Defeating Moral Equivalence
Robert Spencer brings up several great points in an article from 2005.
What violence is Israel fomenting in Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Kashmir, Afghanistan, Iraq, Chechnya, Uzbekistan, Nigeria, Bosnia, and elsewhere around the globe? Where are Israelis spreading an ideology that demands that its adherents subvert the states in which they live and replace their societies with a radically different social model that denies equality of rights to women and certain religious groups? Where are Israelis teaching their children that the noblest thing they can do with their lives would be to strap bombs on themselves and blow themselves up in a large crowd of unsuspecting civilians?
Spencer also adds that there is “no global terrorist network comprised of Jews or Christians acting on theological imperatives from the mainstream of their traditions” and that “Muslims and non-Muslims must face the reality that jihadists are using the Qur’an and Sunnah to recruit and motivate terrorists.”
All true. In closing:
Is it intolerant to speak about the intolerance of others? Is it intolerant not to tolerate evil? Is it intolerant to set out facts that are uncomfortable and that most people don’t want to face?
In: Religion · Tagged with: Islam, Israel, jihad, Qu'ran, Robert Spencer
Who are we fighting anyways?
Gadi Adelman illustrates how absurd and dangerous the Obama administration’s approach to fighting our jihadist enemies is in an excellent piece at Family Security Matters. Adelman would know, having survived a terrorist attack in Jerusalem which killed seven children.
A very serious administration would know – and admit to – the fact that we are not just at war with al Qaeda, but with Jihad itself. Saying that we are at war only with al Qaeda would have been tantamount to saying, during World War II, that we were at war with only the 25th Panzer Division of the German Army, and not with the entire German Army itself.
Yes, we are at war with al Qaeda… and also with Hamas and Hezbollah and Egyptian Islamic Jihad and al-Gama’at al-Islamiyya and Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade and Ansar al Islam and Harakat ul-Mujahadin …well, you get the idea. What animates, connects and indeed unites these various groups – and many more? Jihad. Holy War against the infidels.
Unfortunately, our president actually believes that Hamas and Hezbollah have “legitimate claims!” Read the New York Times’ interview for yourself, then read the terrorist groups’ charters to see what their claims are.
But while we are drawing comparisons to WWII, what would this country have done had FDR announced that Hitler had legitimate claims? I doubt that would have gone over well.
In all fairness, all administrations have done a piss-poor job of handling the threat of Islamic jihad, some worse than others, but the past is the past. It is time for the government to move forward and announce that these jihadist groups threaten our liberty and security and are therefore our enemy. That avoids the whole politically incorrect distraction that the Islamist apologists will throw up, because while not all Muslims are jihadist, all jihadists are Muslim.
[Originally posted at Blackfive]
In: National Security, Religion · Tagged with: al Qaeda, Barack Obama, Family Security Matters, Hamas, Hezbollah, Islam, jihad, New York Times
Al Qaeda Attackers: Common Criminals or Enemy Combatants?
David A. Rivkin, Jr. and Lee A. Casey published an excellent piece at National Review Online addressing the line between trying our enemies as enemy combatants subject to the rules of war; or criminals subject to our Constitution (emphasis added).
The right way to proceed, consistent with the law, morality, and history, is to treat captured enemy personnel as enemy combatants, subject to the laws of war. By contrast, criminals — including individuals who commit terrorist acts but, whatever their ideological predilections, are not members of entities such as al-Qaeda that have been engaged in an armed conflict with us (this would include Timothy McVeigh and Major Nidal Malik Hasan) — should be treated as criminal suspects subject to the workings of the criminal-justice system. Treating an al-Qaeda operative who enters the United States to carry out an attack as a common criminal not only denies the nature of this challenge we face, but it works to level the playing field to our disadvantage.
Retired Special Forces Colonel Gordon Cucullu told me in an interview that we actually give our terrorist enemies more rights than the Geneva Conventions afford them. According to Common Article 3, non-uniformed combatants are to be shot on sight, and for good reason when you consider the effect that they have on humanity. War is best fought by uniformed members of the military.
But all we have done since the Iranian Embassy takeover in 1979 is placate jihadists. Trying foreign operatives as criminals simply because they perpetrate their acts on or above our soil not only endangers American citizens, but further emboldens our enemies and grants them access to the very Constitution that they are trying to destroy.
The NRO article is in response to a New York Times op-ed defending Obama administration’s decision to treat Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab (the al-Qaeda operative who attempted to blow up an airliner over Detroit) as a criminal defendant. No surprises there.
[Originally posted at Blackfive]
In: National Security · Tagged with: al Qaeda, Constitution, Gordon Cucullu, jihad, New York Times, Nidal Malik Hasan, Obama administration
Rocket Launcher, Jihadist Materials Found in Houston Apartment
And no charges were filed.
