What "breathtakingly stupid actions" do you have in mind? Liberating 60 million Muslims from murderous regimes? First of all, give this twaddle about "liberating Muslims" to the sheeple who might believe it. The role of the United States is not to "liberate" Muslims or anybody else. We do not go abroad "looking for monsters to slay" (Washington). We went to Afghanistan to wreak our RIGHTEOUS VENGEANCE on those who murdered our countrymen.
As for breathtakingly stupid actions...
1. Proposing the effective naturalization of up to 12 million (that's 12 with six zeros after it) illegal aliens. Some of whom may be Wahabbists posing as Mexican day laborers.
2. Permitting US embassies and consulates throughout the Middle East to be staffed by Wahabbists and bin-Laden sympathizers. These people control the visa process; allowing countless hateful bastards to enter the country while rejecting visa applications for normal, traditional Muslims.
3. Launching a war against a weak Stalinist thugocracy which posed no threat to the US or its neighbors-- and doing so without having the common sense to put an Arab face on it.
4. Removing the leader of said Stalinist Arab thugocracy and leaving a power vacuum for Wahabbists to fill.
5. Disbanding the Iraqi Army (not just the Baathists)down to the last private-- turning 300,000 armed men into enemies.
6. Calling this war "The War on Terror", the laughable suggestion of a war on a particular tactic rather than what it really is... War against Islamic Religious Totalitarianism. War against Wahabbism. War against Al-Qaeda.
"Terrorism" itself will always be with us. Study your history, bud. Algeria used it against the French, the Jews of Israel against the British.
7. Expanding the War on Terror to include groups involved with localized national struggles. Rather than isolating Al-Qaeda and their Wahabbist allies, we make Israel's enemies our own. Why? Like we need more enemies?
8. Creating a whole new bureaucracy (DHS)as a response to something (inter-operability within the intel and law enforcement community) that should and could be solved by discarding idiotic legislation which has castrated our ability to monitor and respond to threats.
So, to breathtakingly stupid-- let me add naive. And I say this as someone whose ancestors are from Iran and Iraq, and who knows people butchered by Saddam.
Finally, as far as the response of Muslims to terrorism in general, here's something to think about...
1. In the aftermath of 911, the media brought forward the Imams of major mosques. The major mosques are often funded by the Saudis. The Imams are mostly Wahabbis.
2. Most traditional(conservatives and liberals) Muslims in this country no longer attend most mosque services, preferring to use our homes. Why? Becuase too many mosques are Wahabbist infilitrated. Not all, but maybe 25 to 40 percent. The media doesn't know this.
3. Unfortunately, many Muslims are afraid to speak out, a characteristic acquired by living in unfree societies.
4. To spice things up, the media deliberately finds the most obtuse and psychotic Muslims they can to represent the "official" Muslim point of view. I know this from personal experience. It's the same thing they do to paint conservatives as radicals or fools, by positing the most unattractive people as "representative" of the conservative side.
Still, you're right that the traditional Muslims here have be louder and more obnoxious. Maybe then, the media will finally hear us. Unfortunately, most of us work for a living and don't have time to march and picket like the average liberal.
What "breathtakingly stupid actions" do you have in mind? Liberating 60 million Muslims from murderous regimes?
First of all, give this twaddle about "liberating Muslims" to the sheep who might believe it. The role of the United States is not to "liberate" Muslims or anybody else. We do not go abroad "looking for monsters to slay" (Washington). We went to Afghanistan to wreak our RIGHTEOUS VENGEANCE on those who murdered our countrymen.
Where to begin. Ok how about this: Liberation of Iraq is a VITAL step in the War on Terrorism. Read Bin Laden's Fatwa.
There has been a lot argument among the political class recently whether or not there was an Iraq-Al Qeda link. The argument that there is NO link is total nonsense. Bin Laden's primary justification revolves around the US lead "containment" of Iraq from bases in Saudi Arabia and the UN Sanctions "starving" the Iraqi people. You can read the original by entering Bin Laden's Fatwa in your search engine. The liberation of Iraq ALSO has the added benefit of forcing the Terrorists out of their holes to fight our TROOPS rather then hinding in sanctuaries planing additional attacks on our CIVILIANS. Bush took the initiative away from the Terrorists by forcing them to fight on their OWN ground against our STRENGTH, rather then waiting for them to attack us again.
As for breathtakingly stupid actions...
1. Proposing the effective naturalization of up to 12 million (that's 12 with six zeros after it) illegal aliens. Some of whom may be Wahabbists posing as Mexican day laborers.
