Now, I will ask you this question: if we declare an all-out war on Islam, what do you think will happen with our allies in Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan, Turkey, and Indonesia. Do you think they will continues to assist us and let us use the bases in their countries? Do you think they will still give us intelligence?
This is a practical question.
Another question is this: if we declare war on all Islam, what is your proposed solution for the millions of legal Islamic residents and citizens here in the United States? How many police do you think it will take to protect Islamic communities from vigilantes? How many fence-sitters in those communities would be pushed into sabotage and aiding sleeper cells?
There are practical considerations involved in this, and I would like to hear some thoughtful comments on what the proposed answer is. Hint: nuking Mecca is not a viable answer.
In case you have not noticed, Islam has declared war on you. It makes what we say about it rather moot. Our "allies" in Kuwait have no Americans allowed signs outside some of their business establishments. Turkey and Jordan are not Moslem States, and Indonesia is the site of the Bali Bombing. While you appease, Islam is on the move.
They came for the Sudanese, but we said nothing because they were black? They came for the Israelis and we said nothing because they were Jews, they came for the Balinese and we said nothing because they were, uh, Balinese. They came for us and we said nothing because we were to politically correct? But hey, at least the Sand-Nazis religious rights to murder were protected from hate speech!
I think a bit of eye opening is over due on both your and Bush's part.
Your question was "will they give us intelligence?" My answer in return is a question, "will it be worth anything IF they give it to us"? As I think they are allies at gunpoint at best, not friends.
Your second question is equally as backasswards in my opinion. "if we declare war on all Islam, what is your proposed solution for the millions of legal Islamic residents and citizens here in the United States? How many police do you think it will take to protect Islamic communities from vigilantes?"
About one thousandths of the amount of police that it will take to protect Americans from the Islamic Jihad Army that is within our borders. I am not worried about a drunk redneck with a deer rifle, I am worried about a quarter million religious fanatics with C4 blowing up shopping malls and city busses as they are prone to in Israel. If you are indeed a "Miss" Marple, you have more to worry about than I do as you are a woman, a much more likely target than a man.
So given that the Koran and the supplementary teachings of the Imams say that a man who attacks his neighboring village and brings the wrath of the infidel on a Moslem village is a shame, where a man who attacks a neighboring village and brings tribute from a stronger village is a wise man, I submit to you that Nuking Mecca may indeed be the only answer.
I not only advocate nuking Mecca, but skywriting in the clouds over Saudi Arabia "Our God is bigger than your God" with the F16's when we leave. You may think that as childish, but I have lived with our "sand cousins" for about three years now. If you want to speak to your enemy, speak his language. Trust me, I am deadly serious.
The point seems to have been missed in this whole thread.
The article is talking about Conservatives problems with what Bush is saying.
He is talking out of both sides of his mouth on this. We need to make people aware of that.
He isn't the Head of State Theology.
In conflict with truth, he doesn't need to keep lying about Islam. It doesn't bode well for him or us.
He and Powell rebuked the TRUTH. Not only is it not their job to rebuke relegious leaders, they certainly shouldn't LIE to do it.
It is a fact that Mohammed was a pedophile. It is a fact that Islam, when powerful enough, has (and is ) seeking to do much worse to the Jews than Hitler did. It is a fact that Mohammed was a warrior and a terrorist who sought to conquer other peoples and convert them at knife point.
For Bush and Powell to deny the obvious is ludicrous.
That doesn't mean we are declaring war on anyone. It means we are intelligent enough to know what the enemy believes.
I'm glad the leaders of the USA didn't think that way during WWII or many thousands of WWII vets would have never made it home. When your enemy has declared war against you then you seek to destroy them before they destroy you.
Peace activist are indirectly responsible for the death of untold millions.