the West?').
Mr Khatami said that after centuries of struggle between Islamic traditionalists and modernisers, he believes Muslims are ready for a major transformation in their minds and lives.
He spoke of Muslim societies embracing freedom, progress and democracy, and helping to create a calm and secure world for all.
However, despite the encouraging noises, is anyone actually listening? Who actually does speak for Islam?
No-one does. The trouble is that, unlike the US, EU or PRC, the 'nation' of Islam has no obvious voice or leader. Does Khatami have any authority within the Muslim world? I doubt that he has much even in his own country.
A great way to help solve the crisis between Islam and the West would be to appoint some kind of council of leaders, a new Caliphate with enough theological, moral and political legitimacy to make it comparable to similar institutions of the nation state.
But by its very nature, Islam is divided into factions and subgroups as well as various Muslim nations and a vast diaspora. It needs to unite behind someone like Khatami (he did defend Iran's right to nuclear energy, but I'll let him off for the time being), but I doubt that this is a realistic proposition.
Iran's ex-leader sees new Islam
The former Iranian president, Mohammad Khatami, has told a conference that the Muslim world is ready for a major transformation.
He said that it was time to create a new world where Islam is applied in a manner compatible with freedom, progress and democracy.
The gathering in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, was to promote dialogue between Western and Islamic thinkers.
Mr Khatami blamed the West for fuelling Islamic radicalism.
At the meeting, entitled "Who Speaks for Islam? Who Speaks for the West?", he called the West self-centred and determined to see the entire world adopt its values.
He accused some countries of promoting Islamaphobia for their own strategic ends.
But he also deplored violence and extremism in parts of the Islamic world - something Mr Khatami said stemmed from their backwardness and a feeling of humiliation, making understanding and compromise all the more difficult.
But his speech also had a strong note of optimism.
Mr Khatami said that after centuries of struggle between Islamic traditionalists and modernisers, he believes Muslims are ready for a major transformation in their minds and lives.
He spoke of Muslim societies embracing freedom, progress and democracy, and helping to create a calm and secure world for all.
Earlier, the Malaysian prime minister opened the conference with a warning that a huge chasm was emerging between the West and Islam.
Abdullah Badawi said that Islam had wrongly been demonised in the West, but he also told Muslims that they had to make education, development, science and technology their priorities.
