Our enemies are stupid

[fintstone]

Our enemies are stupid...or proof that the liberal policy of appeasement does not work.

Our enemies are stupid
Mona Charen

Almost certainly Al-Qaeda or one of its allies murdered and maimed random, defenseless civilians in London today. According to the BBC, "al-Qala'a," an Islamist website that has been used as a conduit by Al Qaeda in the past, contained a claim of responsibility that read, in part: "Rejoice, for it is time to take revenge against the British Zionist Crusader government in retaliation for the massacres Britain is committing in Iraq and Afghanistan. The heroic mujahedeen have carried out a blessed raid in London."

People who can use a word like "blessed" to describe men, women, and children being blown to pieces or having their eyes gouged out by flying glass or losing limbs are not just barbarous, they are twisted. Theirs is a perversion of mind and spirit that almost defies imagination. But thankfully, they are also not very smart.

By committing such atrocities, the Islamists manage to stiffen whatever small residue of resolve remains in flaccid Western civilization. Before the vicious attacks on London civilians, the G8 conference in Scotland focused primarily on global warming, poverty in Africa, and economic matters. But now the leaders of the industrial giants will inevitably turn their attention to the war on terror.

The Islamists could make huge strides in their campaign to undermine Western societies if they used any tactic other than terror. And, in fact, in Great Britain, they have made incredible progress by playing upon Britain's overindulgence of any minority complaint. Middle East scholar Daniel Pipes keeps a running chronicle of British abjectness on his website (Danielpipes.org).

Example 1: The University of Leicester NHS Trust is considering removal of Gideon Bibles from its hospital rooms, out of concern that their presence might "offend" non-Christian patients.

Example 2: Pipes quotes the Sunday Times to the effect that the British equivalent of the IRS, the Inland Revenue, "is considering recognizing polygamy for some religious groups for tax purposes. Officials have agreed to examine 'family friendly' representations from Muslims who take up to four wives under sharia, the laws derived from the Koran. Existing rules allow only one wife for inheritance tax purposes. The Revenue has been asked to relax this so that a husband's estate can be divided tax free between [sic] several wives."

Example 3: The warden at Belmarsh Prison, temporary quarters of Abu Hamza Al-Masri, the Islamist leader charged with crimes ranging from inciting racial hatred to murder, has plans to spend $3 million on a mosque for the prison. The facility already maintains a multi-denominational chapel. But this is unacceptable to the Muslim inmates, some of whom are suspected Al Qaeda members, because it contains crosses.

And speaking of Al-Masri, the British taxpayer has been most generous to the accused terrorist who blew off his own hand and lost an eye making a bomb. Example 4: Masri plans to sue the British government for the £200 a week in welfare he says he is owed for almost three years. This would complement the other benefits he receives. Pipes reports that al-Masri receives a rent-free £500-a-month house in which his wife and eight children live; £2 million of taxpayer funds to pay for his now-seven-year legal battle against deportation; special help in jail to bathe, dress, and eat due to his disabilities, as well as a personal nurse who visits him daily; and a new hook.

Example 5: A pizzeria in Scotland applied for a permit to place tables on the sidewalk outside its restaurant. This met with angry resistance from two Muslim charities who objected that the plan was "offensive" because alcohol would be served out of doors.

If the Islamists had but the patience to play upon the guilt-ridden West's weakness, they might have their victory in a few decades. Leaning over backwards has become so common in the West that its enemies could reasonably wonder whether any spine remained at all. Brutal attacks like that in London snap us back to reality and remind all but the most weak-minded Europeans and Americans that appeasement is nothing less than slow surrender.

[Moneyguy1]

No matter how many Imams are interviewed on TV, the frustration of the interviewers comes through since none of these "defenders of Islam" will give a straight answer as to whether the acts carried out are defendable. They seem to be able to "know the mind of God" and this is not only stupid, it is insane. Appasement is a losing strategy with insane people.

