Hello Saw,
Originally posted by Saintaw
Seagoon,
I take it that all muslims are evil (that's counting about the fifth of the world population... no hard numbers, just from the top of my head)... and they are all there to 'get us'. ok, fine.
Since you don't seem happy with the way things are going... what do you propose? What is your (final- snicker) solution?
A friend of mine jokingly suggested that we bomb the 10/40 window with X-boxes, Pot, and Pornography until they are as inudated with slackers as we are, and thus paralyze the Jihad. But all kidding aside.
To tell the truth, I'm glad that I'm not a civil magistrate, because I can't think of much that would be feasible given the current state of the world. Most of the solutions would require both a long term alliance with like-minded countries, and the willingness to continue to fight for an objective until that objective is achieved regardless of how long it takes, and in a Western world that wants televised victories in 2 weeks and which isn't sure whether it prefers Hezbollah and Hamas to Israel and America, I'm not either of those goals are possible.
But I think a few common sense changes in our approach are necessary at the very least. See if you think the following are unreasonable.
1)
Stop misdefining the problem as "terrorism" - no one dies for terrorism, terrorism is a means, not a movement or an end. We cannot defeat terrorism any more than we can defeat "bombs." If we are unwilling to examine Islam, so be it, lets at least define the problem more accurately and precisely as "Jihadism" - Jihad is also a means to an end, but at least people are actually signing up to be Jihadis or Shahidis and we are actually fighting an ideological orientation that way.
2)
Identify the ideologies that accept, encourage, or promote "Jihadism" as unacceptable and the enemies of freedom. This will mean that we are saying Wahabbism and Salafism are unacceptable. Indicate that we will do all that we can to suppress and eliminate those ideologies where we can. This will mean banning the importation of Wahhabbi media (books, tapes, videos) into our countries, deporting Wahabbi Imams, and closing down Maddrassas and Masjids that teach those doctrines.
3)
Refuse to allow countries that do not allow freedom of religion in their own nations to build houses of worship, sponsor clergy, or send in religious materials. Make it clear that until non-Muslims are allowed to freely practice their religions in Saudi Arabia and build houses of worship, the Saudis may not pour money into the construction of Islamic centers in the USA or Europe. Deny visas to citizens of those countries coming in to serve as Imams, if they would deny visas to missionaries trying to enter their own country. Deport foriegn Imams who try to get around the rules by entering under false pretenses (and yes, they also do that to missionaries - and worse - in their own countries).
4)
Indicate that in order to qualify as being "our friends" you will also have to reject and work against Wahabbism and Salafism. This will mean that we will no longer accept the Pakistanis tolerating or encouraging Jihadist Masjids, Maddrassas, and training camps on their side of the border. Indicate that if they will not cooperate in closing them down permanently, we will take military action against those training centers proven to be sending Jihadis in ourselves.
5)
Stop affording Islam "specially protected status" in our societies. Even the playing field. If people can ridicule Christianity, why should Islam be any different? If Muslims can proselytize without it being a "hate crime", evangelizing Muslims should not be a hate crime either.
Those are just a few that I can think of off the top of my head, note that all of them are simply applying the same rules that we have to play by to Islam. It's my belief that if their society were as religiously open as ours, that Islam could not compete and would begin to wither. Sharia law however, keeps it artificially protected.
