A Michigan professor sent an e-mail telling Muslim students to leave the country.
Authenticated by Snopes.com Professor Wichman E-mail
In a message dated 7/18/2006 6:54:18 P.M.
Claim: A Michigan professor sent an e-mail telling Muslim students to leave the country.
Status: True.
Example: [Collected via e-mail, 2006]
Hooray for Michigan State University (The Spartans) and Professor Wichman!
Well, what do we have here. Looks like a small case of some people being able to dish it out, but not take it. Let's start at the top. The story begins at Michigan State University with a mechanical
engineering professor named Indrek Wichman.
Wichman sent an e-mail to the Muslim Student's Association. The e-mail was in response to the
students' protest of the Danish cartoons that portrayed the Prophet Muhammad as a terrorist. The
group had complained the cartoons were "hate speech." Enter Professor Wichman. In his e-mail, he said the following:
Dear Moslem Association:
As a professor of Mechanical Engineering here at MSU I intend to protest your protest.
I am offended not by cartoons, but by more mundane things like beheadings of civilians, cowardly attacks on public buildings, suicide murders, murders of Catholic priests (the latest in Turkey!), burnings of Christian churches, the continued persecution of Coptic Christians in Egypt, the imposition of Sharia law on non-Muslims, the rapes of Scandinavian girls and women (called "whores" in your culture), the murder of film directors in Holland, and the rioting and looting in Paris France.
This is what offends me, a soft-spoken person and academic, and many, many, many of my colleagues. I counsel you dissatisfied, aggressive, brutal, and uncivilized slave-trading Moslems to be very aware of this as you proceed with your infantile "protests."
If you do not like the values of the West -- see the 1st Amendment -- you are free to leave. I hope for God's sake that most of you choose that option. Please return to your ancestral homelands and build them up yourselves instead of troubling Americans.
Cordially, I. S. Wichman
Professor of Mechanical Engineering
As you can imagine, the Muslim group at the university didn't like this too well. They're demanding that Wichman be reprimanded and mandatory diversity training for faculty and a seminar on hate and discrimination for freshman. Now the Michigan chapter of CAIR has jumped into the fray. CAIR, the Council on American-Islamic Relations, apparently doesn't believe that the good professor had the right to express his opinion.
For its part, the university is standing its ground. They say the e-mail was private, and they don't intend to publicly condemn his remarks. That will probably change. Wichman says he never intended the e-mail to be made public, and wouldn't have used the same strong language if he'd known it was going to get out.
How's the left going to handle this one? If you're in favor of the freedom of speech, as in the case of Ward Churchill, will the same protections be demanded for Indrek Wichman? I doubt it.
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
The Pope Need Not Apologize for the Truth
Pope Benedict XVI has received heavy criticism for quoting a 14th century Byzantine emperor's remarks on Islam. In a speech to an academic audience in Germany, the Pope spoke about spreading faith through reason, rather than through violence. During the speech, he quoted Byzantine Emperor Manuel II Palaeologus, saying, "Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached."
The Pope also quoted the emperor's argument that, "Whoever would lead someone to faith needs the ability to speak well and to reason properly, without violence and threats... To convince a reasonable soul, one does not need a strong arm, or weapons of any kind, or any other means of threatening a person with death."
The Pope's comments roused great resentment in the Islamic world. Most Muslims expressed their anger without resorting to violence. However Muslim protesters in Iraq and Kashmir burned the Pope in effigy, as many as 1,000 Muslims rallied to protest in Indonesia, and Al-Qaeda militants in Iraq vowed war on "worshippers of the cross." Following the Pope's comments 2,000 Palestinians protested in Gaza City, accusing the Pope of leading a new Crusade against the Muslim world. The following day five churches were attacked in the Palestinian territories, according to an Associated Press report:
"Firebombings left black scorch marks on the walls and windows of Nablus Anglican and Greek Orthodox churches. At least five firebombs hit the Anglican church and its door was later set ablaze. Smoke billowed from the church as firefighters put out the flames. In a phone call to The Associated Press, a group claimed responsibility for those attacks, saying they were carried out to protest the Pope's remarks in a speech this week in Germany linking Islam and violence."
Muslim leaders worldwide have demanded that the Pope make amends, and he has since apologized publicly for his comments.
The Root of the Problem
Over the past few days many commentators have weighed in on the controversy. Some say the Pope's apology was inadequate. Others say his comments were taken out of context. However very few people seem to have stopped to ask the obvious question: is it true? Does the Koran advocate the use of violence as a means of spreading the Islamic faith?
Most Americans - and even most Christians - have no real awareness of the nature of Islam: its origin, its agenda, and its methods. There are, of course, "moderate" Muslims throughout the world that are peace-loving and do not share the views of "extremists" and "fundamentalists." But we also need to recognize that the root teachings of the Koran are anything but peace-loving:
"Fight and slay the pagans (infidels) wherever ye find them, and seize them, beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them in every stratagem of war." - Sura 9:5
"Prophet, make war on unbelievers and hypocrites, and deal rigorously with them." - Sura 9:73
"Let not the unbelievers think they will ever get away. They have not the power to do so. Muster against them all the men and cavalry at your command, so that you may strike terror into the enemy of God and your enemy... Prophet, (Muhammed) rouse the faithful to arms! If they (the non-Muslims) incline to peace (accept Islam) make peace with them." - Sura 8:59
"If they reject your judgement, know that it is Allah's wish to scourge them for their sins." - Sura 5:49
"Believers (Muslims), take neither Jews nor Christians to be your friends: they are friends with one another. Whoever of you seeks their friendship shall become one of their number, and God does not guide (those Jewish and Christian) wrong-doers." - Sura 5:51
Don't let yourself be blinded by misleading propaganda and politically-correct generalities. The cause of Islamic terrorism is not the quest for social justice. It is not freedom for a specific group of subjugated people. The goal of Islamic terrorism - ultimately - is to bring the whole world into subjection to their version of fundamentalist Islam. No amount of appeasement will stop them. They do not want peace unless it comes on their terms.
