Are We at War with Islam? Part II

4. More yet on the Ground Zero mosque. The Imam behind the mosque is determined to build at the Ground Zero site. It is to be a 13 story structure costing $100 million. Governor Patterson of New York State has offered to find state property elsewhere, upon which the mosque could be built. Refused. Donald Trump offered a 25% profit to a major investor if they would move the mosque even 5 blocks further from Ground Zero. Rejected. The Imam wants the mosque to be ready on 9/11/2011. Ten years to the day from the 9/11/2001 attacks.

This same Imam behind the mosque is behind the so-called “Cordoba Initiative.” Cordoba, Spain was the site of a major muslim victory; the site where the muslims built their first mosque in Spain; the seat of the Caliphate of Iberia and North Africa. And when was that victory? 711 A.D., exactly 1300 years from when they want the Ground Zero mosque to open. What a coincidence! (Information from 9/1/10 Investor’s Business Daily article by Joseph Evanns and Egon Mittelman.)
This same Imam, in recently discussing the mosque issue, referred to it as a “crisis.” Crisis for who? He told ABC News that “backing down on the proposed Manhattan site would outrage Muslims worldwide and allow terrorists to claim the US had bullied American Muslims.” (Quote from the 9/10/10 LA Times.) And there you have it; either the Imam gets his way or there might be violence against the US and US interests. It was a not so subtle threat. How about if the Imam instead said to his fellow Muslims that the sensitivities of Americans need to also be considered, not just the sensitivities of the Muslim world? How about if he explained to his fellow Muslims that we resolve such issues here by a peaceful process? How about if he told his fellow Muslims not to overreact, like they did with the Danish cartoons? None of that. Instead we are to be held hostage to their threats – capitulate or else. Well, capitulation/appeasement is something that our President can relate to. As he said: “As Americans we are not – and never will be – at war with Islam.” Then why do they seem to be at war with us Mr. President?

5. Burning the Koran. Pastor Terry Jones, of a small church in Florida, had been planning to burn a Koran this past Saturday. He was roundly condemned by those on the left and right. He was warned by our leaders of the deleterious effects such a book burning could have on our troops and American interests. General Petraeus and Defense Secretary Gates both warned that our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan would be put at increased risk. The 9/10/10 LA Times summarized our President’s reaction by writing that “burning the Koran could lead to violence against Americans overseas” and serve as a “recruitment bonanza for Al-Qaeda.” (Last quote the President’s.)
In fact, the 9/12/10 LA Times reported that over 10,000 demonstrators in Afghanistan shouted “Death to America” simply because of the threat to burn the Koran. They reported additional demonstrations a day earlier. The 9/8/10 Ventura County Star reported demonstrations outside the US embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia last month, threatening violence if the Koran were burned. According to the Star “Any intentional damage as a show of disrespect to the Quran is deeply offensive.” Well, so is flag burning, but our Supreme Court allows it as an expression of free speech. So was the “artist” who put a cross (or other religious icon) in a container of urine. Americans (68%) are obviously offended by the placement of a mosque at Ground Zero. The muslims seem to take offense relatively easily. If they honor religious sites and other items, why were so many Jewish holy sites and temples destroyed by them when they controlled the West Bank from 1948 until 1967? Why did they build their Al-Aksa Mosque on the Temple Mount, site of the two great Jewish Temples? Why do they still destroy the decreasing number of churches left in the muslim world?

Here’s a thought. Obama missed yet another “teaching moment” when all he did was criticize Pastor Jones. Why not explain to the Muslim world that such action is protected speech under the First Amendment, and that while most Americans oppose it, we also understand the right to do it? Why not explain that differences of opinion, even when that opinion is expressed by book burning, should never result in violence? Why not explain that tolerance works two ways (the Pastor’s point, actually)? No. Instead, all we got again was the threat of violence. All we got again was capitulate – or there will be violence.

The 9/3/10 NY Times reported on their poll of NYC residents about the mosque and muslims. And they were not happy. 60% reported they knew people with negative feelings towards Muslims because of the 9/11 attacks. One resident, despairingly said: “We can’t say all Muslims are terrorists…There is a huge population of Muslims throughout the world, and we will have to deal constantly with them in the future. If we make enemies constantly, then we will constantly have war.” I have bad news for that New Yorker – we have already been at war for several decades (or longer if you go back to the Barbary pirates). And he might want to ask the Israelis how that “peace” thing works with the muslims!

6. Obama tries his hand at Middle East peacemaking. Obama and the mainstream media are all cautiously optimistic about the current negotiations between Israel and the palestinians. He has given them one year to reach a resolution. (Funny how the “journalists” of the mainstream media do not think to ask Obama: What happens after one year if there is no deal?) This column knows what will happen. After all, the mere existence of Israel is “offensive” to the muslim world. (Think not? How about this from the Hamas Charter: “Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it, just as it obliterated others before it.” From the 9/3/10 IBD. Of course, the PLO Charter, Abbas’ organization, also calls for Israel’s destruction. And how about this nifty comment: “No palestinian negotiator I know of will bow before the Israeli demand…that Israel be recognized as an exclusively Jewish state.” So says Ahmad Tibi, deputy speaker of the Knesset. Per his article in the 9/3/10 LA Times. 57 muslim countries – no problem. 58 if “Palestine” comes into existence.

Obama has already declared mideast peace to be of “vital national security interest.” Therefore, the solution will be to appease the muslims. Not likely he can get the result he wants from Congress, especially with the anticipated Republican victory in November. But he can certainly refuse to veto a UN resolution dictating a resolution. Such a resolution will come from the palestinian/arab/muslim world, and will certainly not be favorable to Israel. We have seen Obama’s attitude towards Israel. We have seen his mistreatment of Netanyahu. We have heard his appeasement speech to the muslim world. And we understand his belief that Americans will never be at war with Islam. Again, Obama believes that Israel is “costing us significantly in terms of both blood and treasure” by not making peace. (From the 8/26/10 IBD article by George Will.)
So the muslims are sworn to the destruction of our ally Israel. And we either capitulate to their demands or they will be at war with us (as if they were not already). So the question is not: Are we at war with Islam? The question is: When will we realize that we are at war with Islam?

7. A final note. For those muslims who have served this country in the military - thank you. For those muslims who wish to peacefully practice their religion, without imposing it on the rest of us via Sharia law, this is not aimed at you. Sadly, the so-called "moderates" have done little to denounce the terrorists or the "peaceful" ones who would impose Sharia law. Imam Rauf will not denounce Hamas as a terrorist organization; nor will a Southern California Imam. One can only assume that they share Hamas' goals, if not their violent tactics. Imam Rauf has spoken glowingly of the Iranian Revolution. When these imams and other muslim leaders speak against tyrranny, against religious intolerance in the Muslim world, against violence, against the mistreatment of women and homosexuals, against the hatred espoused in their schools and and in their media against America, Israel, the West, and Jews, then maybe we can say we are not at war with you. Right now, that seems to be a long way off.