to Tariq

Submitted by Sidda (United States), Mar 15, 2006 at 08:39

Tariq, first of all the extremists declared war on every American man, woman, and child in 1998. Bin Laden decreed that it was permissible to murder any American civilian anywhere they could be found. The WTC was bombed in 1993 for the first time. America sustained attacks at its embassies in Kenya and Tanzania and then the Cole. The final straw was the attacks which killed thousands of our citizens on 9/ll. THEN came Afghanistan and Iraq.

The difference is that we are not waging war in the name of any religion. It is a government action to protect its people. The Islamists are waging war in the name of Islam; bin Laden states in his own words his desire to recreate the caliphate. You will also find that the definition of "innocent" is very elastic in the minds of the extremists. Resisting the spread of Islam is considered "aggression against Islam." So is putting a KFC in Pakistan or a Victoria's Secret in Saudi Arabia.

You know that "there is no compulsion in religion" was abrogated by all of the verses which extol believers to wage war on unbelievers until Islam covers the earth, "Islam must dominate and not be dominated." I wish it were as you say, but it is not.

However, I do have a suggestion for you. Instead of trying to convince us that we are not seeing what we are seeing (who are you going to believe, me or your eyes?), go on any fundamentalist Islamist website and try to convince THEM of your interpretation of Islam. Then come back and let us all know how you made out.

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