Do you understand that the War on Terror is NOT a War against Islam?

Question

I'm am amazed at the amount of intolerance and ignorance on this board when it comes to the War on Terror.

It's not only the war, but the intolerance concerning Muslims, whether it's a Senator from Illinois (whose bio states that he is a Christian and member of the United Church of Christ), or the family down the street. One can only hope that the myopic viewpoints on this board aren't an actual reflection of the populace of this country.

You do understand that terrorist groups use Islam as a means to create suicide bombers based on the promise of a glorious afterlife.

This is supposed to be a war against terror, not a war against Islam. Blame the terrorist groups, not the religion.

Stating that Islam is responsible for the suicide bombers would be akin to stating that Catholicism was responsible for the development of the Irish Republican Army, and their use of explosives during their conflict.

This is a conflict, not a crusade (which would be English for jihad).

I plan on repeating this question a number of times. Intolerance needs to end.

Long Haired...:

I also don't agree on the term "War on Terror", but the majority of Americans do. I use it to make a point, but in all truth, it's just a well conceived marketing term.

Thanks Prufrock. I've always loved Eliot.

Ruth: I actaully believe that this is more of a crusade then a "War on Terror". I believe that the actual "War on Terror" occured in Afghanistan.

Answer 1

Yes, I most emphatically do. I also understand that the war in Iraq and our President's arrogant attitude have led to a huge upsurge in terrorist training camps - all over the world. Camps are multiplying like roach colonies in Afghanistan, Al Queda is operating fairly freely in Iraq now, and new terrorist cells are being reported all over Europe, just to mention a few locations. The fact is we relegated the War on Terror in Afghanistan to second status in order to feed Bush and Cheney's obsession with Iraq. Instead of decreasing terrorism, it ignited fresh interest in terror groups from the malcontented Islamic murderers who pervert Islam to feed their fevered, seething, hate-filled brains and appetite for destruction and violence. We fed the beast and it's growing exponentially every week.

I'd love to see a real War on Terror and not this excuse for one that has our soldiers being policemen in the middle of a civil conflict. Islam is a religion, and it can be and is perverted by those who are violent extremists. A lot of Christians in this country resent the bad reputation that their cousins the Evangelicals have laid on their doorstep. Their "moral" smear campaigns and holier-than-thou platitides followed up by embarrassing scandals from their leaders has left the real Christian majority in this country fighting to restore their reputation. Perversion of doctrine happens in most religions, and it has happened in Islam with terrifying results. We have to make the distinctions and stop painting all Muslims as nuts with bombs strapped to their chests. I don't know how people in this country can be educated in these distinctions. But we need to find some way to do so before our blanket prejudices turn us into a nation of people that believe if you are Muslim you are a terrorist, plain and simple.

EDIT: I do agree with others on one point. I too remain frustrated by the failure of Islamic leaders to denounce the terrorists in their midst with REAL forcefulness. Where are those who are being painted with the same brush as the terrorists? Why don't they mount their own campaign against those who pervert this religion for their own means? If I were being slandered as they are, I would fight for my reputation. This point is the only thing that has caused me doubt about the Islamic people of the Middle East. I'm just not hearing any real condemnation from them of the fanatics in their midst. That bothers me, it bothers me quite a bit.

Answer 2

I understand you point, but there is a little issue that I take with you example. The IRA had an agenda that dealt with independence and not necessarily on imposing Catholic law on the UK. What is the goal of many of these terrorist groups? Much of it deals with imposing their warped views of Islam on the rest of the world (not just the US). If this were just a pure war on Terror, then we could even look inwards at our enviro-nut terrorists who will destroy property to achieve their ends.

And by the way, what gets me annoyed is how there are people like you still freaking out believing that everyone thinks that all muslims are terrorists. I grow tired of all the people who make a point about the dangers within the islamic communities, going out of there way to say that it's not something that can or should be generalized to the whole islamic population and then get accused of making generalizations.

