countjulian

Brave ex Muslims Hirsi Ali on the Muhammed cartoons:

http://service.spiegel.de/cache/inte...399263,00.html

mshah2k

I think we ought to publish that cartoon on every western newspaper's front page.

I mean, the radical muslims want to die so they get their virgins, right? Let's grant their wish.

DougP

Honestly, i dont see why we shouldnt criticize islam, its just as goofy as all the other religions out there.

-Doug

Machiavelli

Sure, but I think Islam is especially goofy, and dangerous.

I've lost all tolerance for them. I get a visceral reaction whenever I hear about them. They seem to want to have a world war with us. If this keeps up, perhaps we should ablige them. And no more of this nation building crap, I'm talking about a real war.

Escaped A.I.

^^ with who? you want the US to start a war with all muslims?

you do realize there are 1 billion muslims and they live on every single continent?

Sarpedon

I would not like to be the one starting the war...but with tensions ever increasing, rhetoric getting ever the more firey, and grassroots support for militancy growing on both sides, (yes, even I am feeling militant. I'm not a violent man, I've never so much as struck another person in anger, but I'd kill someone who tried to take away my right to free speech, and would rather die than live under sharia law) its starting to look alot like 1914.

Unfortunately, it looks as if the US is as likely as anyone else to start a world war. With Bush invading one country after another, committing one outrage after another, its looking alot like 1937. Eventually, his luck will run out, and countries will stop protesting and start picking up their guns.

Militarily though...actually I think the US could defeat all the world's islamic nations, if we exerted ourselves to the level we did during WW2, and adopted a good, comprehensive strategy, didn't attempt to occupy all that land, and all other nations remained neutral. All those countries together don't possess a navy that can defeat ours, and with naval supremecy, we could attack anywhere with impunity, while they would be forced to disperse their armies in an attempt to defend their many vulnerable points.

However, I doubt we'd have to. Israel would support us certainly. Possibly India too, and Russia, perhaps. With those allies, we wouldn't even need NATO. And of course, there's no organization on earth NATO couldn't defeat.

However, if the US starts the war, countries that may have remained neutral may become hostile, and potential allies may remain neutral, or even become enemies. This would certainly end in our defeat.

proudliberal

That has already been done in iraq.

Kosh

Good point. Let's first create the ultimate Muslim state where they'll all want to live... :devil:

Yahzi

That's hardly a fair assessment. They've got printing presses, for Dog's sake. All over the place. Compare that to Napolean's lone press, which he left behind in Egypt, where it was neglected until it rusted to death.

And idolatry - the prohibition is supposed to be on making images of any human, not just the prophet. Yet they all have TVs. And watch "Baywatch."

Heck, it's got to the point that a local council can't gang-rape some girl without it creating an international incident!

The Muslim world has given miles. Dirty, grotty miles of misery, oppression, and small-minded tyranny, perhaps - but still miles. Let's have a little sympathy for old men who fully expected to treated like unquestionable gods by their daughters and sons, but now find themselves harangued by boys with Oxford degrees and girls who want to arrange their own marriages instead of being traded for camels.

In the midst of all this furor, let us consider the other side of the coin: Muslims all over the world know about the cartoons. What a change from the last century that is!

islamwatch

Cartoon Saga: Can Prophet Muhammad Command Unqualified Respect from the Westerners?

By MA Khan

05 February, 2006

Publication of a number of caricature cartoons of prophet Muhammad in a Danish newspaper has set on a raging controversy and violent protests from Muslims at every corner of the World. As the Muslim world wages civil as well as violent protests in unison – the Western world has taken a divisive stand. Government of countries like Norway, Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland and France, where the cartoons have been published and reprinted, have distanced themselves on the ground of their failure to interfere and influence the independent press in their secular and democratic society. On the other hand, certain countries of the West, including the United States and United Kingdom, have taken a meek stand of appeasing the Muslim outrage.

The US State Department termed cartoons "offensive to the beliefs of Muslims" and their publication "not acceptable," warning that press freedom "must be coupled with press responsibility."

British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said the decision to republish the cartoons was "insensitive ... disrespectful ... and wrong."

Only a number of newspapers in Europe came to the defense of their sister publications, insisting on their right to free expression, whilst others have expressed a more cautious views on the controversy.

This controversy created such a stunning impact that it led Denmark Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen to hold an hour-long meeting with 76 foreign diplomats in a bid to defuse the crisis, but repeated at the end that his government could not apologize on behalf of the press.

As this controversy is in a motion of continued intensification in the days to come, it is an opportune moment for the Westerners as well as the Muslims to reflect on if the Prophet of Islam deserves to command unqualified respect from the Westerners in the light of the theological doctrine he had set forward some 14 centuries ago. It should be considered that Muslims are expecting such unqualified respect for the prophet on the Islamic theological ground which prohibits depiction of their prophet in any form. It will hence be most appropriate to consider the desired respect for the prophet from the Westerners in the light of same Islamic theological doctrine, which comprises of the edicts of the Koran and deeds and traditions of the Prophet.

When delve into the Islamic theological doctrine that the Prophet Muhammad had preached and propagated, it becomes the most difficult and unreasonable proposition for the Westerners to show any respect for the Prophet. In the Islamic doctrine of the Prophet, the Westerners who comprise of mainly of the Jews, Christians and nontheists, are conisdered Kaffirs, which means cruel, deceptive and hypocrite infidels or unbelievers [Koran 2:39 ]. The Westerners are the worst beast in the eyes of Allah, the Islamic God [Koran 8:55]. The Gods of the Jews and Christians of the West are false who lead them to darkness [Koran 2:258 ]. Westerners are deceptive and liars [Koran 3:23] and wrongdoers [Koran 2:254 ]. The Western infidels must not be taken as friends and contacts must be avoided at all costs [Koran 3:28]. Muslims must not associate with their own kindred (son, parents and wives) if they do not submit to Allah [Koran 58:22] and such kindred are their enemies [Koran 64.14].

More can be read at the link listed below. FM

MA Khan is an ex-Muslim and co-editor of http://www.islam-watch.org website based in USA.