America's attempts to appease "Muslim opinion" are self-destructive.
To listen to most of our foreign-policy commentators, the biggest problem facing America today — five years after September 11 — is the fact that many Muslims are mad at us.
"Whatever one's views on the [Iraq] war," writes a New York Times columnist, "thoughtful Americans need to consider . . . the bitter anger that it has provoked among Muslims around the world." In response to Abu Ghraib, Ted Kennedy lamented, "We have become the most hated nation in the world, as a result of this disastrous policy in the prisons." Muslim anger over America's support of Israel, we are told, is a major cause of anti-American terrorism.
We face, these commentators say, a crisis of "Muslim opinion." We must, they say, win the "hearts and minds" of angry Muslims by heaping public affection on Islam, by shutting down Guantanamo, by being more "evenhanded" between free Israel and the terrorist Palestinian Authority — and certainly by avoiding any new military action in the Muslim world. If we fail to win over "Muslim opinion," we are told, we will drive even more to become terrorists.
All of this evades one blatant truth: the hatred being heaped on America is irrational and undeserved. Consider the issue of treatment of POWs. Many Muslims are up in arms about the treatment of prisoners of war in Iraq and at Guantanamo — many of whom were captured on battlefields trying to kill Americans. Yet these same Muslims are silent about the summary convictions and torture — real torture, with electric drills and vats of acid — that are official policy and daily practice throughout the Middle East.
Or consider "Muslim opinion" over the U.S. handling of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, in which the United States is accused of not being "hard enough" on Israel — a free nation with laws that protect all citizens, Jew and Arab alike — for Israel's supposed mistreatment of Palestinians. Yet "Muslim opinion" reveres the Palestinians, a people who overwhelming want to destroy the only oasis of freedom in the Middle East, and who just elected Hamas, the Islamic totalitarian organization, to run their country.
So-called Muslim opinion is not the unanimous and just consensus that its seekers pretend. It is the irrational and unjust opinion of the world's worst Muslims: Islamists and their legions of "moderate" supporters and sympathizers. These people oppose us not because of any legitimate grievances against America, but because they are steeped in a fundamentalist interpretation of their religion — one that views America's freedom, prosperity, and pursuit of worldly pleasures as the height of depravity. They do not seek respect for the rights of the individual (Muslim or non-Muslim), they seek a world in which the rights of all are sacrificed to the dictates of Islam.
The proper response to Islamists and their supporters is to identify them as our ideological and political enemies — and dispense justice accordingly. In the case of our militant enemies, we must kill or demoralize them — especially those regimes that support terrorism and fuel the Islamist movement; as for the rest, we must politically ignore them and intellectually discredit them, while proudly arguing for the superiority of Americanism. Such a policy would make us safe, expose Islamic anti-Americanism as irrational and immoral, and embolden the better Muslims to support our ideals and emulate our ways.
President Bush, like most politicians and intellectuals, has taken the opposite approach to "Muslim opinion:" appeasement. Instead of identifying anti-American Muslims as ideological enemies to be discredited, he has appealed to their sensibilities and met their demands — e.g., sacrificing American soldiers to save Iraqi civilians and mosques. Instead of seeking to crush the Islamists by defeating the causes they fight for — such as Islamic world domination and the destruction of Israel — he has appeased those causes, declaring Islam a "great religion" and rewarding the ongoing Palestinian terrorist Jihad with a promised Palestinian state. Instead of destroying terrorist regimes that wage war against the West –including, most notably, Iran — he has sought their "cooperation" — and, in the case of Iran, engaged in feckless “negotiations” that give Iran time to develop the nuclear weapons and long-range missiles it lusts after.
Such measures have rewarded our enemy for waging physical and spiritual war against us. "Condemn America," they have learned, "and American leaders will praise your ideals and meet your demands." "Attack America via terrorist proxy," terrorist states and movements have been taught, "and America will neither blame you nor destroy you, but redouble its efforts to buy your love."
Every attempt to appease "Muslim opinion" preserves, promotes, and emboldens our enemies. Every concession to angry Muslim mobs gives hope to the Islamist cause. Every day we allow terrorist regimes to exist gives their minions time to execute the next September 11. America needs honest leadership with the courage to identify and defeat our enemies — "Muslim opinion" be damned.
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Read more articles by Alex Epstein
The hatred Muslims direct towards the USA is irrational and undeserved? It is so only to those ignorant of the facts. The USA has helped overthrow democratically elected Muslim leaders and installed dictators, has started unnecessary wars in the region which has caused the death of hundreds of thousands of innocent lives, has supported Osama Bin Laden and Saddam in their war efforts, has placed embargoes and sanctions on Moslem countries which have caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands of children and increased poverty, has armed Israel so it can do the same, defends Israel when it does the same, has tried to prevent the modernisation of their countries, rashly threatens war against their countries, spreads vicious propaganda against their countries, seeks to turn the international community against their countries, etc. What kind of people could object to all that! Don't these rubes understand that we're trying to help them?
Comment by David | September 8, 2006
Mr. Epstein hit the nail right on the head. I completely agree with everything he said. The fact is that is Islamic extremeists will never stop because they believe they are guided by some sort of divine authority. There is absolutly nothing that can be said or done that can change thier minds. They seek so murder as many infidels (the vast majority of US citizens) as they can. The problem is similar to cancer. There is no cure. The only thing we can do is clip it away. They must be destroyed to thier last man. Hopfully the young muslims living in these countries will come to recognize the utter stupidity of what they are trying to do and won't follow them down thier self destructive roads.
