How do you say Chutzpah in Arabic?

Yesterday the story about ambassadors from Muslim nations to Sweden demanding that that country change their laws in light of another bout of Islamo-Cartoonophopia made the rounds of the interwebs.

Well, the meeting has apparently taken place and there seems to be a slight difference of opinion about the take away:

The envoys are not reported to have called for Sweden to change its laws to protect against the desecration of the Muslim prophet. After a meeting with his Muslim colleagues on Thursday, the Egyptian ambassador had indicated that the group wanted to see "action, not just nice words."

But Reinfeldt said that the ambassadors did not present a list of demands at government offices in Rosenbad.

"There were no demands in that sense. We had a very positive dialogue," said Reinfeldt.

Now maybe there’s some diplomatic parsing of language here but it seems whether or not they demanded laws be changed or presented a written list of what they want done, the Muslim ambassadors expect something to be done. As we all recall, last year’s Cartoons of Blasphemy episode demonstrated what could happen if their demands aren’t met.

But even the most careful diplomatic language allows for the occasional truth to be told.

Algeria's ambassador to Sweden, Merzak Bedjaoui, said the meeting "was an excellent initiative taken in a spirit of appeasement."

Since it’s apparently okay for accredited ambassadors to make demands about the internal workings of their host country, I eagerly await stories about the non-Muslim world's demands for reciprocity. I am sure any day now the US Ambassador to Saudi Arabia will insist that churches be allowed to open in that country, or travelers not have to worry about packing bibles or crosses in their luggage when visiting or that women be allowed to drive throughout the kingdom. Perhaps EU countries which maintain relations with Iran could demand that that country stop hanging gays. And maybe, just maybe all civilized countries will be informing Pakistan that no, it’s not okay to stone women to death for ‘adultery’ (AKA…being raped).

Yeah, I am sure that would go over real big in the Muslim world.

posted by DrewM. at 02:54 PM

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