[a_Turk]

The question then becomes: is it still Islam?

Sure it is. All it takes to be Muslim is to be able to say that there is one God and that Mohammed is His messenger. And if you give alms, keep clean, and pray then you're good to go. Islam is not about oppressing women: on clothing, for example, the Koran asks that private areas be covered. Now if chauvinism is practiced in Arabia and the guys think that their wives should be covered from tip to toe just to keep other men from looking at them, that's their business. Nowhere does it say that women should be kept ignorant and opressed.

On the subject of warfare, eluding your enemy is paramount in many cultures, US included. But those of us who are relatively mature do not pick our enemies on the basis of religion, rather on the basis of other competition.

[Cachelot]

All it takes to be Muslim is to be able to say that there is one God and that Mohammed is His messenger.

Funny thing, 99.8 % of all muslims would seem to think different, and include all of the fun stuff that the Muslim world seems to get its jollies from.

Which brings us back to the mainstream thing versus a (very) minority opinion.

But those of us who are relatively mature do not pick our enemies on the basis of religion, rather on the basis of other competition.

Too bad then that so many wars have had religion as the focus. So, on what basis does the Muslim world pick its enemies?

[LarryLied]

Every Korean War vet I'm spoken with is glad you Turks were on our side in that one. Turkish fighting ability made quite an impression.