Rather than an isolationist policy, perhaps it is time for the ROW to consider development of alternative energy in a serious manner and then build an "iron curtain" in reverse around the ME and let them continue to kill each other.

[fintstone]

Perhaps..or at least open up areas for drilling where we know there is currently oil in the US...or both

[fintstone]

Oh...good post Money!

[tabs]

The Habibs are not a Great people..but small and narrow minded concerned with petty things....

[Moneyguy1]

Gee, thanks fint...

Amazing how there are things on which even moderate contrarians and libertarians can agree!!

[fintstone]

Money
When you are right...you are right..and a good thoughtful post is just that.

[techweenie]

Mona Charen is a bit of a joke.

She gets her columns printed in lots of places, but her research is questionable.

Take for instance her point number 1.

You'd think from her story that Islamists were requesting bibles to be removed from rooms in the hospital.

All it takes is a quick visit to Google to see that although the hospital is considering removing bibles from the rooms, it is suggesting they can be kept elsewhere in the hospital. Officials won't say where the complaint came from, but it more likely is from Jewish groups. The hospital also says the doctors have some concern about spreading of MRSA bacteria between patients through commonly handled books.

[fintstone]

Originally posted by techweenie
Mona Charen is a bit of a joke.

....

Here is the joke's bio. Imagine what she thinks of your resume?

Mona Charen is a syndicated columnist and political analyst living in the Washington, D.C. area.

She received her undergraduate degree at Barnard College, Columbia University, with honors. She also holds a degree in law from George Washington University.

Ms. Charen began her career at National Review magazine, where she served as editorial assistant. On her first tax return at the age of 22, Ms. Charen listed her occupation as "pundit," explaining later, "You have to think big."

In 1984, she joined the White House staff, serving first as Nancy Reagan's speechwriter and later as associate director of the Office of Public Liaison. In the latter post, she lectured widely on the administration's Central America policy. Later in her White House career, she worked in the Public Affairs office helping to craft the president's overall communications strategy.

In 1986, Ms. Charen left the White House to join the presidential quest of then-Congressman Jack Kemp as a speechwriter.

She launched her syndicated column in 1987 and it has become one of the fastest growing columns in the industry. It is featured in more than 200 papers, including the Boston Globe, the Baltimore Sun, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Atlanta Journal and Constitution and the Washington Times. She spent 6 years as a regular commentator on CNN's "Capital Gang" and "Capital Gang Sunday," and has served as a judge of the Pulitzer Prizes.

[artplumber]

Originally posted by techweenie
Mona Charen is a bit of a joke.

She gets her columns printed in lots of places, but her research is questionable.

Take for instance her point number 1.

You'd think from her story that Islamists were requesting bibles to be removed from rooms in the hospital.

...Officials won't say where the complaint came from, but it more likely is from Jewish groups.

Data or WAG?

[island911]

Originally posted by fintstone
Oh...good post Money!

got to agree. tho', "development of alternative energy" does not help free us from middle-east power. That is; even with the ROW (developed) away from the crude feeding trough, places like China will be buying it up, keeping the ME with lots of money, and nothing to do but buy oversized fireworks to play with.

[island911]

Originally posted by artplumber
Data or WAG?

Either way, he's out of the gate attacking the messenger. (not the strongest counter argument . . .take note cc)

[Moneyguy1]

AS for alternative power..isn't it aboout time this country got over its paranoia about nuclear power? How much natural gas and other petroleum product would be freed up? How about another program of tax credits for home improvements that reduce power consumption? And, I said it before..How about a "Manhattan Project" type of program to develop power sources that we cannot even imagine? Battery technology? more efficient solar energy? Would such a project work better if it were international? If we can only get over the hurdle of oil company interests and lobbying...

Some of the arguments that places like China would just use up additional power sources doesn't apply to either nuclear power or other power generatorion that is not "portable".

[fintstone]

Money
The point about China buying up the excess oil supply was that the Middle East crazies would remain well funded.....just not by us.

