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A Wake-up Call : Almost all terrorists are Muslims..
Abdel Rahman al-Rashed*

It is a certain fact that not all Muslims are terrorists, but it is equally certain, and exceptionally painful, that almost all terrorists are Muslims.

The hostage-takers of children in Beslan, North Ossetia, were Muslims. The other hostage-takers and subsequent murderers of the Nepalese chefs and workers in Iraq were also Muslims. Those involved in rape and murder in Darfur, Sudan, are Muslims, with other Muslims chosen to be their victims.

Those responsible for the attacks on residential towers in Riyadh and Khobar were Muslims. The two women who crashed two airliners last week were also Muslims.

Osama bin Laden is a Muslim. The majority of those who manned the suicide bombings against buses, vehicles, schools, houses and buildings, all over the world, were Muslim.

What a pathetic record. What an abominable "achievement." Does all this tell us anything about ourselves, our societies and our culture?

These images, when put together or taken separately, are shameful and degrading. But let us start with putting an end to a history of denial. Let us acknowledge their reality, instead of denying them and seeking to justify them with sound and fury signifying nothing.

For it would be easy to cure ourselves if we realize the seriousness of our sickness. Self-cure starts with self-realization and confession. We should then run after our terrorist sons, in the full knowledge that they are the sour grapes of a deformed culture.

Let us listen to Yusuf al-Qaradawi, the sheikh – the Qatar-based radical Egyptian cleric – and hear him recite his fatwa about the religious permissibility of killing civilian Americans in Iraq. Let us contemplate the incident of this religious sheikh allowing, nay even calling for, the murder of civilians.

This ailing sheikh, in his last days, with two daughters studying in "infidel" Britain, soliciting children to kill innocent civilians.

How could this sheikh face the mother of the youthful Nick Berg, who was slaughtered in Iraq because he wanted to build communication towers in that ravished country? How can we believe him when he tells us that Islam is the religion of mercy and peace while he is turning it into a religion of blood and slaughter?

In a different era, we used to consider the extremists, with nationalist or leftist leanings, a menace and a source of corruption because of their adoption of violence as a means of discourse and their involvement in murder as an easy shortcut to their objectives.

At that time, the mosque used to be a haven, and the voice of religion used to be that of peace and reconciliation. Religious sermons were warm behests for a moral order and an ethical life.

Then came the neo-Muslims. An innocent and benevolent religion, whose verses prohibit the felling of trees in the absence of urgent necessity, that calls murder the most heinous of crimes, that says explicitly that if you kill one person you have killed humanity as a whole, has been turned into a global message of hate and a universal war cry.

We can't call those who take schoolchildren as hostages our own.

We cannot tolerate in our midst those who abduct journalists, murder civilians, explode buses; we cannot accept them as related to us, whatever the sufferings they claim to justify their criminal deeds. These are the people who have smeared Islam and stained its image.

We cannot clear our names unless we own up to the shameful fact that terrorism has become an Islamic enterprise; an almost exclusive monopoly, implemented by Muslim men and women.

We cannot redeem our extremist youths, who commit all these heinous crimes, without confronting the sheikhs who thought it ennobling to reinvent themselves as revolutionary ideologues, sending other people's sons and daughters to certain death, while sending their ow

Readers Comments on this article:

Ron Fante, I was starting to wonder if there were any Muslims, outside of the United States, that lived by their holy book. I have been given new faith in the Muslim religion after reading this article. Even though, as a Christian, they view me as an infidel. We all worship and pray to the same God, so we view Muslims and Jews as children of God. God Bless those that stand on the side of Righteousness.

Brian Torri, Moving column. I can only imagine your pain for what you have to deal with and the struggle you must undertake. I hope you have faith in the belief that you remain a true Muslim while calling certain sheikhs and imams to account for deviating from the real roots of the faith. I also have faith that this will simply transform the opposition to certain American actions into a more robust, vibrant grouping. I welcome such a change. We need to make the world better, not necessarily more American, and I think America is only better when it can answer critics who operate in good faith. I like a challenge in the marketplace of ideas. I'll see you there.

tony, I condem hurting children anywhere and in anyway - but has it occured to you that every child , man or women killed in Chechnia by Russians is also a muslim, every child , man and women killed by Israel in Palestine is muslim - everyone being killed in Iraq by US is a muslim - evryone killed by Indian army in Kashmir is a muslim - thousands and thousand killed by Russians and then by American in Afghanistan were all muslims - I can go on if you like but hopefully you will wake up , unless you are on US payroll to write what you writ.

so what, Well done, One of the best arabic article, from a great writer. keep it up..

Ted Varani, Dear Sir, I admit I am an American and I have an extremely negative view of Islam and Arabs because I see and hear so few people with opinions like yours. Thank you for your article. Are there more (loud) voices like yours in the Arab world? Where can I find them online and in either English or French? Ted Varani

Omar, I cannot agree more. But how can we get ridd of people like Qardawi? They are imposed on us by Arab media. Even if we get of big sheikhs like Qardawi, there are hundreds of thousands of others small ones all over the Arab world and other islamic countries. Hard mission. I believe we should ask for help from the west.

