I dont think so...

Submitted by Oleg (United States), Jun 9, 2006 at 08:27

Dear Dr. Pipes,

I am usually with you on many things but I am not sure that I fully agree.

I hear many, including President Bush refer to Islam as a religion of peace, however, in my mind it appears to be a religion that continuously requires conflict in its effort to thrive and grow.

- Without conflict, how else will Islam spread its message and expand?

- In what way have the Islamic people contributed to the world in the last 300 years?

- Why is anyone who is not part of Islam considered an infidel?

- Why are the Ismalists spreading across the world like fire and demanding that countries abide by their rules but not the other way around?

- Where is the outcry of the 'moderate' Islam to the daily atrocities committed by their brethren? Sure there are a few brave Muslims that dare to stand up and say enough is enough but they are very limited in number as most are afraid to say anything lest they should wind up with a knife in their back or without a head.

Furthermore, it is thugs like Arafat, Bin Laden and the like that use Islam and its need for conflict to further their political agendas. They, and many like them, are not in the war to better the life's of their people, they are in this war because death is the only contribution that they know.

There is no doubt that this will only end in one or two ways. Either we destroy the Militant Islamists and Islam is brought out of the 14'th century and leans to get along with mankind or we will be on the rug praying to Mecca...or maybe Jerusalem.

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