The Oppressor and the Oppressed

America supports freedom for all except...

Except what?

Except we know that "freedom" is a word not universally understood.

During the Cold War we supported dictators and despots if they opposed the USSR and/or China. We knew the dictators and despots of the USSR and China wanted to spread dictatorships and despotism over all the world, so the enemy of our enemy was our friend.

After the inevitable collapse of the fraud Communism, we continued to support some dictators and despots to protect the world against the next -ism, whatever it might turn out to be.

However, we had a pretty good idea what it would be, and we were right.

Islamism.

Islam. "Submission to God."

Who can argue with that?

How do we know what God wants us to do?

God told us. In the Koran.

Well God told Mohammad, and Mohammad told others to write it down, and thus the Koran.

Since all that happens is God's will, the Koran and before and since was and will be as God desires.

Insha'Allah. God willing.

So finally God wills the faithful to be free.

Free to do what?

Follow God's will.

But they have always done that.

All that has been and will be is as God willed.

Just like the Koran says.

So if each just follows the Koran, all is in accord with God's plan, right?

Not quite.

A lot has happened since Mohammad dictated the Koran.

In fact, most murdered Muslims were and are killed by other Muslims because of religious disagreements.

I know that's impossible.

God's will, you know.

However, as Mohammad criticized Judaism and Christianity because leaders and priests following Moses and Christ allowed error and corruption to befoul their teachings, so have the teachings of Mohammad, the Prophet of God, been befouled.

Islam is interpreted by religious leaders to guide the faithful, and they are as eager to direct the actions of their followers as ancient Judeo-Christian theologians were to debate how many angels could dance on the head of a pin. (As illustration, watch Egyptian Cleric Sa'd Arafat explain the do's and don't's of beating your wife - click here)

The oppressed of the Muslim world - such as the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt - don't want to end all oppression. They just want to be on the side of the oppressors.

Look to Iran.

Out with the Shah, in with the Ayatollah.

The Iranian man-in-the-street was more free under the Shah than under the Ayatollahs.

Especially if the man-in-the-street was a woman.

Why Do Muslims Hate Us?

According to Liberals, Muslims don't hate us, we just don't understand them. What we have is a failure to communicate, and if we would just listen to Muslims everything would be wonderful.

I admit I don't understand Muslims. Their religion has never seemed peaceful and tolerant to me, and those seem like worthy expectations of religion.

Thinking about the prescription for peaceful relations with Muslims - improved communications - leads me to consider Muslim violence against other Muslims. Don't Sunnis and Shiites understand each other, live together, worship the same God, yet kill each other viciously and indiscriminately given the opportunity?

When Muslims kill Muslims - Saddam Hussein killed more Muslims than all the Crusaders combined - what chance do we hated infidels have? Suppose you are a gay, or a feminist; will your views be tolerated in Saudi Arabia? Iran? Pakistan? Afghanistan? How about if you're a Christian or Jew? Or a Muslim who wants to be an atheist or convert?

The political correct say we are the problem, not the Islamists.

Such are the fruits of colossal ignorance and stupidity.

Disproportionate Response to Gays in Palestine

At a San Francisco march supporting the Palestinians against Israel, there was a poster “Gays for Palestine.” An astute observer noted, “You won’t see that in a parade in Palestine.” The protesters, of course, protested Israel’s “disproportionate response” to Hamas rocket attacks.

Has there ever been such a stupid protest as against “disproportionate response”? Hamas has launched over 7,000 rockets in three years from Gaza against Israel. The rockets are increasing in range and accuracy, and all have been targeted against innocent Israeli citizens.

Activists in the United States protest against civilian casualties in Gaza, yet apparently don’t notice or care that Hamas uses fellow Palestinians as shields.

Shall we try to look at this logically? Hamas is indiscriminately targeting Israeli citizens. Israel is carefully targeting Hamas militants, who happen to be hiding amongst Palestinian “civilians.” Because of Hamas’ use of Palestinians as human shields, does that mean Hamas gets an “Attack Israel for Free” card?

I know liberals, and Europeans, insist that Israel must negotiate with Hamas. However, Hamas has clearly stated, ad infinitum, that Hamas will never recognize Israel, or even the right of any Jew to live in Palestine. That doesn’t seem to leave much room for negotiations, does it?

Israel has only one option: obliterate Hamas. If left unchecked, Hamas would soon control the West Bank as well as Gaza, and all Israel would be caught in a daily, deadly crossfire. All that prevents that now is Israel’s control of the border crossings. Doubters need look no farther than Gaza, where Hamas has used its porous border with Egypt to arm with continually more deadly Iranian-supplied rockets.

Any knowledgeable person, especially a world leader, who doesn’t recognize the murderous truth about Hamas is either a fool or mendacious (mendacious: the perfect word to describe such a person – one given to or characterized by deception or falsehood or divergence from absolute truth. For an example of mendacious, go to Bill Clinton and his denial of genocide in Rwanda as it progressed).

