This is coolbert: You always hear various "authorities" speak of how when fighting a war, that you must "know your enemy". Well, what do we know about the enemy in this current war, the on-going war with Al Qaeda. What is the motivation of this enemy and where it comes from? It seems the current wave of Muslim fanatics is greatly influenced by an Egyptian called Sayyid Q'utb [various spellings of this name exist, Khattub, or Qattoob, etc]. Q'utb was an Egyptian student who attended university or college in Colorado for post-baccalaureate studies in the late 40's. Was so repelled and revolted by what he saw in the U.S. that when he returned to Egypt he became a moving force in the Islamic Brotherhood with his writings and leadership. The main objection to the U.S. of Q'utb's seems to be what we as Americans hold dear, the separation of church and state. Q'utb was an advocate of Sharia law, Islamic law as being the source of all laws of a state, and felt that U.S. "decadence" was due to our lack of religiosity in secular affairs. Exactly what we feel is a strong point of our society Q'utb felt is a weakness. Q'utb was subsequently sentenced to death by Nasser and executed. But his influence has remained strong not only in Egypt, but throughout the Islamic world (umma [nation]).

coolbert.