US Conservatives dispute Bush’s portrayal of Islam

The Indian Express ^ | 12/9/02 | Dana Milbank

[1bigdictator]

US Conservatives dispute Bush’s portrayal of Islam

Dana Milbank

Washington, December 8 PRESIDENT Bush finds himself in a rare disagreement with Conservatives in his party over his efforts to portray Islam as a peaceful religion that is not responsible for anti-American terrorism. In a score of speeches since the September 11, 2001, attacks, Bush has called for tolerance of Muslims, describing Islam as ‘‘a faith based upon peace and love and compassion’’ and a religion committed to ‘‘morality and learning and tolerance.’’

But a large number of foreign policy hawks — some of them with advisory roles in the Bush administration — have joined religious conservatives in taking issue with Bush’s characterisations. While most of them understand the political rationale for Bush’s statements — there’s no benefit in antagonising Muslim allies such as Pakistan and Indonesia — they say the claim is dishonest and destined to fail. For Bush and for the country, the outcome of the argument is crucial.

The administration, and moderate governments in Arab and Muslim nations, are struggling to prevent the war on terrorism from becoming what Osama bin Laden wants: a war of civilisation between the Judeo-Christian West and a resentful and impoverished Muslim world. Calling Islam a peaceful religion ‘‘is an increasingly hard argument to make,’’ said Kenneth Adelman, a former Reagan official who serves on the Bush Pentagon’s Defense Policy Board.

‘‘The more you examine the religion, the more militaristic it seems. After all, its founder, Mohammed, was a warrior, not a peace advocate like Jesus.’’ Another member of the Pentagon advisory board, Eliot Cohen of the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, wrote an article on the Wall Street Journal editorial page arguing that the enemy of the US is not terrorism ‘‘but militant Islam.’’ ‘‘The enemy has an ideology, and an hour spent surfing the Web will give the average citizen at least the kind of insights that he or she might have found during World Wars I and II by reading Mein Kampf or the writings of Lenin, Stalin or Mao.’’

Cohen acknowledges it is impolitic and ‘‘deeply uncomfortable’’ for the administration to say such things. ‘‘Nobody would like to think that a major world religion has a deeply aggressive and dangerous strain in it — a strain often excused or misrepresented in the name of good feelings. But uttering uncomfortable and unpleasant truths is one of the things that defines leadership,’’ he said.

At the same time, social conservatives are resisting Bush’s efforts to portray Islam in a favorable light. ‘‘Islam is at war against us,’’ Paul Weyrich, an activist who is influential in the White House, wrote recently.

‘‘I have had much good to say about President Bush in recent months. But one thing that concerned me before September 11 and concerns me even more now is his administration’s constant promotion of Islam as a religion of peace and tolerance just like Judaism or Christianity. It is neither.’’ — LATWP

[2banana]

Ask why these Islamic countries are full of peace and tolerance:


Saudi Arabia - Conversion by a Muslim to another religion is punishable by death. Bibles are illegal.

Yemen - Bans proselytizing by non-Muslims and forbids conversions. The Government does not allow the building of new non-Muslim places of worship

Kuwait - Registration and licensing of religious groups. Members of religions not sanctioned in the Koran may not build places of worship. Prohibits organized religious education for religions other than Islam

Egypt -Islam is the official state religion and primary source of legislation. Accordingly, religious practices that conflict with Islamic law are prohibited. Muslims may face legal problems if they convert to another faith. Requires non-Muslims to obtain what is now a presidential decree to build a place of worship

Algeria - The law prohibits public assembly for purposes of practicing a faith other than Islam. Non-Islamic proselytizing is illegal, and the Government restricts the importation of non-Islamic literature for distribution.

Jordan - Has the death penalty for any Muslim selling land to a Jew.

(All information is from US State Department Human Rights Reports)

I could go on with more examples.

[republicanwizard]

I think Bush is correct. Islam is a religion of peace, provided you have any amount of reason.

One can take a fairy tales and turn them into an ideology of destruction and terror. Demeaning Mohammed or his followers for September 11, 2001, is stupid foolishness and the work of those driven by hate themselves.

All religions have been known to commit excess in God's name. However, that does not mean that the religion, its founders, or God is to blame.

[ex-Texan]

Militant Islam is the enemy of America and all Americans be they here at home or abroad. In my own view, Islam is a cult preaching death and a reward in heaven for those who murder non-Muslims. Fanatical Islamics drew the 'first blood' by turning airliners into terrorist weapons of mass destruction. All across the world, Isamics are not preaching peace, or religious tolerance or non-violence. They only preach hatred, murder, revenge, and destruction to all who are not Muslim.

I have not heard Muslims renouncing violence and terrorism. Instead, they were dancing in the street celebrating 911. Is there a single voice shouting, 'Peace, peace?!' or 'Pray for Tolerance?!' If so, I have not herd one; not even a single voice. The Islamics are condemned by their own silence.

[Mamzelle]

Bush mouths certain platitudes, but does he really believe them, or is this diplomacy? Right now, it looks as if the Arabian Sauds are going to let us use a base. "War is deception," Mohammed said. Maybe Bush is taking that advice.

