Roger L. Simon: If you want to get depressed ...

... read Ron Rosenbaum's latest post. He spells out why Islamism is more dangerous than communism ever was - and asks for a solution? So far there have not been many suggestions.

As for me, I'm going on vacation.... cross country skiing in the Methow Valley. Considering that I don't think I can handle more than two hours a day of the sport and that our hotel has broadband, I suspect there'll be some blogging, even some photos of the Great White North (or northish). I'm going to try to enjoy myself and not obsess on Ahmadinejad and footnote 55 (see Rosenbaum). Maybe while skiing I'll come up with an idea ... but don't hold your breath.

Comments

Comments require registration through TypeKey. Abusive remarks may be deleted. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of Roger Simon.

The only way out is war, and to fomenting of internecine war between the competing factions of Radical Islam.

We live in interesting times. I understand that was an old Chinese curse, "may you live in interesting times."

Pious Jews and Christians can accept a defeat or reversal as a chastisement from God,

There was this writer gone skiing
who promised to write what he's seeing;
we hope he survives,
else we're stuck with archives
(which are not quite as consciousness-freeing).

The thing fundamentalist Muslims fear most is the encroachment of Western civilization (read technology). That is what they are fighting against. They are living in the dark ages and not only wish to stay there, they wish to pull everyone else back with them. Therefore peaceful technology is our best weapon against them. Inundate them with cell phones, radios and TVs. Beam in "I Love Lucy" reruns around the clock (I?m not kidding, they would love her).

In the meantime, cut off Muslim immigration entirely and deport those who are illegal. It is insane to have a large segment of the population hostile to your civilization and who wish to install their own laws. That is national suicide.

Ron Rosenbaum's latest post addresses Isreal's predicament as Iran races to develop a nuclear weapon, and its stated objective to destroy Israel.

The principle behind the MAD doctrine is ofcourse mutually assured destruction. Thus nuclear war became unthinkable to the West and the USSR.

In Islam, peace is simply a period for the Jihad to recover from defeat. Harm to civilians, whether Muslims or not, is of no consequence. Losing the war on earth, again is of no consequence, as the important part is dying for Allah, as long as sufficient numbers of Infidels are killed, and without too much damage to the Ummah.

"I am decisively announcing to the whole world that if the world-devourers [i.e., the infidel powers] wish to stand against our religion, we will stand against their whole world and will not cease until the annihilation of all them. Either we all become free, or we will go to the greater freedom, which is martyrdom. Either we shake one another's hands in joy at the victory of Islam in the world, or all of us will turn to eternal life and martyrdom. In both cases, victory and success are ours."

Faced with such irrationality, the various options that were available to us when dealing with the USSR, are not available to Israel.

The striking thing here is that even when we were at war with the Japanese, a quite different culture, there were still some common grounds on what constituted acceptable war and what did not.

With the Islamic world this does not appear to be the case. The war with the Islamic world (though its still not accepted as such), is beginning to appear like a sci-fi story i.e., a war with an alien civilisation - we do not have common point, even in the deadly business of war, where such a common point is essential. In sci-fi stories, such plot lines eventually end in annihilation of one side.

The question is still there - what should Israel do? The premise of the Iran’s nuclear blackmail rests on the assumption that a nuclear strike will destroy Israel and a considerably fraction of the world's Jews. Any counter-strike by Israel on Iran, will still leave the bulk of the Muslim population in the world unharmed. Israel’s stated or atleast hinted policy should therefore be, that its response will be global in nature, and if the world’s Jewish population was decimated, its response would be of similar or even greater magnitude. That is, a re-statement of the MAD doctrine. Sounds mad? But paradoxically, this is what made the MAD doctrine work, and could avert a global catastrophe.

I hope and pray that we never come to this impasse, and peace on earth will prevail.

The biggest problem is the death wish of this Islamist cult. There is no sancity to human life, which among the major tenets that separate Judaism and Christianity from Islam.

First, we must compete for "mind share", which involves the use of technology. From the Voice of America to the Internet and everything in between, Muslims must be exposed to different, competing ideas.

Second, we must strive for energy independence to reverse the economic pressure rising from oil. (This will never be brought to zero, but much can be done.)

Third, we must educate and convince ourselves that are in a fight for our civilization. Too many do not see the threat and multiculturalism is binding our ability to speak openly.

Fourth, every illegal Muslim must be deported immediately and immigration from Islamic nation must cease - almost without exception. Any illegal or criminal behavior should result in deportation (and perhaps extend as far as to entire families). I expect most would view this as intolerant.

Fifth, the concept of MAD must be extended across the Islamic world. We should fully develop the neutron bomb too. To make this credible, see sixth.

Sixth, we must not leave Iraq an unstable country. Weakness will be viewed as an invitation to strike Israel or the US.

The only other option is to take out Iran now with conventional military force. This may be the least costly (in both lives and treasure) option, but I can't predict the future with certainty. I consider this alternative becasue I believe what Ahmadinejad and his ilk say.

XCOUNTRY SKIING: GREAT! HAVE A BLAST - BLOGGIN OR NOT. AND HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU AND YOURS!

