I couldn't agree more

Submitted by Sylvia Weiser Wendel (United States), Dec 21, 2005 at 14:40

Mr. Pipes,
You have correctly identified all the incipient and full-blown weaknesses in our present stance on terror. The Sept. 11 attacks caused me to question, and ultimately reject, my lifelong allegiance to the Democratic party. Four years later, we are still living in 1939 -- and, in Iran at least, edging toward 1944 -- but the media and their allies on the left seem to think it's 1968. John Kerry is the worst exemplar of this thinking, and he has lots of company.
Islam -- yes, the religion itself, and all those who follow its precepts without question -- is and has always been since its inception the greatest danger to civilization, if by that term we mean literacy, gender equality, and rational as opposed to magical thinking. It amazes me that at this late date no one (excepting you, Charles Krauthammer, Christopher Hitchens, and a few others) has the bravery to state this, and it saddens me to know that journalists, however brave, do not shape our military policy. Yes, it has been better to have Bush in the White House during this time -- the thought of Al Gore has been too scary to articulate -- yet his apparent willingness to indulge the house of Saud may yet rebound to all our sorrrow.
I would like to see you directly address the issue of Iran, its genocidal declarations, and the reasons why its president's insanity should not be taken lightly. Americans laughed at lampoons of Hitler, but failed to bomb Auschwitz in 1944, when they had resources and opportunity (according to Jon Meacham's book, "Franklin and WInston," and I'm sure many other sources). Will we be chuckling at Ahmednejani's follies when he drops nukes on Israel? Will Israelis be succumbing to the American Jewish malady of self-blame and excess introspection as the bombs come whistling over their heads?

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