Islam is NOT our greatest threat. It is way more dysfunctional than other religions at present, but Islam itself needs to be countered with as little violence as possible, to minimize their overreactions to liberal, secular ideas such as freedom of expression and freedom of (and from!,) religion. We have lost what moral authority we might have had with our violence. We need to be violent when attacked in direct proportion to the attack, and then to stand up and have the courage to challenge Islam directly on the field of ideas. We can win that fight, I think. Violence begets violence. I think Obama has done an effective job in drone strikes having eliminated a certain faction of the Islamist movement. However, these drone strikes are not only immoral, they are also counterproductive, and engender support for the “us vs. them” narrative Islam find so enticing. Close Gitmo, stop drone strikes, speak out in the battle of cultures to support secular freedoms, speak up for women’s’ rights, speak up for true education (not madrasahs and not memorizing the Qu’ran, neither of which are really educational), castigate Muslims for any support of their “freedom fighters,” support liberal elements in Islam, increase the propaganda fight to support freedom, etc., etc. Islam is only a threat when we play their game and lend any credence to the fundamentalists instead of confronting them head on, not with violence, not with Christianity, but with overwhelming rational, emotional, and commercial confrontation. If attacked, respond without hesitation and counterattack. But don’t widen the fight. That just plays into the hands of the conservative fundamentalist Islamists.
When the probability that you will be struck dead by lightning is still greater than being killed by a terrorist, and, YET you still focus on ‘terrorist mayhem,’ what does that say about your rationality?
The ‘toon TV is the one Republicans are selling the public, the image in black is actually not ISIL but our own corporations and MIC gloating over the skulls of “average” Americans they’ve betrayed already and the pile that wlll only grow under new Republican “leadership”. It’s like a CGI masking of reality.
@ twclix:In the current issue of TIME magazine, a feature article discusses much of what is in your post. In France, Germany and even in Finland, there is a growing feeling that Islamic religion is not compatible with Western culture. How much should the Western countries give up to please Muslim sensibilities? Not an easy question to answer. But then, How far are Muslims prepared to go to assimilate?
Ever head of the company named Dassault Aviation?It’s a French company that produces the Rafale, the most sophisticated and advanced jet fighter plane in the world. It has been used in Afghanistan, Syria, Mali (where the French are combating ISIL, or Da’ish alone), and currently in Iraq, along with the Brits and US. Now, I may be mistaken, but I would call those allies, and you bet your life they are European.
Oh, I get it. But you feed into their insanity when you attack indiscriminately. The boku haram are outlaws in my world. In Africa they are as well. But that’s a problem for the Africans to sort out. You don’t go to war over outlaws.
ConserveGov over 9 years ago
He was too scared(or doesn’t even care)to even mention the greatest threat to the US.
Odon Premium Member over 9 years ago
Yet he is sending personnel and drones to collect intel and kill terrorists.
moderateisntleft over 9 years ago
Yeah, what a liar. And he said climate change is real!
twclix over 9 years ago
Islam is NOT our greatest threat. It is way more dysfunctional than other religions at present, but Islam itself needs to be countered with as little violence as possible, to minimize their overreactions to liberal, secular ideas such as freedom of expression and freedom of (and from!,) religion. We have lost what moral authority we might have had with our violence. We need to be violent when attacked in direct proportion to the attack, and then to stand up and have the courage to challenge Islam directly on the field of ideas. We can win that fight, I think. Violence begets violence. I think Obama has done an effective job in drone strikes having eliminated a certain faction of the Islamist movement. However, these drone strikes are not only immoral, they are also counterproductive, and engender support for the “us vs. them” narrative Islam find so enticing. Close Gitmo, stop drone strikes, speak out in the battle of cultures to support secular freedoms, speak up for women’s’ rights, speak up for true education (not madrasahs and not memorizing the Qu’ran, neither of which are really educational), castigate Muslims for any support of their “freedom fighters,” support liberal elements in Islam, increase the propaganda fight to support freedom, etc., etc. Islam is only a threat when we play their game and lend any credence to the fundamentalists instead of confronting them head on, not with violence, not with Christianity, but with overwhelming rational, emotional, and commercial confrontation. If attacked, respond without hesitation and counterattack. But don’t widen the fight. That just plays into the hands of the conservative fundamentalist Islamists.
eugene57 over 9 years ago
When you admit, Jeff, that You’re an idiot, you are starting the hard work of improvement.Hope to see the progress over the next few months.*
DrDon1 over 9 years ago
When the probability that you will be struck dead by lightning is still greater than being killed by a terrorist, and, YET you still focus on ‘terrorist mayhem,’ what does that say about your rationality?
Dtroutma over 9 years ago
The ‘toon TV is the one Republicans are selling the public, the image in black is actually not ISIL but our own corporations and MIC gloating over the skulls of “average” Americans they’ve betrayed already and the pile that wlll only grow under new Republican “leadership”. It’s like a CGI masking of reality.
moosemin over 9 years ago
@ twclix:In the current issue of TIME magazine, a feature article discusses much of what is in your post. In France, Germany and even in Finland, there is a growing feeling that Islamic religion is not compatible with Western culture. How much should the Western countries give up to please Muslim sensibilities? Not an easy question to answer. But then, How far are Muslims prepared to go to assimilate?
veronique auzon engel over 9 years ago
Ever head of the company named Dassault Aviation?It’s a French company that produces the Rafale, the most sophisticated and advanced jet fighter plane in the world. It has been used in Afghanistan, Syria, Mali (where the French are combating ISIL, or Da’ish alone), and currently in Iraq, along with the Brits and US. Now, I may be mistaken, but I would call those allies, and you bet your life they are European.
veronique auzon engel over 9 years ago
Don’t know where you get your info from, but you are spot on the brutal truth….eradicating them is the only solution.
twclix over 9 years ago
Oh, I get it. But you feed into their insanity when you attack indiscriminately. The boku haram are outlaws in my world. In Africa they are as well. But that’s a problem for the Africans to sort out. You don’t go to war over outlaws.