Certainly a serious problem as you pose it, and no easy answers. One idea: to attack the concept, the movement of radical islam by naming radical islam as the enemy. Also, by legally deporting radical islamists from the USA (not an easy process) I think we will strenthen our hand overseas. The enemy thinks we are weak, and one way we confirm this to them is that we continue to alow radical islamists to reside in the west.

I've been thinking about this all evening. I was flipping through the stations and landed on Glen Beck.

He was going through some of the indoctrination and propaganda foisted upon the citizenry of Islamic countries. The Jews are portrayed as the source of all of the world's problems. America is their accomplice. Children watch cartoons of young people blowing themselves up shouting Allan Akbar to kill the Jews. TV shows that "show" the Jews killing children, taking their blood to make motzas and for use in Passover activities. Caricatures of Condi Rice with her hands dripping of blood. George Bush and Ariel Sharon drunk on blood contained in what looked like a liquor bottle. And so on......

What Ahmadinejad says to the naive Western media is very different than the speeches he gives in Iran. He talks of how America and the West will bow before Iran and the Caliphate. Crowds of tens of thousands chant death to Israel and death to America. Of course the MSM does little to expose Americans to this.

(Roger, perhaps PJM could do an in depth analysis of the culture of hate and death of the Islamists and how that is sowing the seeds of an epic battle between Islam and the West.)

There is no or little reality testing by the masses. Of course, the Holocaust never happened.

How do you fight generations who have been taught to hate? This is like reading and watching flim of Germany under Hitler in the 1930s. The dehumanization of the Jews, of Christians and the West makes it easier for Muslims to overlook the horror of what has been done to and what is being planned on being done to innocent people.

Meanwhile, Europe appeases in fear of its own growing Muslim minorities and the liberals here think that somehow they can reason with unreasonable people. The danger is great and is growing every day. Iran must never be allowed to obtain nuclear weapons. Why anybody would believe that Iran, which is awash in oil, needs nuclear technology for energy is beyond my comprehension.

"The biggest problem is the death wish of this Islamist cult. There is no sancity to human life, which among the major tenets that separate Judaism and Christianity from Islam."

Indeed, it is the nihilism of the jihaddists that sets Islam apart from the other "Abrahamic" faiths, and, indeed most religions, and, instead, aligns Islam with totalitarian ideologies like Fascism, Nazism, and Communism.

*as Captain Janeway* "There are three things to remember about being a starship captain, Keep your shirt tucked in, go down with the ship, and never abandon a member of your crew."

The threat from Islam is as nothing compared to the threat of our own homegrown political correctness. But, in the spirit of the season, I am optimistic that our crusader spirit will overcome the spirit of limp wristedness with which we are currently infected, and go on to pen Mohammed back in his sandbox.

this circle jerk will always lead back to the essential question: are we in a war with terrorists/radical islam and the states that sponsor them?

yes or no? simple answer please. save all the UN speak for the losers that love Darfur and Rwanda type results.

if the answer is no then lets just stop crying the blues about murderous thugs. history is littered with them. let them keep killing until they die natural deaths--after all they couldn't possibly kill all of us?!

however if the answer is yes then why are the leaders and the advisers of iran, syria, sudan, hamas, hezzbollah and al sadr still alive? they are the world's leading terror leaders. until they are all killed at the same time without warning, this war is bullshit. we deserve every bad thing that may befall us--and many things are being planned by these folks right now. that future blood will be on the hands of all you nuanced thinkers who think war is some kind of video version of the old board game "Diplomacy". letting our soldiers and civilians get killed everyday to placate world opinion and do the right thing is contemptible.

we need Sherman's march to the sea. otherwise we should shut up and bring the troops home and give them their caliphate.

as for the possible london/uk attacks,
Who cares...

I'm yawning. who really cares? lets say there is one and a few londoner's go down. so what. what exactly are we going to do about it? come on folks, you know. spit it out. that's right NOTHING.

bush and Blair are going to jump up and down in their playpens and make idle threats that have no meaning. korea has nukes and iran is getting theirs.

the leaders of iran, syria, hamas, hezzbollah etc are the terror generals and leaders. everyday they get up and sip their lattes' and arrange for a few more infidels to be killed. we let them live. we deserve everything that happens to us. sorry london, but it's your turn.

What became of Zahra Kamalfar, who was stuck in the airport in Moscow? We were getting hourly updates and then all the news stopped.

Iran? I worry more that Pelosi will send the sheeps to slaughter in order to feed her hungry Bushhate-worshipping animals.

After satisifying the barbarians in American and the Middle East Dems will then be able to run their presidential campaign using the the slogan "Peace in Our Time"

It's one thing to be angry at The Stupid Party but to elect back into power The Evil Party is inexcusable.

"It's one thing to be angry at The Stupid Party but to elect back into power The Evil Party is inexcusable"

We don't necessarily know YET if it's The Stupid Party. Only history will tell. All war Presidents are unpopular. Even Churchill was hated (yes I know he wasn't a president) but now he's revered.

Food for thought. It's too early to tell. And the economy's doing damn well. Let's wait and see.

I do think he made some miscalculations (but it's war, man) but I am withholding all judgement for ten or more years. :p

December 21, 2006: If you want to get depressed ...

Comments

Post a comment

Email This Post