Strike at ‘den of Western decadence’

Strike at ‘den of Western decadence’

Along with power, the Marriott symbolises something else for ultra-conservative Islamic lobbies: Westernisation and its concomitant ‘moral decadence’. The swimming pool where expat women swam in bikinis; the sports bar in the basement where alcohol was served; the lurid stories of debauchery that circulate and even the internet centre all contributed to making the Marriott a target of choice.

So did the political situation. Two major elements have come together. First, the accession of a new president, Benazir Bhutto’s widower Asif Ali Zardari, who is known to be relatively pro-Western and spoke yesterday about his determination to stand together with the international community in the fight against terrorism. Zardari comes from a Pakistani political tradition that, though it has made its accommodations with extremism, is largely seen as secular.

http://newageislam.com/strike-at-%E2%80%98den-of-western-decadence%E2%80%99/islam,terrorism-and-jihad/d/804