The Pope also quoted the emperor's argument that, "Whoever would lead someone to faith needs the ability to speak well and to reason properly, without violence and threats... To convince a reasonable soul, one does not need a strong arm, or weapons of any kind, or any other means of threatening a person with death."
The Pope's comments roused great resentment in the Islamic world. Most Muslims expressed their anger without resorting to violence. However Muslim protesters in Iraq and Kashmir burned the Pope in effigy, as many as 1,000 Muslims rallied to protest in Indonesia, and Al-Qaeda militants in Iraq vowed war on "worshippers of the cross." Following the Pope's comments 2,000 Palestinians protested in Gaza City, accusing the Pope of leading a new Crusade against the Muslim world. The following day five churches were attacked in the Palestinian territories, according to an Associated Press report:
"Firebombings left black scorch marks on the walls and windows of Nablus Anglican and Greek Orthodox churches. At least five firebombs hit the Anglican church and its door was later set ablaze. Smoke billowed from the church as firefighters put out the flames. In a phone call to The Associated Press, a group claimed responsibility for those attacks, saying they were carried out to protest the Pope's remarks in a speech this week in Germany linking Islam and violence."
Muslim leaders worldwide have demanded that the Pope make amends, and he has since apologized publicly for his comments.
The Root of the Problem
Over the past few days many commentators have weighed in on the controversy. Some say the Pope's apology was inadequate. Others say his comments were taken out of context. However very few people seem to have stopped to ask the obvious question: is it true? Does the Koran advocate the use of violence as a means of spreading the Islamic faith?
Most Americans - and even most Christians - have no real awareness of the nature of Islam: its origin, its agenda, and its methods. There are, of course, "moderate" Muslims throughout the world that are peace-loving and do not share the views of "extremists" and "fundamentalists." But we also need to recognize that the root teachings of the Koran are anything but peace-loving:
"Fight and slay the pagans (infidels) wherever ye find them, and seize them, beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them in every stratagem of war." - Sura 9:5
"Prophet, make war on unbelievers and hypocrites, and deal rigorously with them." - Sura 9:73
"Let not the unbelievers think they will ever get away. They have not the power to do so. Muster against them all the men and cavalry at your command, so that you may strike terror into the enemy of God and your enemy... Prophet, (Muhammed) rouse the faithful to arms! If they (the non-Muslims) incline to peace (accept Islam) make peace with them." - Sura 8:59
"If they reject your judgement, know that it is Allah's wish to scourge them for their sins." - Sura 5:49
"Believers (Muslims), take neither Jews nor Christians to be your friends: they are friends with one another. Whoever of you seeks their friendship shall become one of their number, and God does not guide (those Jewish and Christian) wrong-doers." - Sura 5:51
Don't let yourself be blinded by misleading propaganda and politically-correct generalities. The cause of Islamic terrorism is not the quest for social justice. It is not freedom for a specific group of subjugated people. The goal of Islamic terrorism - ultimately - is to bring the whole world into subjection to their version of fundamentalist Islam. No amount of appeasement will stop them. They do not want peace unless it comes on their terms.
Friday, September 15, 2006
Inside Al Anbar
"Roger Ramadi" is the pseudonym of a high-ranking Marine intelligence officer currently serving in Iraq. To The Point just received his "sitrep" of the best and the worst in Anbar Province, Iraq's "Wild West."
Rather than attempting to sum up the last seven months, I figured I'd just hit the record setting highlights of 2006 in Iraq. These are among the events and experiences I'll most remember.
Worst City in al-Anbar Province -- Ramadi, hands down. The provincial capital of 400,000 people. Killed over 1,000 insurgents in there since we arrived in February. Every day is a nasty gun battle. They blast us with giant bombs in the road, snipers, mortars and small arms. We blast them with tanks, attack helicopters, artillery, our snipers (much better than theirs), and every weapon that an infantryman can carry.
Every day. Incredibly, I rarely see Ramadi in the news. We have as many attacks out here in the west as Baghdad. Yet, Baghdad has 7 million people, we have just 1.2 million. Per capita, al-Anbar province is the most violent place in Iraq by several orders of magnitude. I suppose it was no accident that the Marines were assigned this area in 2003.
Best Chuck Norris Moment -- 13 May. Bad Guys arrived at the government center in the small town of Kubaysah to kidnap the town mayor, since they have a problem with any form of government that does not include regular beheadings and women wearing burqahs. There were seven of them. As they brought the mayor out to put him in a pick-up truck to take him off to be beheaded (on video, as usual), one of the bad Guys put down his machinegun so that he could tie the mayor's hands.
The mayor took the opportunity to pick up the machinegun and drill five of the Bad Guys. The other two ran away. One of the dead Bad Guys was on our top twenty wanted list. Like they say, you can't fight City Hall.
Most Surreal Moment -- Watching Marines arrive at my detention facility and unload a truck load of flex-cuffed midgets. 26 to be exact. I had put the word out earlier in the day to the Marines in Fallujah that we were looking for Bad Guy X, who was described as a midget.
