West Point opens Islamic worship space as Muslim cadets increase

Newsday.com ^ | 10/22/06 | Newsday.com

[World_Events]

WEST POINT, N.Y. (AP) _ Muslims at the U.S. Military Academy numbered just two in 2001. This year, there are 32.

Now West Point has opened its first space dedicated to Muslims, a worship hall complete with a pulpit facing Mecca. The space officially opened Thursday.

"I knew the Army had a policy of religious tolerance, but I didn't know it was to this extent," said first-year Cadet Ahmed Moomin, 20, from the Maldives.

Until now, Friday prayers were held in an increasingly crowded first-floor office, said Imam Asadullah, the academy's Muslim cleric. The number of Muslim cadets jumped by 10 from last year.

The new hall is large enough for dozens of followers, he said.

West Point's Muslim leaders approached administrators last year for help.

"We live in a world where everyone is looking at the United States saying, 'You're anti-Islam.' But here at West Point, that's not what we do," West Point Chaplain Col. John Cook said.

[Memphis Moe]

Worse than stupid.

[Lumper20]

http://admissions.usma.edu/FAQs/faqs_admission.cfm#ADMISSIONREQ

I served with many West Point officers. It used to be a big plus to be an Eagle scout as well as being extremely good in a sport or two. SAT's must be 1100-1200 minimum. Math and science are very important, as are all courses plus extra curricular activities like the above plus others.

[EnochPowellWasRight]

"Hamas is a recognized terrorist organization. "

You might want to inform Ms Rice about that. She doesn't seem to know.

[conservative in nyc]

Please cite a law that allows West Point to turn down Muslim cadets solely because they are Muslim. I don't think you can. My original statement is correct.

Do you honestly imagine that US Muslim officers would defend Israel against muslim attack if that came to be? or would attack and kill Muslims on the battlefield?

I'd be shocked if a Muslim-American in the Army DIDN'T kill a Muslim member of the Iraqi Army during the First Gulf War or Operation Iraqi Freedom. And the U.S. Army doesn't defend Israel - it defends the United States of America and its interests. Were an officer to refuse to defend the US, he would be in violation of his oath and subject to whatever punishment the army's rules and regulations allow.

[stephenjohnbanker]

No way, man! Rod was resurrected in June 2001 : )

[Rokke]

"If you've studied any military history at all you know that this is a piss poor analogy."

Well, apparently you haven't. Japanese Americans fought in every theater during WWII and were responsible for some of our most important intelligence break throughs in the Pacific theater.

[stephenjohnbanker]

"Because the U.S. is on a suicide mission."

It do look LIKE it!

[Caesar Soze]

According to Al-Taqiyah, Muslims were granted the Shar'iyee right (legitimacy) to infiltrate the Dar el-Harb (war zone), infiltrate the enemy's cities and forums and plant the seeds of discord and sedition. These agents were acting on behalf of the Muslim authority at war, and therefore were not considered as lying against or denouncing the tenants of Islam.

Well, fine. If these cadets attempt to "plant the seeds of discord and sedition," they'll be dismissed before they can cause any real harm. "Good order" and "discipline" are considered rather important in the military; "discord" and "sedition" are looked down upon. Either one is a quick way out of a training pipeline and off a zero-defect promotion list.

Do you guys really think the Army is so incompetent that thirty-something Muslim officers every year, out of a couple thousand commissions, are going to destroy the organization? The Army has survived mutinies and conspiracies much more threatening than this handful of Muslims (not that anyone has proven they are a greater threat than any other second lieutenant). When they can pull off something like Newburgh or the Business Plot -- or even a Tailhook -- let me know.

[Memphis Moe]

"They are, after all, American citizens."

So was Tokyo Rose.

[Rokke]

"When the time comes - and it will - can we expect Islamic officers of our own forces to lead their troops against other Islamics?"

I've witnessed it happening. Time and time again.

[kinoxi]

How am I "flat out wrong," and how can I be expected to believe that I am "flat out wrong" when you provided absolutely no evidence, just your assertion?Just thought I'd repeat that.

