Churchill on Islam

My comment on this article in the New York Times was published, after moderation, and attracted a comment which was from the editor of the Column ("The Lede") Robert Mackay.
He said:
That passage is not found in the version of Churchill's "River War" available online, although it is fair to describe it as a deeply racist text that might find favor with ultra-nationalist EDL members.
I replied:

@ Robert Mackay,
The quote above [by Churchill] was in the Unabridged 1899 two-volume edition of “The River War”. 
The quote is racist to our 21st century eyes. It maybe also have been to 19th C eyes (it was removed for the 2nd edition).

I'll agree it's racist.

Still, Churchill was clear-eyed about many things and in the quote above there’s much that stands the test of time. EG: 


• “The curses... on its votaries”: True, specially if you’re a woman or gay or would-be apostate.
• "... fatalistic apathy...".  Insha'Allah....
•  
“Fanatical frenzy”: is with us still.

• "Every woman must belong to a man..." : still the case.

• “… the influence of the religion [Islam] paralyses the social development of those who follow it…”.   Plenty of evidence for this too: Eg, Iran, Saudi and Pakistan. See also UN’s Arab Human Development Report

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EDL's Tommy Robinson is neither racist nor xenophobic. The EDL’s Mission Statement is not racist. EDL has its faults, but their actions are clearly aimed at violent Islamism. Why do you confine your criticism to "ultra-nationalist" EDL and not also to the violent Islamists in the UK?


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BTW: Churchill was equally excoriating in his criticism of the UK government’s attitude to the enemy in times of war, denouncing its tendency to portray them as “utterly and hopelessly vile”. 

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