Little did I know that Fallujah was home to a small community of midgets, who banded together for support since they were considered as social outcasts. The Marines were anxious to get back to the midget colony to bring in the rest of the midget suspects, but I called off the search, figuring Bad Guy X was long gone on his short legs after seeing his companions rounded up by the giant infidels.
Bravest Guy in al-Anbar Province -- Any Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician (EOD Tech). How'd you like a job that required you to defuse bombs in a hole in the middle of the road that very likely are booby-trapped or connected by wire to a bad guy who's just waiting for you to get close to the bomb before he clicks the detonator? Every day. Garbage collectors in New York City get paid more than these guys. Talk about courage and commitment.
Second Bravest Guy in al-Anbar Province -- It's a 20,000 way tie among all the Marines and Soldiers who venture out on the highways and through the towns of al-Anbar every day, not knowing if it will be their last -- and for a couple of them, it will be.
Best Piece of U.S. Gear -- new, bullet-proof flak jackets. O.K., they weigh 40 lbs and aren't exactly comfortable in 120 degree heat, but they've saved countless lives out here.
Best Piece of Bad Guy Gear -- Armor Piercing ammunition that goes right through the new flak jackets and the Marines inside them.
Biggest Surprise -- Iraqi Police. All local guys. I never figured that we'd get a police force established in the cities in al-Anbar. I estimated that insurgents would kill the first few, scaring off the rest. Well, insurgents did kill the first few, but the cops kept on coming.
The insurgents continue to target the police, killing them in their homes and on the streets, but the cops won't give up. Absolutely incredible tenacity. The insurgents know that the police are far better at finding them than we are -- and they are finding them. Now, if we could just get them out of the habit of beating prisoners to a pulp . . .
Biggest Mystery -- How some people can gain weight out here. I'm down to 165 lbs. Who has time to eat?
Second Biggest Mystery -- if there's no atheists in foxholes, then why aren't there more people at Mass every Sunday?
Favorite Iraqi TV Show -- Oprah. I have no idea. They all have satellite TV. [Note: This is true throughout the Middle East, Jordan and the UAE in particular. -JW]
Coolest Insurgent Act -- Stealing almost $7 million from the main bank in Ramadi in broad daylight, then, upon exiting, waving to the Marines in the combat outpost right next to the bank, who had no clue of what was going on. The Marines waved back. Too cool.
Most Memorable Scene -- In the middle of the night, on a dusty airfield, watching the better part of a battalion of Marines packed up and ready to go home after six months in al-Anbar, the relief etched in their young faces even in the moonlight. Then watching these same Marines exchange glances with a similar number of grunts loaded down with gear file past -- their replacements. Nothing was said. Nothing needed to be said.
Highest Unit Re-enlistment Rate in the Marine Corps -- Any outfit that has been in Iraq recently. All the danger, all the hardship, all the time away from home, all the horror, all the frustrations with the fight here -- all are outweighed by the desire for young men to be part of a 'Band of Brothers' who will die for one another.
They found what they were looking for when they enlisted out of high school. Man for man, they now have more combat experience than any Marines in the history of our Corps.
Most Surprising Thing I Don't Miss -- Beer. Perhaps being half-stunned by lack of sleep makes up for it.
Worst Smell -- Porta-johns in 120 degree heat -- and that's 120 degrees outside of the porta-john.
Highest Temperature -- I don't know exactly, but it was in the porta-johns. Needed to re-hydrate after each trip to the loo.
Biggest Hassle -- High-ranking visitors. More disruptive to work than a rocket attack. VIPs demand briefs and "battlefield" tours (we take them to quiet sections of Fallujah, which is plenty scary for them).
Our briefs and commentary seem to have no affect on their preconceived notions of what's going on in Iraq. Their trips allow them to say that they've been to Fallujah, which gives them an unfortunate degree of credibility in perpetuating their fantasies about the insurgency here.
Biggest Outrage -- Practically anything said by talking heads on TV about the war in Iraq, not that I get to watch much TV. Their thoughts are consistently both grossly simplistic and politically slanted. Biggest offender -- Bill O'Reilly -- what a buffoon.
Best Intel Work -- Finding Jill Carroll's kidnappers -- all of them. I was mighty proud of my guys that day. I figured we'd all get the Christian Science Monitor for free after this, but none have showed up yet. Talk about ingratitude.
Saddest Moment -- Having the battalion commander from 1st Battalion, 1st Marines hand me the dog tags of one of my Marines who had just been killed while on a mission with his unit. Hit by a 60mm mortar. Cpl Bachar was a great Marine. I felt crushed for a long time afterward. His picture now hangs at the entrance to the Intelligence Section. We'll carry it home with us when we leave in February.
Best Ass-Chewing -- 10 July immediately following a visit by the Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister, Dr. Zobai. The Deputy Prime Minister brought along an American security contractor (read mercenary), who told my Commanding General that he was there to act as a "mediator" between us and the Bad Guys.
I immediately told him what I thought of him and his asinine ideas in terms that made clear my disgust and which, unfortunately, are unrepeatable here. I thought my boss was going to have a heart attack. Fortunately, the translator couldn't figure out the best Arabic words to convey my meaning for the Deputy Prime Minister.
Later, the boss had no difficulty in convening his meaning to me in English regarding my Irish temper, even though he agreed with me. At least the guy from the State Department thought it was hilarious. We never saw the mercenary again.