Well that is 4 million more then any credible source I have seen state. So what you are arguing is that it would be better to IGNORE the problem and allow a terrible gap to develop in our security the it is to TRY to establish some mechanism for getting them above ground where we can document them! Frankly Bush's approach makes a heck of alot more sense then the rabid xenophobia of the Isolationist Right. The Illegals are HERE, we have to do something about them. What's the solution? All I hear from the Isolationist Right is whining about Bush's idea rather then offering an ALTERNATIVE solution. And NO "Well deport them all" is NOT a realistic solution.
2. Permitting US embassies and consulates throughout the Middle East to be staffed by Wahabbists and bin-Laden sympathizers. These people control the visa process; allowing countless hateful bastards to enter the country while rejecting visa applications for normal, traditional Muslims.
Any SOURCE to back up this accusation? ANY?
3. Launching a war against a weak Stalinist thugocracy which posed no threat to the US or its neighbors-- and doing so without having the common sense to put an Arab face on it.
See above. Liberating Iraq makes perfect sense in the overall strategy of eliminating Terrorism. Bush is draining the swamp that produces terrorism rather then merely swatting individual terrorist flies
4. Removing the leader of said Stalinist Arab thugocracy and leaving a power vacuum for Wahabbists to fill.
Hysteric nonsense. There is so much wrong with this I do not know where to begin. You really want to argue leaving a State Sponsor of Terrorism in place in Iraq makes BETTER sense then creating a liberal stable democratic state in Iraq? Here is a link showing how wrong this idea is
http://federalist.com/news/iraq.asp
5. Disbanding the Iraqi Army (not just the Baathists)down to the last private-- turning 300,000 armed men into enemies.
HAAAAA! So you would those who supported Saddam BACK in charge????? See link above why this is wrong.
6. Calling this war "The War on Terror", the laughable suggestion of a war on a particular tactic rather than what it really is... War against Islamic Religious Totalitarianism. War against Wahabbism. War against Al-Qaeda. "Terrorism" itself will always be with us. Study your history, bud. Algeria used it against the French, the Jews of Israel against the British.
Wrong again. This whole argument is illogical. Murder will always exist so were shouldn't do anything to fight murders? Rape has always existed so we should fight rapists? This is a nonsensical "point" THIS is a war on terrorism. War on the terrorists, war on the institutions and states that support terrorism and those who view terrorism as a legitimate tool of politics. Terrorism exists because it is allowed to exist. Bush is in the process of educating the Muslim world that terrorism as a tactic is a losing proposition.
7. Expanding the War on Terror to include groups involved with localized national struggles.
Such as?????? Care to name some names???? IF they are engaging in Terrorism they are terrorists. To say, well these are "good terrorists" because they do not attack the US is stupid. If they engage in terrorism, they ARE the enemies of our values and should be opposed.
Rather than isolating Al-Qaeda and their Wahabbist allies, we make Israel's enemies our own. Why? Like we need more enemies?
They have always been our enemies. To pretend they aren't is to hide your head in the sand and ignore reality. Simple rule, the Friends of my enemy are NOT my Friends. Bush is confronting that fact. The whole reason Islamic Whabbists have become so dangerous is because they have been tolerated by Muslim rulers. Bush is telling those ruler, "YOU CANNOT HAVE IT BOTH WAYS! You cannot play footsie with the Terrorists and be a Friend to the USA.
8. Creating a whole new bureaucracy (DHS)as a response to something (inter-operability within the intel and law enforcement community) that should and could be solved by discarding idiotic legislation which has castrated our ability to monitor and respond to threats.
NONESENSE. One of the reasons 9-11 happened was because no one had over all oversite over all the various Government agencies. Rather then having the Federal Government wiggling it's various counter terrorists fingers around individually, DHS gathers it all into one clenched fist.
2. Most traditional(conservatives and liberals) Muslims in this country no longer attend most mosque services, preferring to use our homes. Why? Becuase too many mosques are Wahabbist infilitrated. Not all, but maybe 25 to 40 percent. The media doesn't know this.
3. Unfortunately, many Muslims are afraid to speak out, a characteristic acquired by living in unfree societies.
4. To spice things up, the media deliberately finds the most obtuse and psychotic Muslims they can to represent the "official" Muslim point of view. I know this from personal experience. It's the same thing they do to paint conservatives as radicals or fools, by positing the most unattractive people as "representative" of the conservative side.
Still, you're right that the traditional Muslims here have be louder and more obnoxious. Maybe then, the media will finally hear us. Unfortunately, most of us work for a living and don't have time to march and picket like the average liberal.
Ok, you are right. I guess I shouldn't blame the silent Muslim majority when I see daily how the "NEWS MEDIA" ignores the positive to hype the negative. It is easy to demand extraordinary courage from Muslims, who have no idea which of their neighbors may be a Whabbist fanatic, when I myself do not have to share their risk. But I still think the Muslim Leaders must step up to the plate. There can be no peace between the West's ideals of Democracy and those who think suicide bombing is an acceptable political tactic.