Morton Zuckerman has posted a great article on the situation confronting Obama in the Middle East on Jewish World Review. It is must reading for the fair and open minded among us. I’m sure liberals and most Europeans will avoid reading it and facing facts and logic about Israel and the Palestinians. Their ignorance is the source of their bliss.

Arab Blood on Arab Hands in Gaza

This is a response to a Letter to the Editor of the San Francisco Chronicle. The text of the letter follows my reply.

The one thing Michael Scott (Letters, May 2) forgot to mention in his snide diatribe against Israel was that Arab nations violently defied United Nations resolutions beginning in 1947 when the UN formed Israel, and have been in defiance ever since. Earlier, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem in 1940 allied Muslims with Nazis to exterminate Jews. Rather than being pious supporters of UN resolutions, as Mr. Scott implies, the Arab Middle East states have been bent on annihilation of Jews.

Prior to the Six Days War in 1967, Egypt expelled the UN peacekeeping force in the Sinai preparatory to launching what Syria’s then defense leader Hafez al-Assad termed a “battle of annihilation.” A week later the Arabs had a new name for it, “The Setback.” However, Arab leaders noted that although Israel won again, Arabs only had to win once.

Mr. Scott calls Israel “morally culpable for the collective punishment being imposed on the Palestinian people in Gaza,” but doesn’t add that Israel is responding to rocket attacks launched against civilians that are condoned by Gaza leaders. If Gazans don’t like what their elected leaders are doing, they can "un-elect" them.

Muslim, Christian and Jew are all People of The Book and should heed the New Testament admonition, “As you sow, so shall you reap.”

This is the letter that inspired my response.

At least Carter, for all his faults, isn't mindlessly parroting right-wing Israel's talking points when looking for solutions, but then I know people like Mr. Weiner don't have time to think about peace when all his energy is being spent defending a country that not only continues to defy United Nations resolutions, but is morally culpable for the collective punishment being imposed on the Palestinian people in Gaza for having the temerity to vote for a party the West doesn't approve of.

MICHAEL SCOTT
San Francisco

The Immorality of Proportionate Response - Israel and Gaza

Hamas continues a daily rocket barrage on Israel from Gaza, and is stockpiling Syrian and Iranian rockets in Lebanon to resume attacks from there soon. This is the thanks Palestinians give to Israel for leaving Gaza to facilitate the creation of a Palestinian state by Palestinians.

As should have been expected, it didn’t take long for the Hamas war-lords to drive Fatah, the incompetent and venal followers of Arafat, out of power and, for the most part, out of Gaza. Then began the only “peace” process Hamas is capable of, incessant attacks on Israel launched from populated areas of Gaza to provoke a military response with civilian casualties.

At that point, also as anticipated, the nations of the world take the stage to criticize Israel for making a “disproportionate” response to Hamas’ provocation. Apparently it’s unfair to try to take effective action to stop the Hamas rockets.

My criticism of Israel is that they have made a proportionate response, and I suggest they should try a disproportionate one. Israel obviously has the military might to obliterate the areas Hamas uses to launch rockets. Israel also has the military strength to turn off electrical power and stop fuel, food, and other necessities at the Gaza border, and should make total use of it.

Israel owes its citizens nothing less than security against Hamas (and Hezbollah) attacks. It doesn’t owe any one in Gaza immunity because Hamas is using them for a shield, even if involuntary. Just because Hamas chooses to hide behind Gaza civilians doesn’t mean they must be given sanctuary by Israel. After all, the Palestinians in Gaza did vote Hamas into power.

If Israel does not retaliate, will Hamas stop the attacks?

No, of course not.

If Israel retaliates, will Hamas stop the attacks?

No again.

So what stops Hamas attacks?

The deaths of Hamas leaders and fighters.

Oh.

It’s very simple. Hamas wants nothing less than the destruction of Israel. That’s all they and their ideological progenitors have wanted for decades. Will Hamas change or compromise?

No.

Is that a fact?

To answer a question with a question, when have Hamas ever said otherwise?

So what is this dream of peace between Israel and the Gaza Palestinians led by Hamas?

Idiocy, kept alive by people who know better, but won’t admit its reality.

Also known as fools.

Just because you dream it, doesn’t mean anyone else does.

Stand up for Freedom

Editor

Though it may come as a surprise to many, we are in complete agreement with each other regarding the controversy raging around the satirical cartoons depicting Muhammad. Politicians all the way up to the Secretary General of the United Nations have been using the phrase “freedom with responsibility” in their attempt to be all things to all people. We do not believe freedom of expression includes a responsibility to avoid insulting or offending anyone. We jointly urge the ICO to express solidarity with media all over the world in support of free expression by reprinting the cartoons that originally appeared in Danish publications and that protestors found so offensive.

Michael B. Combs, Gualala
Steven Finz, Sea Ranch

(Published in the ICO on 17 February 2006, accompanied by a "Press Freedom" editorial by Editor Steve McLuaghlin and this Danish cartoon)