On New Years’s Eve, Houston police found an AT4 rocket launcher when investigating a domestic disturbance. According to Houston’s KPRC news, the police also found “jihadist” materials in the apartment (see the video here).
Does anyone else’s hair stand up when shoulder-launched rockets capable of destroying tanks and jihad paraphernalia are found in one room?
Now spent AT4 launchers may be legal to possess, and the First Amendment protects jihadist materials (unless one acts upon it of course). But if Janet Napolitano’s DHS determined that I was a right-wing “extremist,” found that I had documents calling for the murder of Obama administration officials (or their conversion to the Republican Party), and also found that I had a weapon capable of destroying tanks and bunkers… does anyone think that I would be let go?
According to KPRC, Houston police found no ties to terrorism. That’s disappointing – because it seems that Doug Hagmann at the Northeast Intelligence Network has. The apartment’s tenant stated that the weapon belonged to Nabilaye Yansane – who happens to be Muslim – but would not say who the jihadist materials belonged to. According to Hagmann, sources familiar with Yansane stated that he had ties to the Al-Maghrib Institute in Houston. That’s the same Al-Maghrib Institute that Umar Farouk Abdul-Mutallab (the Nigerian jihadist that attempted to blow up Delta-Northwest Flight 293 on Christmas) spent two weeks “attending a seminar” according to the Star-Telegram.
Is Hagmann jumping to conclusions? No. Just someone putting the pieces together, which is what the media should be doing. These connections may be one big coincidence, but let’s not discount the possibility that Yansane could be training other jihadists in the use of rockets or other deadly skills he learned while serving with the Marine Corps – right in our own backyard.
[Originally posted at Blackfive]
In: National Security · Tagged with: Blackfive, jihad
Retired General: Fort Hood attacker was “terrorist”
One of the nation’s most elite soldiers is not willing to pull any punches when it comes to Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hassan, the perpetrator of the most deadly attack on U.S. soil since 9/11.
“He’s a terrorist,” Jerry Boykin stated in an interview with the Christian Broadcasting Network. Boykin is a retired U.S. Army three-star general, one of the original members of Delta Force, and former commander of U.S. Army Special Forces.
While that may be quite obvious to many who understand the actual definition of terrorism and the threat of jihad under Shariah law, the fact is avoided at all costs by the military, government, and media.
Gen. Boykin also placed the blame on military leadership for allowing a “jihadist” to openly serve in the armed forces, and admitted that the media is persecuting Christians.
“I think everybody in America realizes that the persecution of Christians is acceptable in our society today by both the leadership and the media, but no one wants to offend a Muslim.”
Boykin should know: while the Army allowed a jihadist to continue serving in the same branch of the military, they terminated Gen. Boykin’s career when he began making statements related to religion regarding Islam and the “War on Terror.”
In: Military, Religion · Tagged with: Christian persecution, Christianity, Delta Force, Fort Hood tragedy, Islam, Jerry Bokin, jihad, Nidal Malik Hasan, Shariah law, Special Forces
AirTran Flight 297: More than meets the eye
Doug Hagmann of the Northeast Intelligence Network has conducted an investigation into November’s AirTran Flight 297 in which according to eyewitnesses 13 Muslim men behaved in a manner that caused the pilot to turn the plane around.
Atlanta’s WSBTV has video here.
The airline and media have told one story, and passengers have told another. It appears to me that this incident is another operation by jihadists to terrorize airline passengers and create an environment conducive to predatory lawsuits like the 2006 case of the “Flying Imams” of USAir Flight 300. USAir settled with the imams for an undisclosed amount out of court in October.
According to the witness in the video above, the pilot announced that they were returning to the gate due to the “security situation.” However, the witness said that there was no recognizable presence of law enforcement at the gate. Despite having terrorized their fellow passengers, all but two of the Muslims were allowed back on the plane. While on the flight, the remaining Muslims caused further disturbances.
After thousands and thousands of attacks by the so-called “religion of peace” since 9/11, why are we still bowing to these jihadist Muslims? The U.S. should have learned its lesson on how fatal political correctness has become after the Fort Hood massacre. While we contort ourselves and leap from conclusions, Americans die. Our legal system becomes a battleground for the jihadis. AirTran officials were willing to gamble with the lives of 70 passengers plus crew that these Muslims were bluffing. The safety and security of passengers has become secondary to protecting the airline from predatory lawsuits. We have come so far that the media and airline were willing to cover up the incident.
It’s entirely possible that AirTran will write these Muslims a check for their terrorist-like behavior. Yet an 80-year old grandmother has to stand in line to have TSA agents check her shoes for traces of explosives? All because they are Muslims and she isn’t. Aren’t we equal under the law, or is there a separate Constitution and legal system for Muslims?
