While I agree with some of the points that you make concerning Islamic reform, I must say that there also needs to be considerable reform in the West. To be quite frank, the actions taken by the US and UK over the last five years displays an ugly underlying racism in their policies.

I have to say that I find it disturbing that anyone would consider pre-emptive action against Iran a viable option. I certainly do not wish to defend the actions or views of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, but if the West was serious about trying to disuade Iran from developing nuclear weapons then they would start by disarming their own arsenal. That we have the gall to say that it is ok for us to have such weapons, yet Iran cannot, strikes me as deeply hypocritical. What actions has the US taken to prove that they are responsible? And what right has the US to play arbiter in this matter? Despite the inflammatory language of their leader (language that was recently echoed by Chirac), when was the last time that Iran started a war with another country?

Yes, I agree that there are problems that need to be resolved within Islam, but I also see fundamental problems in the West as well. And to be honest, it seems that at the moment we are doing far more harm.

Not sure if the reference to an American contributer was directed at me, but just for the record I am a British person living in New York.