Posted on 07/20/2005 3:27:23 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
KUWAIT CITY - Muslims from Indonesia to the Middle East on Wednesday labeled as aggressive and irresponsible a U.S. congressman's suggestion that the United States could "take out" Islamic holy sites if Muslim attackers targeted America in a nuclear strike.
Some demanded an apology. Many said the comments fuel Islamic extremism and leave Muslims feeling Americans equate terrorists with all of Islam.
"American mentality imagines that a religion is attacking another religion, and here lies the danger," said Syrian political analyst Ahmed al-Haj Ali. He called it "frightening" to "retaliate against the birthplace of Islam for individual criminal acts or acts committed by groups that are condemned by Islam."
Rep. Tom Tancredo, a Colorado Republican, was asked on a radio talk show Friday how the United States should respond if terrorists struck several of its cities with nuclear weapons.
"Well, what if you said something like — if this happens in the United States, and we determine that it is the result of extremist, fundamentalist Muslims, you know, you could take out their holy sites," Tancredo answered.
When host Pat Campbell of WFLA-AM in Orlando, Fla. asked if he meant "bombing Mecca," the congressman responded: "Yeah."
Mecca and Medina, in Saudi Arabia, are Islam's holiest cities. All able-bodied Muslims are required to make a pilgrimage there at least once in their lives. Mecca is the birthplace of Islam's prophet Muhammad and home to the Kaaba, Islam's most sacred site, which Muslims around the world face when they perform daily prayers.
"I find it strange that such a comment comes from someone who represents a civilized people," said Hamed al-Abdullah, a Kuwait University political science teacher. The comment should be rejected by civic societies, the Congress and President Bush, he said.
U.S. State Department spokesman Adam Ereli called the congressman's statement "insulting and offensive." He said Americans "respect the dignity and sanctity of other religions."
In Egypt, the liberal al-Ghad Party condemned Tancredo's comments and demanded "an official apology to all Muslim nations, who love peace and reject arrogance and violence."
"It's aggressive and it is exceeding all limits and doesn't serve anything but extremism and terrorism," al-Ghad said in statement published in its mouthpiece newspaper by the same name.
Tancredo has refused to apologize, telling The Associated Press his comments had been taken out of context. He said he never said he wanted to bomb Mecca or Medina and added that it would be better to think of ways to prevent a terrorist attack, noting that he didn't want to "inflame this issue."
But some Muslims still felt Tancredo's remarks reflected a broader American opinion. "America is trying to market the idea of striking at Mecca in order to fight fundamentalism. This is crazy talk devoid of logic," said Sheik Hisham Hassani, a Syrian expert on fundamentalist groups. He accused Washington of sowing "sectarian discord that always begins with such utterances."
The leader of Indonesia's most influential group of Islamic clerics criticized the remarks as "irresponsible" and called on Americans to protest them. "How can an American congressman say something like that?" said Amidhan, who goes by one name. "It just reflects his inability as a politician."
"Does he understand anything about human rights? At least when the United States attacks Iraq, Muslims blame the government not the American people," Amidhan said.
Al-Abdullah, the Kuwaiti political scientist, put some blame on the way the question was put to the congressman. "These imaginary 'what if' questions are endless," he said.
I think he has lost his direction, but redoubling his efforts with Talking Point #2.
I'm glad that the Muslims are upset, I'm sure that was the intention of the remark. If the Muslims did more to sanction the evil terrorists, they wouldn't need to try to sanction Tancredo.
Then we respond with our own nukes and life on Earth ceases to exist.
What's your point?
Do you think that Russia or China would be willing to sacrifice all life on Earth for 1.2 billion Muslims?
(and btw, India's missiles do not have the range to strike America)
I'm not going to stick my head in the sand and pretend that it is a small miority of Muslims who want to see us all dead. Even if only 10% of Muslims are America/West haters that is still 10 million people. And the "moderates" feel the exact same way but hide their feelings. There are too many wars going on in the world with Muslims exterminating non-Muslims. Wake up pal,they have a master plan and it is being played out right before your eyes.
I think executing a Fatwa against Tancredo would be difficult. A lot of his supporters know how to shoot and America isn't Europe.
The more the Muslims attack Tancredo, the more appealing he becomes. They're making him ...... A CRUSADER!!!!!
Reagan during a radio address his now famous quote threatening the USSR, "...we start bombing in five minutes....
It was a joke and never meant for public consumption.
The running joke in the White House was that Reagan in the first two months of his Presidency hadn't bombed the soviet union yet, as the liberals said he would during the campaign of 1980.
And also that was not part of his "evil empire" speech and you know that.
I'm not sticking my head in the sand.
I'm just saying that you point out the evils of islamofascism without giving the islamofascists propaganda points to muddy your arguement as tancredo did.
As for India...indeed, they do not have those kind of missles, so scratch them from the list.
As for the rest of them...would they be willing to kill everyone? We'd all like to think they wouldn't, but sometimes, the mind of Man is a twisted and warped thing.
Evidence: the aforementioned muslims.
It's a tough call.
And he's right, you know. That's Talking Point(TP) #2 above. Below is a collection to Talking Point #1. The only change he makes is his TP. Other than that he keeps repeating himself over and over ad infinitum.
It was a joke that became world wide media fodder and had every danged cowardly spineless liberal foaming at the mouth. Hmmmm, sound familiar?
They secretly or publicly support the terrorists. They are waiting for us to get hit so they can celebrate. Well now they have something to think about. Excellent!!
He now denies he said that. He claims his words were taken out of context and he refuses to say that Mecca should be bombed if our cities are nuked. You've been been Tancredoed just like the voters were in his district when he promised not to run for more that three terms, and just like Buchanan was Tancredoed when he promised to run for President.
"Tancredo refused to apologize Tuesday, telling The Associated Press that his comments had been taken out of context. He said he never said he wanted to bomb Mecca or Medina, but he did not explain whether he would support bombing the Muslim holy sites if terrorists attacked the United States' nuclear reserves. "
Propaganda; Material disseminated by the advocates or opponents of a doctrine or cause: wartime propaganda.
So what that they are mad about a statement of fact about how people feel. Are they going to Super Duper bomb us? The camel jockey's have a choice, either correct the problem they created for themselves or they can kiss their Allah ass good bye.
imo
I think your opinion is 100% on the money. To continue to call their version of Islam, a religion, is a slap in the face to other religions and followers, including non-radical Muslims
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