Worst Sound -- That crack-boom off in the distance that means an IED or mine just went off. You just wonder who got it, hoping that it was a near miss rather than a direct hit. Hear it every day.
Second Worst Sound -- Our artillery firing without warning. The howitzers are pretty close to where I work. Believe me, outgoing sounds a lot like incoming when our guns are firing right over our heads. They'd about knock the fillings out of your teeth.
Only Thing Better in Iraq Than in the U.S. -- Sunsets. Spectacular. It's from all the dust in the air.
Proudest Moment -- It's a tie every day, watching my Marines produce phenomenal intelligence products that go pretty far in tearing apart Bad Guy operations in al-Anbar. Every night Marines and Soldiers are kicking in doors and grabbing Bad Guys based on intelligence developed by my guys. We rarely lose a Marine during these raids; they are so well-informed of the objective. A bunch of kids right out of high school shouldn't be able to work so well, but they do.
Most Common Thought -- Home. Always thinking of home, of my wife and the kids. Wondering how everyone else is getting along. Regretting that I don't write more. Yep, always thinking of home.
I hope you all are doing well. If you want to do something for me, thank a cop, flush a toilet, and drink a beer.
Semper Fi...
Rather than attempting to sum up the last seven months, I figured I'd just hit the record setting highlights of 2006 in Iraq. These are among the events and experiences I'll most remember.
Worst City in al-Anbar Province -- Ramadi, hands down. The provincial capital of 400,000 people. Killed over 1,000 insurgents in there since we arrived in February. Every day is a nasty gun battle. They blast us with giant bombs in the road, snipers, mortars and small arms. We blast them with tanks, attack helicopters, artillery, our snipers (much better than theirs), and every weapon that an infantryman can carry.
Every day. Incredibly, I rarely see Ramadi in the news. We have as many attacks out here in the west as Baghdad. Yet, Baghdad has 7 million people, we have just 1.2 million. Per capita, al-Anbar province is the most violent place in Iraq by several orders of magnitude. I suppose it was no accident that the Marines were assigned this area in 2003.
Best Chuck Norris Moment -- 13 May. Bad Guys arrived at the government center in the small town of Kubaysah to kidnap the town mayor, since they have a problem with any form of government that does not include regular beheadings and women wearing burqahs. There were seven of them. As they brought the mayor out to put him in a pick-up truck to take him off to be beheaded (on video, as usual), one of the bad Guys put down his machinegun so that he could tie the mayor's hands.
The mayor took the opportunity to pick up the machinegun and drill five of the Bad Guys. The other two ran away. One of the dead Bad Guys was on our top twenty wanted list. Like they say, you can't fight City Hall.
Most Surreal Moment -- Watching Marines arrive at my detention facility and unload a truck load of flex-cuffed midgets. 26 to be exact. I had put the word out earlier in the day to the Marines in Fallujah that we were looking for Bad Guy X, who was described as a midget.
Little did I know that Fallujah was home to a small community of midgets, who banded together for support since they were considered as social outcasts. The Marines were anxious to get back to the midget colony to bring in the rest of the midget suspects, but I called off the search, figuring Bad Guy X was long gone on his short legs after seeing his companions rounded up by the giant infidels.
Bravest Guy in al-Anbar Province -- Any Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician (EOD Tech). How'd you like a job that required you to defuse bombs in a hole in the middle of the road that very likely are booby-trapped or connected by wire to a bad guy who's just waiting for you to get close to the bomb before he clicks the detonator? Every day. Garbage collectors in New York City get paid more than these guys. Talk about courage and commitment.
Second Bravest Guy in al-Anbar Province -- It's a 20,000 way tie among all the Marines and Soldiers who venture out on the highways and through the towns of al-Anbar every day, not knowing if it will be their last -- and for a couple of them, it will be.
Best Piece of U.S. Gear -- new, bullet-proof flak jackets. O.K., they weigh 40 lbs and aren't exactly comfortable in 120 degree heat, but they've saved countless lives out here.
Best Piece of Bad Guy Gear -- Armor Piercing ammunition that goes right through the new flak jackets and the Marines inside them.
Biggest Surprise -- Iraqi Police. All local guys. I never figured that we'd get a police force established in the cities in al-Anbar. I estimated that insurgents would kill the first few, scaring off the rest. Well, insurgents did kill the first few, but the cops kept on coming.
The insurgents continue to target the police, killing them in their homes and on the streets, but the cops won't give up. Absolutely incredible tenacity. The insurgents know that the police are far better at finding them than we are -- and they are finding them. Now, if we could just get them out of the habit of beating prisoners to a pulp . . .
Biggest Mystery -- How some people can gain weight out here. I'm down to 165 lbs. Who has time to eat?
Second Biggest Mystery -- if there's no atheists in foxholes, then why aren't there more people at Mass every Sunday?
Favorite Iraqi TV Show -- Oprah. I have no idea. They all have satellite TV. [Note: This is true throughout the Middle East, Jordan and the UAE in particular. -JW]
Coolest Insurgent Act -- Stealing almost $7 million from the main bank in Ramadi in broad daylight, then, upon exiting, waving to the Marines in the combat outpost right next to the bank, who had no clue of what was going on. The Marines waved back. Too cool.
Most Memorable Scene -- In the middle of the night, on a dusty airfield, watching the better part of a battalion of Marines packed up and ready to go home after six months in al-Anbar, the relief etched in their young faces even in the moonlight. Then watching these same Marines exchange glances with a similar number of grunts loaded down with gear file past -- their replacements. Nothing was said. Nothing needed to be said.