[trebb]

The President is taking the right tack - he will not slam a religion because of how many of its followers decide to interpret it. He will take the "personal accountability" route every time, because that's the one that makes sense...

[Stand Watch Listen]

Related Articles:

Fatwa: Coming to a Country Near You--Islamic death bounties ain't hard to find
Source: FrontPageMagazine.com; Published: December 6, 2002; Author: David Harsanyi

Why we are losing the war
Source: Guardian Unlimited; Published : December 1, 2002

Islam - Green Wall Of Silence - III
Source: PakToday : Published: November 25, 2002; Author: Tashbh Sayyed

Black Muslims Create 'Explosive Mix' in Terror War, Says Author
Source: CNSBNEWS.com; Published: November 14, 2002; Author: Marc Morano

Of course, the great majority of Muslims are peaceful -- so what?
Source: Jewish World Review; Published: November 5, 2002; Author: DENNIS PRAGER

Ramadan: A Month of Peace?
Source: Toogood Reports; Published: November 4, 2002; Author:| Alan Caruba

The Seamless Garment Of Hate: The Beltway Sniper Shootings And Islam/Nation of Islam
Source: Toogood Reports; Published:| November 1, 2002; Author: Nicholas Stix

Barbara Stanley: American Jihadist Terrorism - Conversion And Recruitment
Source: Toogood Reports; Published: October 28, 2002; Author: Barbara Stanley

Jihadis in the Hood: Race, Urban Islam and the War on Terror
Source: Middle East Report; Published: Fall 2002; Author: Hisham Aidi

The Radical Islamic Mind (lengthy exposé from Christian perspective)
Source:Spiritual Counterfeits Project; Published: Sept 2002; Author: Aleesha Khan

Naming The Evildoers: Militant Islam Reaches America
Source: New York Times BOOK REVIEW; Published:| September 29, 2002; Author: Judith Miller

DEPRIVING THE ARABS OF THEIR PREY
Source: WINSTON MID EAST ANALYSIS & Published: September 13, 2002; Author: Emanuel A. Winston

A Hatred Beyond Understanding
Source: Sierra Times; Published: September 9, 2002; Author: Alan Caruba

Saving Islam from bin Laden [Christopher Hitchens]
Source:The Age (Melbourne); Published: September 5 2002; Author: Christopher Hitchens

Muslim leaders pledge to 'transform West': 'If Islamic state rises, we will be its army'
Source: WorldNetDaily.com; Published: August 13, 2002; Author: Jon Dougherty

WHAT went wrong with the Arab world?
Source: Economist; Published: July 10, 2002

Today's Criminal Will Become Tomorrow's Islamic Terrorist
Source: CNSnews.com; Published: June 25, 2002; Author: C.T. Rossi

David Horowitz: Know The Enemy (And What He Believes)
Source: FrontPage magazine; Published: June 24, 2002; Author: David Horowitz

Four Myths About Muslims
Source: CNSNews.com; Published: June 13, 2002; Author: C.T. Rossi

Trying To Find A `Moderate' Islam Is A Quixotic Quest
Source: CNSNews.com; Published: May 20, 2002; Author: C.T. Rossi

The Islaming of Europe
Source: CNSNews.com; Published: May 20, 2002; Author: Alan Caruba

Why Islam Can't Join the Modern World
Source: FrontPageMagazine.com; Published: May 16, 2002; Author: Jamie Glazov

It's The Attitude, Stupid [re: Palestinians]
Source: Toogood Reports; Published: May 14, 2002; Author: Philip Safran

Reports of Moderate Islam's Existence Have Been Greatly Exaggerated
Source: CNSNews.com; Published: April 22, 2002; Author: C.T. Rossi

It's time to snap out of Arab fantasy land {Steyn}
Source: National Post; Published: April 19 2002; Author: Mark Steyn

HOROWITZ: A MIDDLE EAST HISTORY PRIMER
Source: News and Opinion.com; Published; April 10, 2002; Author: David Horowitz

Arafat Must Go!
Source: CNSNews.com; Published: April 10, 2002; Author: Alan Caruba

Netanyahu speaks before US Senators
Source: http://netanyahu.org/netspeacinse.html; Published: April 10, 2002; Author: Benjamin Netanyahu

20 Suppressed Facts About Israel, Islam
Source: Koenig's International News; Published: April 9, 2002; Author: Jim Bramlett

They Live to Die (Islam Martyrdom)
Source: Wall Street Journal; Published: April 7, 2002; Author: Reuel Marc Gerecht

Moral Fortitude Vs. Vacillation
Source: CNSNews.com ; Published: April 01, 2002; Author: Alan Caruba

Terror's Homebase, All Over The Map -- Jihad: The Trail of Political Islam
Source: Wall Street Journal-- Book Review; Published: | March 29, 2002; Author: Adrian Karatnycky

Islam Vs. The World
Source: Toogood Reports; Published: December 2, 2001; Author: Alan Caruba

Arab World Poverty -- Whose Fault?
Source: Capitalism Magazine; Published: 11/18/01; Author: Larry Elder

Will the Real Islam Please Stand Up!
Source:Van Jenerette Editorial Comment, Various Publications;
Published: October 14, 2001; Author: Van Jenerette

Civilization Envy
Source: National Review Online; Published: September 28, 2001; Author: Jonah Goldberg

What We Are Up Against: Islamic Jihad Factories
Source: New York Times Magazine; Published: July 25, 2000; Author: Jeffrey Goldberg

[2banana]

I wonder if you would make the same argument in 1941 with the Nazis or Imperial Japan...