There is – it’s called Shariah law. And if America doesn’t stand up to behavior like this, it will be here shortly.
In: National Security, Religion · Tagged with: AirTran Flight 297, flying imams, Fort Hood tragedy, Islam, jihad, Nidal Malik Hasan, Shariah law, USAir Flight 300
Lt. Col. Ralph Peters’ thoughts on Ft. Hood
I think that Ralph Peters’ analysis is always top-notch. This is no exception.
In: National Security, Religion · Tagged with: Fort Hood tragedy, jihad, Nidal Malik Hasan, Ralph Peters
Jihadis plot mass murder, US takes the heat
Muslim immigrants have been convicted of conspiracy to murder U.S. military personnel at Fort Dix, New Jersey. Despite the fact that they were caught performing reconnaisance and plotting attacks on Fort Dix and other military posts… despite the fact that they were busted buying assault weapons from an FBI informant… despite the fact that one of the terrorists were caught saying that no matter the consequences, he would carry out the mass murder, the American Muslim community is directing their anger at – the U.S. government.
The Muslim apologist group, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is crying foul. CAIR spokesman Jim Shues said, “Many people in the Muslim community will see this as a case of entrapment. From what I saw, there was a significant role played by the government informant.” Pay no attention to the jihadis behind the curtain! The informant was behind the whole thing!
Former Muslim chaplain for the U.S. military (and Democratic National Convention delegate) James Yee complained, “All of this doesn’t help build trust with the American Muslim community, and that is vital if our law enforcement is going to fight terrorism. If anyone can improve security, it’s our community, but we need to be seen as trusted partners, not potential suspects.”
The primary role of government is keeping Americans safe, not building trust with Muslims. How does Mr. Yee figure we will fight terrorism if we give aspiring mass murderers a free pass? It is up to the American Muslim community to build trust with us.
There’s more than meets the eye with Yee as Robert Spencer writes at Front Page Magazine:
Yee knows what it’s like to be a suspect: in 2004 he was investigated for mishandling classified material at Guantanamo. The charges were dismissed in March 2004, but Yee was not exactly cleared: AP reported that “in dismissing the charges, Maj. Gen. Geoffrey D. Miller, commander of Joint Task Force Guantanamo, which operates the detention center, cited ‘national security concerns that would arise from the release of the evidence’ if the case proceeded.” Not exactly a resounding affirmation of Yee’s clean hands.
What is it about DNC delegates supporting terrorism? I can hardly imagine the media giving Republicans a free pass with RNC delegates like these.
In: National Security · Tagged with: CAIR, DNC, Fort Dix Six, jihad
MSA President on bin Laden, polygamy, and Jihad
“War in Iraq or Afghanistan or Osama bin Laden or Saddam Hussein. Don’t ever compromise on Islam! And don’t ever compromise on your Muslim brothers and sisters in which you have no evidence. Osama bin Laden- I don’t know this guy. I don’t know what he did. I don’t know what he said. I don’t know what happened. But we defend Muslim brothers and we defend our Muslim sisters to the end. Is that clear? I am not saying support terrorist acts. I am not saying any of that. I am saying generally speaking. If a man comes and robs a store – if you’re going to rob the store, go ahead and rob the store, are we going to condemn him? No, you support your Muslim brothers whether it is right or wrong. When they do wrong you grab them and you slap some sense into them, you’re doing wrong. You see what I am saying.
“So you never compromise on your faith. You be confident in every aspect of life. In every aspect of Islam you are confident. Four wives? Yes men are allowed to have four wives within this context. Jihad? Yes Jihad! Jihad is the tightest thing in Islam. Don’t compromise on these little things. Be proud of it. Why? Because Islam is a perfect religion. If you sit here and you start saying, ‘Jihad is only an internal this and that,’ you are compromising on your faith.”
- Amir Mertaban, president of Muslim Students Association West, in a 2007 speech called “Methods of Da’wah.” The conference was held at UC-Berkeley. Audio
In: In Their Own Words · Tagged with: jihad, MSA, Osama bin Laden, polygamy
Sabotaging its Miserable House
“The Muslim Brotherhood must understand that their work in America is a kind of grand Jihad in eliminating and destroying the Western civilization from within and ‘sabotaging’ its miserable house by their hands and the hands of the believers so that it is eliminated and Allah’s religion is made victorious over all other religions.”
- Mohamed Akram, an operative for the Muslim Brotherhood, in a 1991 memorandum outlining the organization’s strategy in the United States
In: In Their Own Words · Tagged with: jihad, Muslim Brotherhood