Tariq Obeid, Thanks for this "brave" article, I can't agree more... I really wish that our fellow muslims will "understand" your article. Only then, they may learn to look at themselves critically, instead of blaming the West for all their troubles. I cheer the French imams, and all others who condemn publicly all sort of terrorism. I am ashamed, that my religion is being used to justify all criminal acts, and the examples you gave are more than enough. They can’t terrorize children, the way they did. It does not matter how just the cause is. God bless you and all those who dare ...

Imre Papp, Islamic terrorism has to be defeated by muslims if Islam's reputation is to be restored. This is a religious war over the identity and nature of Islam. Unfortuantely it appears only the followers of bin Laden understand this. It's time for the moderate muslims scholars and clerics to collectively declare a fatwa against this perversion of the faith. 911 was not just an attack on the West it was also an attack on Islam. A hijacking of the faith every bit a real as the hijacking of those planes. Bin Laden and his ilk have killed thousands, but moreover they threated the souls of millions whom they wish to convert to their orgy of violence. Modrate muslims the time has come to take back your faith. Expose and ostracize thoses who espouse religious violence and raise your hand against those who seek to commit it. If one sees an injustice one must raise their hand to stop it. If one cannot raise their hand then they must speak agianst it. This time has come.

Shahid Amin, -I disagree with Mr.Rehman,its a biased view,it does not take into account the offenders,the bigger terrorists,Israel, US,USSR/Russia,India who slaughter children,women,elderly..all civilians indisriminately,far before they suffer for what they have done.they reap what they sow,if they sow hatred they'll reap hatred,if they sow,compassion they'll get compassion,they close their eyes to their own crimes of terrorism. Israel,US are still the biggest financers of terrorism.If they allow open audit & enquiry,which they want from other countries -pay cheques for Hamas,Osama,Al-Zawahry,9-11's label boys,chechnians and you name them you'll find them on the payrol which Mr.Rehman must clarify himself of,as no one Muslim or non-Muslim can pocket the faults of others to his people,being mature enough to see why terrorism obediently follows the wishes & demands of Israel & the US so timely,everytime,to suit their needs & not that of any terrorists.Even illiterate Non-Muslims have developed hatred for the US through Israel,how can Mr.Rehman Forgive all those sponsors of terrorism,Human rights violations,injustice,rape of the UNO?He can't hold such a post if he speaks the truth THIS IS THE TRAGEDY WITH THE MUSLIMS.

Carl Kelly, What a decent article. I wonder what type of Muslin Shahid (commenter)is?

MJTRUTH, Very brave and powerful words. Bless you.

Raj, A brave effort for a lost cause. Educate the Arabs(muslims) so just maybe they can see what is right and wrong for themselves rather then being led astray in the name of religion by zealots of the faith. who have never sided with anyone other then themselves through out the history. It's only through "loving" terror and "senitmental" astrocities that this religion has florished. Before one can be a true believer of whatever faith. He/she has to learn to be a human first.

Truth Decay, Judging from the hollow attempts in some of the comments here, I'd say that Muslims still have a long way to go in accepting responsibility for their actions. The longer they continue to blame "infidels" for their poisonous world, the less the Western, civilized world will distinguish between Muslims and terrorists. Their horrific acts are only hurting themselves, as in the end truth and justice always prevail.

Aroob Al-ajmi 22, I totally agree with you.I think we need more time and more efforts to put an end to terrorism,we should reduce the monetary aids that we give to the charitable organiazations.When I was in the high school i heard lots of fomentations against westerns they viewed them as infidels .There are thousands of terrorists who live among us and not only those who appeared on media.My dream is that we all can live in peace in this remarkable world that Allah has provided.

Amy Bates, What a thoughtful article. I only hope that the self-reflection that you call for among Muslims is also actively heeded by those of us here in the West. Thank you for your wisdom-filled words. May they resonate throughout all peoples, nations, cultures, and religions.

john gossett, People commenting on this well thoughtout article, specifically Tony and Rashid, need to wake up and educate themselves. To ignorantly blame the U.S. / Israel , etc. for the Muslims problems is a joke. There is a real poison in this kind of thinking. The middle east as a whole needs to re-evaluate itself in these times. The perception of killing innocents to further a cause is insane. How has the Arab race who would sanction terrorism collectively, or Arab muslims who sanction terrorism specifically tried to further causes to promote civility, any kind of equality, teach truth, promote economic well-being to it's people done in the last 100 years??...50 years? The answer is they have failed miserably. It's no wonder the world's peoples are looking at Muslims in perverse way. Teach truth and the truth will set you free. Educate yourselves. The world is not blameless, but you cannot continue to play the blame game forever.