[joesnuffy]

I think Bush is correct. Islam is a religion of peace, provided you have any amount of reason.

Lobotomy

[republicanwizard]

Lobotomy?

Don't tell me you are one of those who listens to the Pat Buchanan crowd...

For his time, Mohammed was a rather peaceful man, and he was warred against more than the warrior.

[John O]

Demeaning Mohammed or his followers for September 11, 2001, is stupid foolishness and the work of those driven by hate themselves.

If I direct people in my employ to go commit murder I am responsible for that murder. If I direct people who are strongly under my influence to go and commit murder then I am responsible for that murder.

mohammed commands his followers to murder innocent people. He is responsible for those murders.

By its own holy book mohammedism is exposed as a cult and an inherently evil organization.

Islam is the enemy

God (Jehovah, Yahweh, Jesus) Save America (Please)

[TLBSHOW]

Paul Weyrich, an activist who is influential in the White House, wrote recently.

‘‘I have had much good to say about President Bush in recent months. But one thing that concerned me before September 11 and concerns me even more now is his administration’s constant promotion of Islam as a religion of peace and tolerance just like Judaism or Christianity. It is neither.’’

,,,,,,,,
Islam is a cult of death.

[Consort]

If Conservatives want or expect Bush to bash a religion, then they are dumber than Democrats.

[TLBSHOW]

MURDER BY ISLAM THE CULT OF DEATH


In a little-noticed story almost exactly one year after Muslims staged the most horrific terrorist attack the world has ever seen, a Muslim en route from Germany to Kosovo emerged from the airplane bathroom and tried to strangle a stewardess with his shoelaces. (Not that there's anything unpeaceful about that.)

That story was squirreled away in a small box at the very bottom of Page A-9 of the Times. In the entire Lexis-Nexis archives, only three newspapers reported the incident. Not one mentioned that the attacker was a Muslim. It was a rather captivating story, too. Earlier in the flight, the Muslim responded to the stewardess' offer of refreshments by saying, "I'd like to drink your blood." (Not that there's anything unpeaceful about that.)

Also last week, another practitioner of the Religion of Peace, this one with ties to al-Qaida, tried to board a plane in Switzerland with a gun. This story did not merit front-page coverage at the New York Times.

On July 4 this year, an Egyptian living in California – who had complained about his neighbors flying a U.S. flag, had a "Read the Koran" sticker on his front door, and expressed virulent hatred for Jews – walked into an El Al terminal at the Los Angeles airport and started shooting Jews. (Not that there's anything unpeaceful about that.)

The Times casually reported the possibility that his motive was a fare dispute. Four days after the shooting, the story vanished amid an embarrassed recognition of the fact that any Muslim could snap at any moment and start shooting.


snip;

Citing passages from the Hadith, the collected sayings of Muhammad, the Caners note that, by his own account, the founder of Islam was often possessed by Satan. The phrase "Satanic Verses" refers to words that Muhammad first claimed had come from God, but which he later concluded were spoken by Satan.

Muhammad married 11 women, kept two others as concubines and recommended wife-beating (but only as a last resort!). His third wife was 6 years old when he married her and 9 when he consummated the marriage.

To say that Muhammad was a demon-possessed pedophile is not an attack. It's a fact. (And for the record, Timothy McVeigh is not the founder of Christianity. He wasn't even a Christian. He was an atheist who happened to be a gentile.)

http://www.townhall.com/columnists/anncoulter/ac20020906.shtml

[1bigdictator]

The logic of parceling out blame through some false distinction between Islamists and the religion of the Koran, or at least how militants interpret it, is an exercise in futility.

The raging Clerics espousing Wahabi branded hatred against the West and modernity disprove your argument of cultural relativity... by their own admission, if you are willing to listen, their's is a self-described religion of death and destruction toward non-observers.

[republicanwizard]

The Old Testament is a really pacific book. If I were to follow it literally, then I would run around killing everyone.

I don't since I have common sense.

[1bigdictator]

Thanx for the list... bookmarking to read later.

[Sender]

As much as I would like to agree with you that all religions are peaceful and only subject to occasional human foolishness, I cannot.

[Abar]

Mohammed was a rather peaceful man

muhammad was a paedophile, in his fifties he married a 6 year old girl and defiled her at age 9.

That was one of his better points as he's also the founder of an insane satanic murdeous cult, islam.

islam is death, and will have to be eradicated.

[republicanwizard]

Sure. Whatever you say.

Make up the facts as you go along. Typical of your type.

Why don't you leave FreeRepublic and go to a site more conducive to fiction.