Article

2008-05-31 Home Front: Politix

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by McZoid 2008-05-31 04:44|| || Front Page|| [11128 views ] Top

#1 Lifted from infidel video game.

Posted by George Smiley 2008-05-31 12:36|| 2008-05-31 12:36|| Front Page Top

#2 I hate Muslims; why is that sentiment not widely shared in the West?

Insufficient data. That is why we are in Iraq. If the experiment fails, there will be looser ROE next time. I'm not sure they or we really understand what it's all about over there. But we're going to give it the good college try.

Posted by Nimble Spemble 2008-05-31 12:48|| 2008-05-31 12:48|| Front Page Top

#3 Last week, there was a report that Afghan universites are thoroughly polluted with Taliban supporters, given cause to think of what that holds for the next generations in that filthy little country.

Kind of like the America-hating looney liberal left in American universities except without the guns.

Unknown to probably 99% of Americans is the fact that the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) that MUST be signed by the end of July, faces absolute Iraqi preconditions favoring total removal of all US forces, forthwith. Al-Sistani's side is backing same, with threat of general jihad.

All I can say is INGRATES. We have spilled blood for your freedom. Under Saddam, you Shites didn't fare too well.

Posted by JohnQC 2008-05-31 13:37|| 2008-05-31 13:37|| Front Page Top

#4 LOL! They could at least do a blown up US Capitol building with more JUCHE!!11!111 like the North Koreans do.

/needs_more_juche

Posted by OldSpook 2008-05-31 14:51|| 2008-05-31 14:51|| Front Page Top

#5 " I hate Muslims; why is that sentiment not widely shared in the West?"

Because hatred of an entire religion is NOT a Western value.

We hold individuals to be responsible and the ideal. Thus our opposition to group politics, group punishments, and the ideology of class warfare, etc.

Posted by OldSpook 2008-05-31 14:56|| 2008-05-31 14:56|| Front Page Top

#6 I hate Muslims; why is that sentiment not widely shared in the West?

Probably because, for me in my line of work, hatred is a luxury I and my troops can't afford. Like shooting a koran or handing out 'bible coins', it jeopardizes the mission, it makes the job harder, and it gets the wrong people killed.

I guess it's the difference between the sheepdog in the field and the pomeranian in the ranchhouse window.

(It's still better than the cat who either doesn't care what happens as long as it gets fed, or thinks that it can make a deal with the wolf because they're both 'predators'...)

Posted by Pappy 2008-05-31 15:25|| 2008-05-31 15:25|| Front Page Top

#7 Maybe hatred of the entire religion is just McZoid's interpretation of the feelings he gets by not seeing huge rallies of moderate muslims on the street demanding the terrorists give up their evil ways. Or maybe that they are too peaceful to snuff out the radicals themselves so they can go back to the peaceful ways the Holy Crayon intended to establish in the first place.

But more seriously, would Christians or Jews take to the streets in hordes to tamp down a radical 5% or whatever that carried guns and were willing to shoot people at random?

Posted by gorb 2008-05-31 15:49|| 2008-05-31 15:49|| Front Page Top

#8 Personally, I believe in nation building in former Muslim tyrannies. I also believe in converting current Muslim tyrannies into former ones as soon as may be accomplished given limits on men and material. Finally, I believe very strongly, like Pollyanna that, despite everything, the world is a good place. After all, she maintained this despite falling off the roof and breaking her neck part-way through the book. One can't see it in the photo, but she's sitting in a wheelchair.

I don't have the energy to spare for hatred. If all those Muslims who need to commit jihad against non-believers were to nurse that hatred but do nothing about it, I'd be content to leave them in peace. As for those who act on that hatred, I'm quite agreeable to help in whatever way I can to head them toward the afterlife quickly, but coldly and without malice. Hatred leads to dangerous miscalculations.

Posted by trailing wife ">trailing wife 2008-05-31 16:05|| 2008-05-31 16:05|| Front Page Top

#9 I dunno any more, every time I see someone whip out their organ and start hosing down attempts at nation building with the yellow stuff, I start to feel like I'm at Democrapic Underground instead of a nominally conservative site.

Posted by Abdominal Snowman 2008-05-31 16:20|| 2008-05-31 16:20|| Front Page Top

#10 Esquimaux never called me Infidel!