Highest Unit Re-enlistment Rate in the Marine Corps -- Any outfit that has been in Iraq recently. All the danger, all the hardship, all the time away from home, all the horror, all the frustrations with the fight here -- all are outweighed by the desire for young men to be part of a 'Band of Brothers' who will die for one another.
They found what they were looking for when they enlisted out of high school. Man for man, they now have more combat experience than any Marines in the history of our Corps.
Most Surprising Thing I Don't Miss -- Beer. Perhaps being half-stunned by lack of sleep makes up for it.
Worst Smell -- Porta-johns in 120 degree heat -- and that's 120 degrees outside of the porta-john.
Highest Temperature -- I don't know exactly, but it was in the porta-johns. Needed to re-hydrate after each trip to the loo.
Biggest Hassle -- High-ranking visitors. More disruptive to work than a rocket attack. VIPs demand briefs and "battlefield" tours (we take them to quiet sections of Fallujah, which is plenty scary for them).
Our briefs and commentary seem to have no affect on their preconceived notions of what's going on in Iraq. Their trips allow them to say that they've been to Fallujah, which gives them an unfortunate degree of credibility in perpetuating their fantasies about the insurgency here.
Biggest Outrage -- Practically anything said by talking heads on TV about the war in Iraq, not that I get to watch much TV. Their thoughts are consistently both grossly simplistic and politically slanted. Biggest offender -- Bill O'Reilly -- what a buffoon.
Best Intel Work -- Finding Jill Carroll's kidnappers -- all of them. I was mighty proud of my guys that day. I figured we'd all get the Christian Science Monitor for free after this, but none have showed up yet. Talk about ingratitude.
Saddest Moment -- Having the battalion commander from 1st Battalion, 1st Marines hand me the dog tags of one of my Marines who had just been killed while on a mission with his unit. Hit by a 60mm mortar. Cpl Bachar was a great Marine. I felt crushed for a long time afterward. His picture now hangs at the entrance to the Intelligence Section. We'll carry it home with us when we leave in February.
Best Ass-Chewing -- 10 July immediately following a visit by the Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister, Dr. Zobai. The Deputy Prime Minister brought along an American security contractor (read mercenary), who told my Commanding General that he was there to act as a "mediator" between us and the Bad Guys.
I immediately told him what I thought of him and his asinine ideas in terms that made clear my disgust and which, unfortunately, are unrepeatable here. I thought my boss was going to have a heart attack. Fortunately, the translator couldn't figure out the best Arabic words to convey my meaning for the Deputy Prime Minister.
Later, the boss had no difficulty in convening his meaning to me in English regarding my Irish temper, even though he agreed with me. At least the guy from the State Department thought it was hilarious. We never saw the mercenary again.
Worst Sound -- That crack-boom off in the distance that means an IED or mine just went off. You just wonder who got it, hoping that it was a near miss rather than a direct hit. Hear it every day.
Second Worst Sound -- Our artillery firing without warning. The howitzers are pretty close to where I work. Believe me, outgoing sounds a lot like incoming when our guns are firing right over our heads. They'd about knock the fillings out of your teeth.
Only Thing Better in Iraq Than in the U.S. -- Sunsets. Spectacular. It's from all the dust in the air.
Proudest Moment -- It's a tie every day, watching my Marines produce phenomenal intelligence products that go pretty far in tearing apart Bad Guy operations in al-Anbar. Every night Marines and Soldiers are kicking in doors and grabbing Bad Guys based on intelligence developed by my guys. We rarely lose a Marine during these raids; they are so well-informed of the objective. A bunch of kids right out of high school shouldn't be able to work so well, but they do.
Most Common Thought -- Home. Always thinking of home, of my wife and the kids. Wondering how everyone else is getting along. Regretting that I don't write more. Yep, always thinking of home.
I hope you all are doing well. If you want to do something for me, thank a cop, flush a toilet, and drink a beer.
Semper Fi...
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Unsolicited Testimonial
We rarely get a chance to see another country's editorial about the USA.
Read this excerpt from a Romanian Newspaper.
The article was written by Mr. Cornel Nistorescu and published under the title "C"ntarea Americii, meaning "Ode To America" in the Romanian newspaper Evenimentulzilei
"The Daily Event" or "News of the Day".
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
An Ode to America~
Why are Americans so united?
They would not resemble one another even if you painted them all one color! They speak all the languages of the world and form an astonishing mixture of civilizations and religious beliefs.
Still, the American tragedy turned three hundred million people into a hand put on the heart.
Nobody rushed to accuse the White House, the army, or the secret service that they are only a bunch of losers.
Nobody rushed to empty their bank accounts.
Nobody rushed out onto the streets nearby to gape about.
Instead the Americans volunteered to donate blood and to give a helping hand.
After the first moments of panic, they raised their flag over the smoking ruins, putting on T-shirts, caps and ties in the colors of the national flag.
They placed flags on buildings and cars as if in every place and on every car a government official or the president was passing.
On every occasion, they started singing:"God Bless America!"
I watched the live broadcast and rerun after rerun for hours listening to the story of the guy who went down one hundred floors with a woman in a wheelchair without knowing who she was, or of the Californian hockey player, who gave his life fighting with the terrorists and prevented the plane from hitting a target that could have killed other hundreds or thousands of people.
