Originally Posted by amalekite

United Arab States...well, sort of.....

Before the breakup of the Ottoman empire...Islam was united under a Caliphate

The Caliphate was the Muslim equivalent of a Catholic Pope. He was a religious leader and provided a single voice to unite all of Islam.

In Islam, there is no such concept of "seperation of church and state." Therefore, a Caliphate is a political as well as religious leader.

Many muslim extremists, including Osama Bin Laden, believe that the Muslim Nation will be united under a single leader before the End Times. He believes that this must happen in order for the world to be united under Islam

Read transcripts of Osama Bin Laden's speeches...he always refers to the "Muslim Nation." In his mind, it is only a matter of time before a Caliphate arises to unite all of Islam.

Remember, the Muslim nations of Iraq, Syria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia...etc...Their borders were mostly formed by Colonial Western Powers. Muslim extremists refer to them as Christian Crusader armies and do not recognize the borders created. To Muslim extremists...There are no borders and there are no countries. To Muslim extremists...There is just one single Muslim Nation.

Muslim extremists believe that the muslims "immigrating" to Europe, America, Canada, and Australia are part of the Muslim Nation. And that they are demographic soldiers...Agents sent to the west to force infidels to convert when their demographic numbers grow.

DO NOT laugh at notions of a United Arab States. BE VERY CAUTIOUS in your understanding of Islam.

The Iraq war has already served as a catalyst to unite Islam against the Christian West and Israel. In order for muslims to be united...they must have a common enemy. Christianity and Judaism has provided that common enemy.

Free trade also serves as a tool to unite people/nations under a common system of government. I believe the TRUE reasons for the Iraq war was to create a kind of Middle East Economic block... in an effort to join Middle Eastern countries under a united free market system similar to the EU.

In order to achieve this Middle East economic block... Peace must be struck between the Israelis and Palestinians to put an end to fighting. The recent elections of Olmert and Abbas will ensure a Palestinian state is created... The destruction of Saddam Hussein's regime assures Iraq can be included.. All that is left is IRan and Syria.

Syria's current leadership will most likely fall apart from within...similar to their withdrawal from Lebanon

Iran is the wild card

If a "peace deal" is struck that prevents Iran from building nukes in exchange for access to economic trade...then there may just be a United Muslim Nation and Caliphate within the next few years.

Many believe that Iran will give up it's nuclear ambitions in exchange for Israeli nuclear disarmament.

Pay attention to the news...you're living in historic times