PIPES: Islamists are worse than dictators

This issue came up in an interesting debate for Open to Debate formerly known as Intelligence Squared U.S. in early October when Reuel Marc Gerecht of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and Brian Katulis of the Center for American Progress argued that better elected Islamists than dictators, while Zuhdi Jasser of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy and I made the counter-argument. Well, no one really argued for anyone. The other team did not endorse Islamists and we certainly did not celebrate dictators. The issue, rather was which sort of ruler is the lesser of two evils, and can be cudgeled toward democracy.