How on earth were they able to respond united as one human being? ; Imperceptibly, with every word and musical note, the memory of some turned into a modern myth of tragic heroes.
And with every phone call, millions and millions of dollars were put into a collection aimed at rewarding not a man or a family, but a spirit, which no money can buy.
What on earth can unite the Americans in such a way?
Their land? Their history? Their economic Power? Money?
I tried for hours to find an answer, humming songs and murmuring phrases with the risk of sounding commonplace, I thought things over, I reached but only one conclusion.. Only freedom can work such miracles.
Cornel Nistorescu
Read this excerpt from a Romanian Newspaper.
The article was written by Mr. Cornel Nistorescu and published under the title "C"ntarea Americii, meaning "Ode To America" in the Romanian newspaper Evenimentulzilei
"The Daily Event" or "News of the Day".
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
An Ode to America~
Why are Americans so united?
They would not resemble one another even if you painted them all one color! They speak all the languages of the world and form an astonishing mixture of civilizations and religious beliefs.
Still, the American tragedy turned three hundred million people into a hand put on the heart.
Nobody rushed to accuse the White House, the army, or the secret service that they are only a bunch of losers.
Nobody rushed to empty their bank accounts.
Nobody rushed out onto the streets nearby to gape about.
Instead the Americans volunteered to donate blood and to give a helping hand.
After the first moments of panic, they raised their flag over the smoking ruins, putting on T-shirts, caps and ties in the colors of the national flag.
They placed flags on buildings and cars as if in every place and on every car a government official or the president was passing.
On every occasion, they started singing:"God Bless America!"
I watched the live broadcast and rerun after rerun for hours listening to the story of the guy who went down one hundred floors with a woman in a wheelchair without knowing who she was, or of the Californian hockey player, who gave his life fighting with the terrorists and prevented the plane from hitting a target that could have killed other hundreds or thousands of people.
How on earth were they able to respond united as one human being? ; Imperceptibly, with every word and musical note, the memory of some turned into a modern myth of tragic heroes.
And with every phone call, millions and millions of dollars were put into a collection aimed at rewarding not a man or a family, but a spirit, which no money can buy.
What on earth can unite the Americans in such a way?
Their land? Their history? Their economic Power? Money?
I tried for hours to find an answer, humming songs and murmuring phrases with the risk of sounding commonplace, I thought things over, I reached but only one conclusion.. Only freedom can work such miracles.
Cornel Nistorescu
Saturday, September 09, 2006
"We Demand an Islamic State"
Special Dispatch - Jihad & Terrorism Studies Project
September 8, 2006
No. 1285
Indonesian Islamist Abu Bakar Bashir: "It is Not Democracy That We Want, but
Allah-cracy!"
The Indonesian Islamist cleric Abu Bakar Bashir, who was released from
prison in July 2006 after having been charged with complicity in the Bali
terror attacks of 2002, gave an interview to Al-Jazeera in which he outlined
his plans for establishing an Islamic state in Indonesia. Bashir attacked
democracy and the West, and called on Muslims to wage jihad against the
ruling regimes in the Muslim world. The interview appeared on August 21,
2006, on Al-Jazeera's English-language website.
The following are excerpts from the article:(1)
"We Demand an Islamic State"
"We demand an Islamic state, and not some form of Islamisation of society.
We want the state to be Islamic, with Islamic leaders who have the courage
and will to implement the shari'a in total. There is no other way...
"We want an Islamic state where Islamic law is not just in the books but
enforced, and enforced with determination. There is no space and no room for
democratic consultation. The shari'a is set and fixed, so why do we need to
discuss it anymore? Just implement it!
"Right now we are drafting our own constitutional amendments for Indonesia,
the framework for an Indonesian Islamic state where Islamic laws are
enforced. Indonesians must understand that there is no Islamic state without
the enforcement of Islamic laws. Otherwise it is just talk and nothing
else."
"Our Leaders Have All Been... Trained to Speak the Way Their Western Bosses
Want Them to..."
"...We should not accept the idea that being a radical is a bad thing. Any
movement for change will be radical...
"Today the Western powers and media want to domesticate us like sheep, to
keep us tame and domesticated. But why are animals domesticated? So that
they can be slaughtered in the end!
"That is why they use the label 'radical' in the way they do, to keep us
scared and to keep us under control. This is true for our leaders, who have
all been domesticated and trained to speak the way their Western bosses want
them to...
"The West is trying to weaken Islam from outside and inside. They attack our
people and invade our countries from outside, and they weaken us from within
with ideas like secularism, liberalism and democracy. This is all designed
to contaminate our pure Islam."
"The Jews are Cunning and Cannot Be Trusted"
"There is not a single Muslim leader today who has the courage and
commitment to defend Islam and Muslims, they are all in awe of the United
States and other Western powers, and are indebted to them... Our Prophet
warned that this would be the case in the future, that the Muslim ummat
would be great in numbers, but weak in spirit...
"How can Malaysia sign a free trade agreement with America and Japan? Are
these not kafir countries? And America today is an enemy of Muslim states
and the supporter of Israel. In Islam that makes America a kafir harbi
(enemy) state, and we Muslims are obliged to cut off all ties, diplomatic
and economic with such an enemy state...
"The Jews are cunning and cannot be trusted, as it states in the Qur'an. At
the moment the United States is just being the donkey for Israel, who is
riding the USA.
"How can we dialogue for peace in the Arab world as long as Israel exists?