Comment by Jeremy | September 8, 2006
David is obviously still under the influence of either his high school or freshman poly sci 1000 indoctrinators. David one day when you actually have to live in the real world, earn a living and maybe live amongst those known as middle east muslims you may begin to understand the human misery and suffering wrought for no reason by muslims on the rest of the world. For no justifiable reason despite what Peter Bergen, Bin Laden and the rest of the little piggy clerics say.
Comment by Dean | September 8, 2006
Dean, I wholeheartedly agree with you. As for you, David, you are living in a make-believe world where the U.S. is doing all of these things you describe but, of course, don't give even one example of all these crimes you say we do. It really is time to stop following like a sheep and start researching and thinking for yourself.
Comment by Don | September 8, 2006
David, Let me ask you a question. Lets say you were in the Army and one of your fellow soldiers came under attack…Your whole squad starts shooting off rounds and hit a non-combatant. This strikes an army of angry civilans to start attacking you and your men….now what do you do?? Just think about that carefully….If you are any kind of a man you would have to come to the conclusion that you must defend your life and the lives of your fellow soldiers, But then again I cant understand the way you think David….I would like to hear how you would act under that life of death event. Could you talk your way out of it? Would you choose to die and let your friends die as well? Or would you be a man and fight with your brothers in arms? I dont think you will be able to awnser this question without dodging it…But if you do and your any trustworthy man you would have to choose to fight you foes despite having being on the side that caused the fight to break out. What does this have to do with anything you say? I think if you think about it real hard you find the awnser you seek.
Comment by Ricky Lennon | September 8, 2006
Dean,
In 1953 Mossadeg was overthrown with the help of the CIA and the dictator Shah was installed. The Iraq war is unjutified and has caused the deaths of a hundred thousand. The sanctions on Iraq after Gulf war 1 were targeted at the Iraqi people and caused the death of over 500,000 , mostly children. The charges made by the USA against Iraq ( and now Iran) to justify the war were false. The attempt to sanction Iran for developing nuclear power is meant to keep them from modernising. We helped Osama and Saddam fight their wars and kill fellow Muslims. Where am I going wrong here? Are the people of the M.E supposed to be grateful for this?
Comment by David | September 8, 2006
Ricky,
A real man refuses to fight in an unjust war. Because situations like the one you describe happen in war I would have to be certain the war itself was justified before I could participate. The good the war produces would have to out weigh the evil done in order to be just. This is not the case with the war in Iraq or the so-called war on terrorism.
Comment by David | September 8, 2006
David,
If Iran is innocently developing nuclear power, why the secrecy? Who would make themselves vulnerable to world condemnation so that they could keep a peaceful and innocent technology a secret? And why would they refuse an offer from the other nations of the world to GIVE them, FREE OF CHARGE mind you, two nuclear reactors that could be used to produce electricity? No, the case against Iran is not "false". And since you seem so interested in history, let's have a lesson. Since it's inception, it has been a fundamental goal of Islam to establish a worldwide Muslim theocracy. In the name of doing so, Muslim fighters overtook the entire middle east, parts of Africa and much of Asia, converting followers or making bloody stumps out of them along the way - including woman and children who refused to accept Islamic theology. And to this very day, that is their ultimate goal. Their religion demands nothing less of them than to convert the entire world to Islam, if not by virtue of its truth, then by force. Regardless of the politics that have been played out in the middle east, not just by the US, but by other foreign powers as well (I'm sure you recall that the reason why we funded and armed Islamic fighters in Afghanistan was to remove the Russian presence from the area. Britain also played political games in the middle east when most of the territory was part of their empire), it is still the goal of Muslim nations to create a world Islamic state by force if necessary. That is the fundamental flaw in your reasoning, and the reasoning of every liberal. Muslim nations do not want to live in peace and harmony with the rest of the world, unless it's because we all have the same religion. That's why they hate us and the rest of Western civilization as well.
Comment by Patrick Mulligan | September 8, 2006
Nice dodge, The reason I used that little fictional story is to point out the fact that you do not understand what is coming. Well I guess you cant see the truth yet…when the time comes I do hope you come around and support your own people. Dont forget If we had half the support that Islam has from their people we would have the power to change the world for the better…but its hard for guys like you see such a thing. You should study some Islamic theology as Patrick suggested. It might make our enemys goals clear to you if the are in fact not. I belive Democrats do understand but, It would be better for their image to act like we cant change anything simply because this is a hard,long,and bloody road…But how would the world be today if we allowed the Nazis to take over the world?? Better?? Do you think so? Well I can assure you that Isamic terrorist are far more evil and wicked than the worst Nazi…They just dont have the power, but not to worry im sure you and your friends on the left can buy them all the time they need to make there weapon…..one is all they need.
Comment by Ricky Lennon | September 9, 2006
If their anger or hostility toward us is driven by their religion, then isn't it wrong to assume as the left does that it's our military bases or support of Israel that's the problem? Could it be because they see us as a major competing religion and they're intolerant of any other than their own? Are the attacks on Christianity and the suppression of it in the middle east any indication?
Comment by Paul | September 9, 2006
Patrick,
I didn't realize you had already said basically the same thing until after I posted.
Comment by Paul | September 9, 2006
Ricky,
There is always going to be some boogie man out there who is going to take over the world if the USA is not running the show …. right? I don't beleive it and its not conservative.
Comment by David | September 10, 2006