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.
Based not on propaganda, but on observed behavior
Probably a long time.
A lot of Americans probably think this, but they aren't as knnejerk as tancredo to pronounce it and give the islamofascists propaganda points and putting extra burdens on our troops in the mideast.
I agree. After WWII, and Nagasaki and Hiroshima, the United States held a reputation of, "Don't mess with us".
Send the message,
"We can be your best friend or worst possible enemy"
The hive has got to be taken out. These people have said they want to kill us. We have to take out Mecca, Medina, and any other "holy sites". They are vermin. Like cockroaches they have to be exterminated. We have to go medievil. So terrible that they can't comprihend. These rabid animals don't understand any thing else. It's got to be so terrible (like Hiroshima, Nakasaki) they shrink back into their tents. We have to prepared to kill them all.
I hear ya :)
Dane, as I pointed out yesterday, our troops over there welcome the opportunity to engage and kill our enemies at any time. That's why we have psyops. This is part of that. So STFU and let the game play.
Otherwise, you're establishing yourself as a friend of our enemies - which I don't believe you are.
why ruin a perfectly good airplane?</sarc>
"the person who gave the islamofascists propaganda points and made our troops jobs harder in the mideast, tom tancredo."
====
Exactly. You appear to be the only person on this thread with any sense and understanding of the situation.
President Bush is going out of his way to make the point that the terrorists are our enemy, not Islam, considering that there are billions of Muslims in the world, and the last thing we need is to have a member of our government, a US Senator make such statements.
Tancredo gave as good propaganda points to the America-haters, as any of the leftists, when they open their mouth and bash the US.
Tancredo just set back President Bush's efforts of democratization of the Arab and Muslim nations significantly.
It is quite disturbing, that so many FReepers are supporting Tancredo, who seems to be only interested in outdoing McCain in the limelight, whatever it takes.
Tancredo is no conservative, he was the only Republican who called for Tom DeLay, a true conservative to step aside, even if the Democrats accusations weren't true.
" I guess your selfishness "
You're the selfish one. Lying about tancredo being a puppet of buchanan, please address my post, Dane:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1447104/posts?page=72#72
They are lashing out because they are allies of the islamofascists.
I'm "lashing" out becuase tancredo gave our enenmies the islamofascists propaganda points to use towards the mideast masses.
But what the heck it makes you and tancredo feel good. And if it makes you feel good that's all that matters, damn the extra burdens tancredo's outburst puts on our troops stationed in the mideast.
True, Americans could travel abroad in fair safety. Not everywhere, of course. Americans are no longer any safer than anybody else.
"If the US is going to win the war against Muslim terrorism, we must ally ourselves with the 'moderate' tribes, while we take out the 'radical' tribes."
Therein lies the problem since the terrorists are cowards and use the moderate tribes as shields. Terrorists attack civilians and do not follow the Geneva Convention.
"which I don't believe you are."
Bwahahhaahhahahahhahahaa........come on ;)
That's crap. Yes, not all the Muslims are terrorists, but virtually all the terrorists are Muslims. Islam is their mutual denominator, and not to admit this is pure bigotry, if politically correct one.
Of course silent because the sound of the aircraft is about 1/2 mile behind the jet, so no one hears the approach
It's too late to vaccinate these rabid animals. We have to take them out! There's trouble in Denmark, even if the Danes have their heads in their desert sand!
I don't think we need to go nuclear, just MOAB em!
UH STD, the buchanan's are running tancredo's PAC.
Those two are joined at the hip togeter.
We're still waiting to hear what the appropriate response would be to a nuclear attack against America.
Tancredo is right on the mark. And if you're worried what these lunatics think of us, I don't know what to tell you.
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