Sadly, not a viable option.
Bad luck for Iran’s new President Rouhani. He arrives in New York just after the carnage in Kenya and Pakistan.
Of course these mass murdering terror attacks were perpetrated by Sunnis, not Iranian Shiites, but most of the American public doesn’t know the difference. And those of us who do are only reminded these killings are just the latest in a long and sadly predictable history of such events, Sunni and Shiite, during which, according to one website, a staggering 21269 deadly attacks have been undertaken by Islamic terrorists since September 11, 2001. (To give you an idea of how many deaths this comes to, the Mumbai mass killing of 2008 in which 164 died is only one of this over twenty-one thousand, as are the 2004 Atocha Station bombings in which 191 died. And 68 and 78 died, so far, in the Kenya and Pakistan attacks, also part of the over twenty-one thousand.)
So Barack Obama should be aware, if he is in the mood to appease an Islamic regime with multiple terrorist tentacles, that it might not be the best week for such an action. Too bad, Rouhani. (Or let’s hope it’s “Too bad, Rouhani,” whose “moderate” track record fits right in with the 21269 deadly attacks above, although his pre-dates 9/11.)
Indeed, like a badly failing family member — an alcoholic or a drug addict — what Islam desperately needs now is not nuclear appeasement or CAIR-style “tolerance” but an intervention.
To say that something is decidedly wrong in the Islamic world is a monumental understatement. And Muslim societies make almost no serious effort to correct themselves, ricocheting back and forth between military totalitarianism and religious totalitarianism while — like that family heroin addict — blaming everyone but themselves for their fate.
They are indeed in deep need of an intervention. The question is how to do it.
Of course, just by raising that question you are accused of Islamophobia, an absurd almost self-contradictory term, which always applies better to those using it. They are the ones who are phobic about Islam because they are the ones who are fearful (actually terrified) of what Islamic people will do if told the truth. So they come up with those equally absurd lies, like defining the crime of a soldier who murders his fellows while shouting “Allahu Akhbar” as “workplace violence.”
This real Islamophobia has been the pathetic stance of our government and military since 9/11, made worse by the delusions of Barack Obama. Of course it has failed. How could it possibly succeed when it is fundamentally dishonest?
Meanwhile, another large sector of our society wants us to throw up our hands at the whole thing — let these madmen destroy each other. I am sympathetic — how could I not be? We have already lost so much in treasure, human and material.
But I will remind those people — and myself — that in our tradition we are our brother’s keeper. And that is one of the most important values, if not the key value, that gave us this great country.
Furthermore, such a violent ideology left unchecked could destroy the world. It already infects over a billion Muslims, with painfully rare, though highly laudable, exceptions. (The depressing truth is that I met almost all of them in my job at PJM. Where are the rest? Why is it there is no really organized attempt within Islam for any kind of serious reform — only the most momentary lip service after a terror attack?)
So back to the question of how to stage this intervention. This is extremely difficult, but I am going to take a flyer with some suggestions. I invite all to respond. (And, yes, I know, rounding up all the Muslims in the world for an intervention like your Cousin Phil is a tad inconvenient, but think metaphorically.)
1. Most importantly, start being honest. Say that Islam itself is the cause of all this atrocious violence and must be corrected, must have a fundamental reformation of the religion. Keep talking about the reformation — keep demanding it of them — all the time. Why have you not joined the modern world? Why do you oppress women? Urge them to reform and never stop. No more euphemisms about “religion of peace” or “work place violence.” If you kill for Allah, you are evil, immoral and sick. You don’t kill for anybody’s God.
2. Make clear that Sharia law is absolutely incompatible with democratic U.S. values. We will not have it here because it is fundamentally misogynistic and intolerant of other religions, against many of the principles of our Constitution. Ban it in the USA. If you want Sharia law, stay in an Islamic country. Do not come here. In other words, force Islamic law to change if they want entry to this country.
3. Set up special schools in American values for Muslim children who do come. Make them listen to American Constitutional values and explain to them why freedom of religion and equal rights for women are not only important, but essential.
4. Speak publicly against multiculturalism. All cultures are clearly not the same. Some are repressive. Islam is repressive and intolerant of others.
5. Ban the use of the veil as they have in France. The oppression of women is not permitted in America.
6. Treat the Muslim Brotherhood as what they are — an Islamofascist organization, not an incipient democratic one. Organizations like that will never change if you believe, or play along with, their lies.
6. Take foreign policy out of the hands of the State Department, which simply enabled the situation we have today, and start a new outreach organization willing to tell the truth. (Yes, I realize this last one will take an intervention on our own government, but I warned you, this wasn’t simple.)
Join the conversation as a VIP Member