Israel cannot dream of having peaceful borders because Israel has no right
to exist, no right to be there. That is the land of Palestine, for the
Palestinians. How can any Muslim leader say that Israel has the right to
safe borders? It should not be there in the first place!...
"There is not a single Islamic state in the world, not even in Saudi Arabia.
The Saudis are hypocrites and friends of the United States; their leaders
are all corrupt and worldly. The closest we ever got to an Islamic state was
the Taliban government in Afghanistan, but the Americans destroyed that,
with their Western allies..."
"We Need to Go on Jihad Against Our Own Hyprocrite Governments"
"It is the duty for Muslims to oppose their governments when their leaders
dialogue with our enemies. It says so in the Quran (Surah 60:9), that those
who oppose Islam are our enemies and we must fight against them. So before
we dialogue with kafirs, we need to go on jihad against our own hypocrite
governments first that are apostates and against Islamic principles...
"Islam is in two parts: the Quran and the Sword.
"The Quran has all the guidelines, rules, norms, laws and punishments we
need. The enforcement of the shari'a is the sword we are talking about..."
"If the Prophet Carried a Spear Then... We Can Carry an M-16!"
"Look at the sunna (practice) of the Prophet. When he gave his speeches and
sermons he had a spear (tombak) in his hand. Why? This was the symbol of
power. His followers knew he was serious, and not simply giving empty talk.
He meant what he said and he did what he said he would do.
"Sadly over the centuries Islam grew weak and we forgot that the Prophet
carried a spear when he spoke. The spear was replaced with a staff (tongkat)
instead, as if Muslims were weak and needed a walking-stick to stand up! We
need to go back to this original, strong, robust Islam. Like the Prophet we
need to carry the spear (tombak) again. If the Prophet carried a spear, then
for us today we can carry an M-16!"
"There is No Democracy in Islam"
"There is no democracy in Islam, so do not try to interpret the Quran and
turn Islam into a democracy to suit your needs. God's law comes first. It is
not up to the will of the people to decide what is right and how to live.
Rather the will of the people have to be bent to suit the will of God. It is
not democracy that we want, but Allah-cracy!
"The principles of Islam cannot be altered and and there is no democracy in
Islam or nonsense like 'democratic Islam'.
"Democracy is shirk [polytheism] and haram [forbidden]. Here we do not
compromise. Those who claim to be Muslims and do not support Shariah one
hundred percent are all munafik [hypocrites] and kafirs, they are out of
Islam. No need to discuss with these people, they are not part of the ummat
anymore. There is no need to listen to public opinion: kafirs, apostates,
liberals, atheists - they are all non-believers...
"Islam's victory can only come through dawah [preaching] and jihad, not
elections. That's why Islamic parties are on the wrong path... As long as
democracy is their chosen path, the end result is haram. Nothing good can
come from that which is haram, is that not the case? So if democracy is
haram, then what kind of Islamic state can come from that? Certainly not a
pure Islamic state. Elections are quite useless."
"There Can Be No Islam Without Jihad"
"The struggle for Islam can only come through crisis and confrontation.
Islam is here to change the world, not to be changed by the world. So there
is bound to be resistance, that is why the West fears us.
"If we accept Western norms like democracy then we can never reach the
Allah-cracy I mentioned earlier. Democracy must be replaced by Allah-cracy
and this cannot come from elections. Those who oppose us must be educated,
that is why dawah is important, to show them that Islam is the only way. But
if they still resist, and are willfully stubborn, or if they create
obstacles for us, then they must be opposed. In particular all the Muslims
who oppose us are apostates (murtad) and they in particular need to be dealt
with firmly...
"This is the Islamic view of things. We must never compromise, relent, give
up, submit to our kafir enemies. We must always keep to the Islamic path,
jihad in the name of shar'ia, and never be apologetic...
"Remember that jihad is what brought Islam to power and built our community.
There can be no Islam without jihad...."
Endnote:
(1) Al-Jazeera.net, August 21, 2006.
September 8, 2006
No. 1285
Indonesian Islamist Abu Bakar Bashir: "It is Not Democracy That We Want, but
Allah-cracy!"
The Indonesian Islamist cleric Abu Bakar Bashir, who was released from
prison in July 2006 after having been charged with complicity in the Bali
terror attacks of 2002, gave an interview to Al-Jazeera in which he outlined
his plans for establishing an Islamic state in Indonesia. Bashir attacked
democracy and the West, and called on Muslims to wage jihad against the
ruling regimes in the Muslim world. The interview appeared on August 21,
2006, on Al-Jazeera's English-language website.
The following are excerpts from the article:(1)
"We Demand an Islamic State"
"We demand an Islamic state, and not some form of Islamisation of society.
We want the state to be Islamic, with Islamic leaders who have the courage
and will to implement the shari'a in total. There is no other way...
"We want an Islamic state where Islamic law is not just in the books but
enforced, and enforced with determination. There is no space and no room for
democratic consultation. The shari'a is set and fixed, so why do we need to
discuss it anymore? Just implement it!
"Right now we are drafting our own constitutional amendments for Indonesia,
the framework for an Indonesian Islamic state where Islamic laws are
enforced. Indonesians must understand that there is no Islamic state without
the enforcement of Islamic laws. Otherwise it is just talk and nothing
else."
"Our Leaders Have All Been... Trained to Speak the Way Their Western Bosses
Want Them to..."
"...We should not accept the idea that being a radical is a bad thing. Any
movement for change will be radical...
"Today the Western powers and media want to domesticate us like sheep, to
keep us tame and domesticated. But why are animals domesticated? So that
they can be slaughtered in the end!
