Alliance between extreme Left and militant Islam?
Andrew Sullivan muses on the possibility of a future alliance between left-wing extremists in Western countries and militant Islamists. (*) Among other commonalities, they share anti-Semitic and antichristianist hatreds, and desires to see Israel and the United States, Judeo-Christian civilization and Western Civilization all destroyed. Bill, a commenter on another web log, sees a philosophical connection: gnosticism. (†) It is true that the extreme Left and militant Islam both stand upon reinterpretations of Christianity justified by reference to mysticism. The Left has its totalitarian utopianists. Islam’s founder viewed the Bible as true only in light of his mystical revisions, otherwise as corrupt.
Strategically, the alliance could work as a division of labor. Extreme leftists in Western countries would oppose the War on Terrorism and attempt to destabilize society. Militant Islamists would provide the muscle.
Realistically, we must only consider these possibilities on case by case bases where there is actual evidence of such alliances. Although a few leftists may forge a few such agreements with a few militant Islamists, that would not necessarily entail a grand international conspiracy along the lines of the Comintern. It is, however, something to keep in mind.