[CamB]

I'm not really a fan of attacking the messenger, but I don't exactly quake in my boots reading her resume. Being Nancy Reagan's screenwriter - wooohooo. And the "pundit" bit --> seems to me that people who aspire to, rather than fall into, those roles are the ones with the least coherent thought patterns (think Coulter here) .

Oh yeah, relevant to the actual topic:

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/index.cfm?c_id=2&ObjectID=10335207

Fatwa to outlaw bombers

LONDON - Britain's top Muslim scholars are to issue a "fatwa" which will condemn the terrorists behind the bombings, in an unprecedented move to repudiate the Islamist militants suspected of the atrocities.

It is expected that the religious ruling, which will be drafted this week, will effectively outlaw the bombers among Muslims by stating the attacks were a breach of the most basic tenets of Islam.

Senior community leaders believe they must try to deflect another wave of revenge attacks by attacking the religious basis of the terrorists' alleged Islamist ideology and by questioning their right to describe themselves as Muslims.

[David]

I'm with Money on this too. Put up the "iron curtain" around them. I'll pay $4/gal and I live in Texas and drive a truck, of course I'm a liberal.

I am serious though. I'll be emailing my President and congress folks to tell them enough. No more mid east oil!!!

If they want to live in the stone age, let's put them in the stone age by cutting off their income.

[cowtown]

Originally posted by 125shifter
I'm with Money on this too. Put up the "iron curtain" around them. I'll pay $4/gal and I live in Texas and drive a truck, of course I'm a liberal.

I am serious though. I'll be emailing my President and congress folks to tell them enough. No more mid east oil!!!

If they want to live in the stone age, let's put them in the stone age by cutting off their income.

Ditto. It would be worth it.

[CamB]

Originally posted by SoCal911SC
Your resume must be pretty impressive to be jaded enough to be unimpressed by hers!

Brian - its not, but just because hers is better than mine doesn't mean that every word she says is gonna be gold. I did under and post-grad Finance at the lowly University of Auckland, but other than understanding discounted cashflows, what that really taught me was that getting a Masters degree doesn't mean much (I mean, it wasn't ridiculously difficult). Furthermore, while I wouldn't necessarily get into an Ivy League school, I'm confident I could pass, no problem, if I was in there. In fact, my (not particularly long) working career has thus far left me generally underwhelmed at the abilities of a lot of people considered important in the business world, save only for one thing - they are almost always strongly driven and work hard.

There are (tens of?) thousands of people with better resumes, possibly in Washington alone. My impression of political appointments of the type she had is that there are equal parts competency and political skill involved in getting the job. So... I remain unconvinced.

(edit) To be fair, I thought her being chosen as a judge for the Pulitzer Prize was the strongest indication of quality.

[artplumber]

Originally posted by Moneyguy1
AS for alternative power..isn't it aboout time this country got over its paranoia about nuclear power?

And, I said it before..How about a "Manhattan Project" type of program to develop power sources that we cannot even imagine? Battery technology? more efficient solar energy?

Hmmm, are you guys saying that this (Iraq/Al Qaida etc) is all about oil? Or just that the way they get funding is using US dollars against the US? If the former, that is playing into the usual liberal rhetoric about the Iraq war.

On a side note, the people most likely to fight the development of nuclear or other alternative energy sources are left-leaning in orientation. An interesting position as they insist that we don't use oil but don't want us to use anything else either. Latest on the chopping block is wind power, which is now opposed because of visual pollution & bird deaths. Some really interesting ideas have been suggested for energy sources - all with major risks for lawsuits and enviromental protest - eg/huge solar array in geosynch or polar orbit with energy microwaved to earth (somebody would undoubtedly fly into the microwaves).

[Icemaster]

Originally posted by island911
places like China will be buying it up, keeping the ME with lots of money, and nothing to do but buy oversized fireworks to play with.

Exactly.

Somewhere along the line I can see a barter of a decade of fixed price oil in exchange for a truckload of nukes in this equation.

That scares me.