Posted by George Smiley 2008-05-31 17:36|| 2008-05-31 17:36|| Front Page Top

#11 But more seriously, would Christians or Jews take to the streets in hordes to tamp down a radical 5% or whatever that carried guns and were willing to shoot people at random?

Depends, gorb.

Depends on whether the Christians or Jews are the dirt-poor populace in countries where the leadership/elite control the wealth and power, and blame the U.S./West/previous colonizer for all the troubles the populace is having.

Depends on whether you think the US or Western civilization in general is getting its side of the message across as an alternative.

Or, if you want a more 'domestic' concept, substitute 'black' for 'muslim'. Does that change anything?

Posted by Pappy 2008-05-31 18:54|| 2008-05-31 18:54|| Front Page Top

#12 Do you hate the system that produced 10 - at least - centuries of murderous Pyramid building in Egypt? What exactly is the difference between that ideology that enslaved people to serve as means to religious ends, and the Muslim' jihadi factory? Reminder: we banned Nazism and Baathism as outlaw ideologies; we refuse to ban Islamofascism. Pollyanna would understand; I don't.

Posted by McZoid 2008-05-31 18:57|| 2008-05-31 18:57|| Front Page Top

#13 McZ - I think you'd find the pyramids would either: a) predate Islam/Mo, or
b) were unaffected by Islam - not a current religion.

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2008-05-31 19:05|| 2008-05-31 19:05|| Front Page Top

#14 What exactly is the difference between that ideology that enslaved people to serve as means to religious ends, and the Muslim' jihadi factory?

It's the difference between apples and oranges.

Reminder: we banned Nazism and Baathism as outlaw ideologies; we refuse to ban Islamofascism.

Germany banned Nazism; we discredited it. Doesn't mean the nazis or their descendants have gone away. But discrediting them means they're not in power.

As for Baathism - it's banned in Iraq. It's still the ruling party in Syria.

Posted by Pappy 2008-05-31 19:17|| 2008-05-31 19:17|| Front Page Top

#15 I seem to recall that the Muslims at one point tried to destroy the pyramids, failed abysmally, and proceeded to ignore them completely until they were revealed to be an ideal method for separating Western tourists from their money.

Yes, jihadism and dhimmitude are very bad for both perpetrators and victim. But I believe one way or another we will cause both the practices and the practicers to end. I know a number of people who've managed to reconcile their belief in Islam with their desire to be civilized members of Western civilization. It remains to be seen whether the ummah can make the change, or whether we'll end up taking severe measures. But the experiment must be given a fair chance to succeed, and to do so we must not openly hate those we hope will learn. Coldly, clearly and calmly will enable us to judge progress, or lack thereof. Judaism and Christianity have evolved beyond "eye for an eye" and stoning adulteresses, so in theory Islam can as well.

Posted by trailing wife">trailing wife 2008-05-31 23:31|| 2008-05-31 23:31|| Front Page Top

#16 I don't know if it's true or not, but there are those out there that can point out evidence that suggest that the pyramids were a project more love-driven than slave driven. At least at first! Perhaps the workers worked for money or food and this gave them an opportunity to stay alive, I don't know. It's my understanding that there isn't evidence of fences or anything like that, but rather communities built up around the pyramid projects, much like forestry, oil, gold, etc. communities of more modern times.

Posted by gorb 2008-05-31 23:55|| 2008-05-31 23:55|| Front Page Top

#17 Pappy: Yes, there are lots more variables at play than just a few words could get across. Just food for thought is all! :-)

Posted by gorb 2008-05-31 23:57|| 2008-05-31 23:57|| Front Page Top

23:59 gorb
23:57 gorb
23:56 RWV
23:55 gorb
23:51 Skidmark
23:31 trailing wife
23:08 DarthVader
23:03 Hellfish
23:00 Hellfish
22:57 Sock Puppet of Texas
22:56 Hellfish
22:54 Crumble Dark Lord of the Jutes5173
22:49 Hellfish
22:30 trailing wife
22:14 OldSpook
22:12 OldSpook
22:03 Harcourt Jush7795
21:53 mhw
21:50 mhw
21:45 Nimble Spemble
21:26 Bright Pebbles
21:19 Shieldwolf
21:11 RD
21:00 DMFD