Answer 3

Yes I understand the war on terror is not a war against all Islam!
However the terrorist responsible for 9/11 were Islamic and have called for more Islamic people to commit more acts like those of 9/11. Myself as a Christian American, am getting my phone calls listened to, can have my mail opened without a warrant, having ISP addresses visited sent to the government upon request!! So my Civil rights are being stripped from me then strip them from every and all Muslims!!
As far as the senator for Illinois I wouldn't vote for him after this wonderfully flourishing comments about Al Sharpton, and Jessie Jackson!
I would not vote for a Muslim President because Being Muslim is a lifestyle such as being a Priest, Monk! However I did know the Senator from Illinois was Christian I do my research!

Answer 4

Be careful to reword the question or the yahoo police will report you and you can lose your account. To answer your question. I think most realize what you are saying is true. Only the hard headed people that do not take time to realize that a name is just a way of identifying someone and not an indication as to what is in his soul. All Muslims are not terrorist, and as you pointed out all terrorist are not Muslim. Throughout time this is true that all people have some terrorist in them. I thank the terrorist of 1776 for making this a free country without them we would still be under the queens rule and may not even be able to post our uncensored remarks here.

Answer 5

Tom, I understand and apparently you understand but millions of Islamic people don't understand. That's a big problem. When Israel invades Lebanon and the government of the United States hems and haws while thousands of Lebanese are killed and Israel drops cluster bombs indiscriminately on Lebanon, Islamic people wonder why no complaint from us.

I pretty much agree with you about not blaming Islam. But they sure as hell blame us and we have to deal with that. The idiots here who talk about dipping bullets in pig's blood or 'Muzzies' or any of the other garbage are a minority but there is a tangible concern if not worry about Islam. Those 19 guys did fly those planes into the WTC. That was a religious act, a terrorist act. You can't separate the two in that case.

It is commendable to want tolerance. But tolerance is a two way street.

Answer 6

What a naive little world you live in.

Islam has been waging a constant state of war against the rest of the world since Muhammed invented Allah. Islam teaches hate, intolerance and genocide. To say that you can't blame Islam for its followers doing exactly what it teaches.. is like saying you can't blame Nazism for death camps.

Still don't get it.. pay special attention to the fact that the Quran states that jihad is a REQUIREMENT of all Muslims. That the Quran demands Muslims fight until the entire world is subjected to Islamic law. Remove the PC blinders and take a look at reality for what it is.

Answer 7

1st off, it's not a war on terror. Terror is a tactic. In WW II would you have said we were at war on Kamikaze pilots?
We are at war with Islamofascism. This does not mean all Islam.
We are only fighting those who are trying to kill us & those who support them. The backlash against Muslims now is much lower than it was against Japanese in WW II.
Muslims would take a lot of heat off of themselves if they would repeatedly & unequivically denounce the terror committed in the name of their faith. Their silence has been deafening.

Answer 8

You might want to read the Koran which has an entire chapter called "The spoils of War", and the Hadeeths which reinforce and help interpret the Koran and are based on Mohamed's actions which are to be emulated by all good Muslims.
You might also want to read "The Infidel: The Story of My Enlightenment" by Ayaan Hirsi Ali a former Muslim who admits that Islam is militant by it's very nature. Or Nonie Darwish who wrote : "Now they call me infidel", she is the daughter of a Martyr. Or Walid Shoebat who wrote: "Why I left Jihad". But the most telling is the Koran and I see where Osama and many many Mullahs and Imams get their ideas from, Osama did not distort , on the contrary he is taking it literally and that is the problem.
BTW, Dar Al-Salam, the house of peace is where the Muslims reside and Dar Al-Harb is the House of war where the unbelievers reside. The duty of all good Muslim is to help bring about the House of peace all over the world and eliminate the House of War.

Answer 9

Religious Conservative argument;
I support war on muslim extremists, but I'm peaceful and tolerant. It's the extremists we're fighting, but the other muslims have to act like I want them to, or they are no better than the extremists.

Answer 10

You are half right. You need to understand that there is really no such thing as a "war on terror" in the first place. You can't declare war on a tactic.