"That is why they use the label 'radical' in the way they do, to keep us
scared and to keep us under control. This is true for our leaders, who have
all been domesticated and trained to speak the way their Western bosses want
them to...
"The West is trying to weaken Islam from outside and inside. They attack our
people and invade our countries from outside, and they weaken us from within
with ideas like secularism, liberalism and democracy. This is all designed
to contaminate our pure Islam."
"The Jews are Cunning and Cannot Be Trusted"
"There is not a single Muslim leader today who has the courage and
commitment to defend Islam and Muslims, they are all in awe of the United
States and other Western powers, and are indebted to them... Our Prophet
warned that this would be the case in the future, that the Muslim ummat
would be great in numbers, but weak in spirit...
"How can Malaysia sign a free trade agreement with America and Japan? Are
these not kafir countries? And America today is an enemy of Muslim states
and the supporter of Israel. In Islam that makes America a kafir harbi
(enemy) state, and we Muslims are obliged to cut off all ties, diplomatic
and economic with such an enemy state...
"The Jews are cunning and cannot be trusted, as it states in the Qur'an. At
the moment the United States is just being the donkey for Israel, who is
riding the USA.
"How can we dialogue for peace in the Arab world as long as Israel exists?
Israel cannot dream of having peaceful borders because Israel has no right
to exist, no right to be there. That is the land of Palestine, for the
Palestinians. How can any Muslim leader say that Israel has the right to
safe borders? It should not be there in the first place!...
"There is not a single Islamic state in the world, not even in Saudi Arabia.
The Saudis are hypocrites and friends of the United States; their leaders
are all corrupt and worldly. The closest we ever got to an Islamic state was
the Taliban government in Afghanistan, but the Americans destroyed that,
with their Western allies..."
"We Need to Go on Jihad Against Our Own Hyprocrite Governments"
"It is the duty for Muslims to oppose their governments when their leaders
dialogue with our enemies. It says so in the Quran (Surah 60:9), that those
who oppose Islam are our enemies and we must fight against them. So before
we dialogue with kafirs, we need to go on jihad against our own hypocrite
governments first that are apostates and against Islamic principles...
"Islam is in two parts: the Quran and the Sword.
"The Quran has all the guidelines, rules, norms, laws and punishments we
need. The enforcement of the shari'a is the sword we are talking about..."
"If the Prophet Carried a Spear Then... We Can Carry an M-16!"
"Look at the sunna (practice) of the Prophet. When he gave his speeches and
sermons he had a spear (tombak) in his hand. Why? This was the symbol of
power. His followers knew he was serious, and not simply giving empty talk.
He meant what he said and he did what he said he would do.
"Sadly over the centuries Islam grew weak and we forgot that the Prophet
carried a spear when he spoke. The spear was replaced with a staff (tongkat)
instead, as if Muslims were weak and needed a walking-stick to stand up! We
need to go back to this original, strong, robust Islam. Like the Prophet we
need to carry the spear (tombak) again. If the Prophet carried a spear, then
for us today we can carry an M-16!"
"There is No Democracy in Islam"
"There is no democracy in Islam, so do not try to interpret the Quran and
turn Islam into a democracy to suit your needs. God's law comes first. It is
not up to the will of the people to decide what is right and how to live.
Rather the will of the people have to be bent to suit the will of God. It is
not democracy that we want, but Allah-cracy!
"The principles of Islam cannot be altered and and there is no democracy in
Islam or nonsense like 'democratic Islam'.
"Democracy is shirk [polytheism] and haram [forbidden]. Here we do not
compromise. Those who claim to be Muslims and do not support Shariah one
hundred percent are all munafik [hypocrites] and kafirs, they are out of
Islam. No need to discuss with these people, they are not part of the ummat
anymore. There is no need to listen to public opinion: kafirs, apostates,
liberals, atheists - they are all non-believers...
"Islam's victory can only come through dawah [preaching] and jihad, not
elections. That's why Islamic parties are on the wrong path... As long as
democracy is their chosen path, the end result is haram. Nothing good can
come from that which is haram, is that not the case? So if democracy is
haram, then what kind of Islamic state can come from that? Certainly not a
pure Islamic state. Elections are quite useless."
"There Can Be No Islam Without Jihad"
"The struggle for Islam can only come through crisis and confrontation.
Islam is here to change the world, not to be changed by the world. So there
is bound to be resistance, that is why the West fears us.
"If we accept Western norms like democracy then we can never reach the
Allah-cracy I mentioned earlier. Democracy must be replaced by Allah-cracy
and this cannot come from elections. Those who oppose us must be educated,
that is why dawah is important, to show them that Islam is the only way. But
if they still resist, and are willfully stubborn, or if they create
obstacles for us, then they must be opposed. In particular all the Muslims
who oppose us are apostates (murtad) and they in particular need to be dealt
with firmly...
"This is the Islamic view of things. We must never compromise, relent, give
up, submit to our kafir enemies. We must always keep to the Islamic path,
jihad in the name of shar'ia, and never be apologetic...
"Remember that jihad is what brought Islam to power and built our community.
There can be no Islam without jihad...."
Endnote:
(1) Al-Jazeera.net, August 21, 2006.
Friday, September 08, 2006
Keep Tabs on Muslim Activists
Visit this site. Bookmark it ... make it your home page ... stay abreast of what the radical Muslims are up to in our country.
http://www.anti-cair-net.org/
http://www.anti-cair-net.org/
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