[stephenjohnbanker]

"Well, apparently you haven't. Japanese Americans fought in every theater during WWII and were responsible for some of our most important intelligence break throughs in the Pacific theater."

How do you explain the Japanese internment camps during the war?

[EnochPowellWasRight]

"Well, apparently you haven't. Japanese Americans fought in every theater during WWII and were responsible for some of our most important intelligence break throughs in the Pacific theater."

Nisei generally didn't serve in the Pacific theater (there was a ban) and most of the intel breakthroughs were a product of the code breakers at NI.

Many Nisei served honorably and with distinction in the European thater (in fact, many wanted desperately to prove their loyalty quite unlike the general WHINING coming from the American "Muslim community"), but that doesn't change the fact that there were perfectly logical reasons based on existing intelligence to intern Issei and their Nisei children (German and Italian resident aliens were interned too, but they don't get the press) away from critical defense sectors.

[kellynla]

"It would be illegal for West Point to systematically turn down Muslim cadets just because of their religion."


There is no legal requirement to admit foreigners
in fact, Mr. ACLU, acceptance to any military academy is a privilege not a right for even Americans.


And if you are getting your shorts in a twist over this,
imagine how upset you're gonna be when we start DEPORTING ALL FOREIGN MUSLIMS.... because one more 9/11 type terrorist attack and every foreign Muslim swingin' dick will have to pack up his koran and family and go back to whatever hellhole he originated from!

Our ancestors didn't risk life and limb coming to this country just so a bunch of Muslims could come here, terrorize our women and children and make hamburger out of our families.

And before I leave you all, the 1983 Beirut Marine Corps barracks bombing was not America's first attack by Muslims.
The Barbary Pirates were anyone? anyone?...MUSLIMS!

Semper Fi,
Kelly

[F.J. Mitchell]

The good, the bad and the ugly have passed through West Point, just like any other school. Graduation buys each Cadet as a Commission, but not a free pass from criticism or a ticket to sainthood.

I know the scum of whom I wrote is an islamite and from his own lips said it was to avenge the death of his islamite brothers on the other side.

I never heard of the incident you say was committed by a Christian. Are you sure he was a Christian, or just a non-islamite?

[philetus]

If these cadets attempt to "plant the seeds of discord and sedition," they'll be dismissed before they can cause any real harm."

That would be true if West Point was the target.

[EnochPowellWasRight]

"So was Tokyo Rose."

I believe Lord Haw Haw was originally American (he was captured holding a British passport and hung by them.)

Converts to Islam (like "Azzam the American") should be watched even closer. They CHOSE to join the death cult.

[Alfonso1000]

"Sure. And you join a long list on this thread too shallow to come up with any legal justification West Point can use to exclude Muslims."

That sentence sums up the entire problem with your opinion and the people who share it. None of the governments lawyers could come up with legal justification to kill bin Laden when we had the chance in the 1990s. None of the government lawyers could come up with legal justification for the CIA to communicate with FBI.

Nobody can come upwith a legal argument against putting a muslim in control of a nuclear submarine or other nuclear launch codes. That doesn't make it a good idea. Maybe Americans should use common sense instead of trying to find the solution to every problem in a 200 year-old piece of paper.

[EnochPowellWasRight]

"Than your WWII model does NOT fit because we allowed Germans and Japanese to serve in our military BEFORE we defeated the radical elements in their societies."

We did NOT allow Nazis or followers of Bushido. Not known ones, at least.

You see, "Islam" isn't so much a nationality or a religion, but more akin to the militant ideologies that drove the Japanese Empire and the Third Reich.

[eleni121]

And the U.S. Army doesn't defend Israel - it defends the United States of America and its interests.

---

I said it that if came to be...and it might.

I don't know the answer to whether muslim Americans killed Iraqi enemy in the first gulf war...they might have because they considered the iraqis to be a secular force.

I do not trust them. They will lie in order to gain a larger goal

I do know that Muslims have been tried and sentenced and court marshaled for killing fellow soldiers and other dastardly stuff.

"'Never should a believer kill another believer,' pronounces the Koran."