Quote Originally Posted by Sarmatian View Post
As far as imperialism goes, Turkish rule in the Balkans was infinitely more fair than just about any European colonial rule.

It is not about Europeans invading Muslim countries, it is about Europeans invading countries, period. For several centuries, up to two-three generations ago it was quite normal to murder indiscriminately for material gain of the state or some wealthy individual or companies.

It was organized murder and oppression on a vast scale, sanctioned or organized by the state, by the cultural elites.
On the other end, you've got some fringe, miniscule elements of a religion committing murders. And we are sane and they have a mental disorder.

I hate terrorism as much as anyone, but holding 1,200,000,000 people responsible for the actions of a few people is quite ludicrous.
And yet it was the British who did most in the history of mankind to end the practice of slavery around the world, and a large proportion of the former British empire still retains cultural and in some cases even political links with their former imperial oppressors. And it's notable that workable liberal democracies are more prevalent in areas formerly oppressed by the nasty British. How many functional liberal democracies are there in the former Ottoman empire? Probably only Turkey, and that because of some fervently Europhilic bloke back in the mists of time.