Book Categories

Description of Reconciliation: Islam, Democracy and the West

Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, the chairperson of the Pakistan People's Party, was seen as vital to that country's future. In exile for years, in late 2007 she felt the time had come to actively re-engage and to return to the country she loved. Part of that process was a clear-eyed assessment of where Pakistan was, and of the nature of its relationship with the West, with Islam, and with extremism. In this important new book, completed just days before her assassination, Ms Bhutto demonstrates that extremism is not inherent to Islam, but that various factors, including some policies of the West, have empowered Islamic fundamentalists and are responsible for the current battle for the hearts, minds and bodies of the Umma (the Islamic nation around the world). 'Reconciliation: Islam, Democracy and the West' was her compelling and convincing prescription for the country at the heart of the so-called 'clash of civilizations'. It argues that democracy, economic development, moderation and modernity are the greatest threats to international terrorism.She pledged to work with the United States and the West to ensure that Pakistan ceased to be the petri dish of international radicals, and to re-establish its bona fides as a realistic and effective moderate alternative for one billion Muslims around the world.

Title Information

ISBN:

9781847372734

Pages:

334 pages

Format:

Hardback

Product Code:

264345

Publisher:

Simon & Schuster

Published:

12/02/2008

Write a review of this book

Customer Reviews from Amazon

About Benazir Bhutto

Benazir Bhutto served twice as Pakistan's Prime Minister, from 1988 to 1990 and 1993 to 1996. Bhutto went into self-imposed exile in Dubai in 1998, returning to Pakistan on October 18, 2007, after reaching an understanding with President Musharraf by which she was granted amnesty and all corruption charges were withdrawn. She was assassinated on December 27, 2007, after departing a PPP rally in the Pakistani city of Rawalpindi, two weeks before the scheduled Pakistani general election of 2008 where she was a leading opposition candidate.