A Reader, An excellent article. I only hope there are more voices like this in the Arab/Muslim world. People like Tony and Rashid are the ones who are too obtuse to understand the truth. They love playing the blame game - blaming the US, India, Israel and Russia for everything. Give it up already.

Paul - Orlando Florida USA, Excellent article. I wrote almost the same ideas to our local paper last week -Chechen Muslims blow themselves up in the name of Allah. Chechen Muslims storm a school with children and threaten to kill 400. Muslims use a "holy city and shrine" as a storehouse for munitions and shoot at American and Iraqi forces. Muslims behead international workers in Iraq. Muslim Arabs are slaughtering Christians and Animists in Sudan. Muslims are at the center of 14 worldwide wars. When, when, when, will the "moderate" Muslim world begin protesting against the extremist Muslims in the world who are dragging the religion of Islam into the gutter? Imagine the power of all the peaceful Muslims worldwide banding together to take back their religion. The Arab street filled with protesters, burning al-Qaeda posters, and screaming against violence. Hey, I know it isn't going to happen, but it is a nice daydream, isn't it? Paul Balluff Orlando

Concerned, A very good article that conveys the sentiment of my people. However the ignorant reactions of people like Mr. Gosset, "Truth Decay", and "A Reader" do not help the fight against terrorism one iota. In fact, they help the terrorists. While we Muslims adjust our moral compass, so too is it times that the supremacist and self-righteous among Westerners to do the same. To forcefully condemn terrorism and yet cavalierly dismiss the grander violence committed by states against Muslims simply conveys the message that Muslim lives are cheap. Are the 2500 lives lost in New York worth infinitely more than the tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of *civilian* lives lost in Chechnya, Palestine, Kashmir, and Iraq over the last decade? While we Muslims condemn fanatical religious leaders who egg on from the lunatic fringe, what our are American friends doing about the menace of the neo-Conservatism and their violent ideology which is now the main-stream?

Andrea, Great article. A good first step would be to look at what is being taught to your youth. Openmindedness and tolerance must be taught. You can't just expect people to "get it" on their own -- especially after being indoctrinated with anti-Western poison. If you can't control what is being put into the minds of your youth, you cannot their behavior. Start there.

Declan mansfield, An article for Good. i am not religious---was once-- I have been in many eastern countries as a sailor and later as a soldier-in fact was in Basra in 1958 during the coup. You are right in what u say, currently, nearly all terrorists are muslims, and it is Muslims who must fight these terrorists . Terrorism is not a flu u catch in a community in Indonesia Sudan Irak Chechniya Saudi Arabia or some other Muslim Country, it spreads out from Schools and Mosques from London to Palistine,from Saudi arabia to Pakistan and the Cure must come from these same places, Muslim's moderate and Respected Teachers must SPEAK OUT FROM THESE SAME HOLY PLACES, condemming extremism and terror and violence and supervising what is taught in these Places OF Holy Learning -- If this does not happen then the West will argue that the Holy Men of Islam are supporting the Terror and will act accordingly --if the West takes on the task of rooting out this Terror we will all be the losers. As Islam Religious Terrorism expands, and the protests against it become fainter, it follows that, by Omission, moderate muslims are silently condoning the terror. All you moderate Muslims must SPEAK OUT AND FIX YOUR PROBLEMS WITH YOUR EXTREMIST BROTHERS OR RISK A RELIGIOUS WAR with the west - a horrible thought -Anyway Good Luck come to you. Thanks for an honest view

Suzy, I would like to respond to those who criticise that this article is biased towards the west. As a westerner I cannot and do not ignore that atrocities are committed everyday by westerners in the name of righteousness. I have limited knowledge of Islam but what I see I admire, that Muslims love their religion and have a right to proud of it. The practice of Christianity itself in my view has deteriorated, and to quote from the Bible, we need to take the plank out of our own eyes before removing the speck of dust from our brothers'. With this in mind I want to say to you, to the Muslims who are critical of the west, please don't judge us or chastise us: Teach us.

Dave ,UK, IRA-Northern Ireland UDA-Northern Ireland Loyalist Volunteer Force-Northern Ireland ETA-Spain Red Army Brigade-Italy Peruvian Shining Path Japanese Aum Supreme Truth - poison gass attack Tokyo underground Tamil Tigers- not above killing Prime Ministers-Sri Lanka Babbar Khalsa (seeking an independent Sikh homeland) International Sikh Youth Federation 17 November Revolutionary Organisation (Greece) Batasuna-Basque Separtist-Spain Vishwa Hindu Parishad-India Bajrang Dal-India Ranvir Sena-India Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) Kahane Chai Revolutionary Nuclei, Revolutionary Organisation United Self Defence Forces of Colombia Here is a very small list of terrorist organisations who are at a slight disadvantage as they are not muslim, and have combined massacred hundreds of thousands of innocent victims. If your a muslim I planning to become a terrorist I would urge you not to join the Indian terror groups as they are, not unsuprisingly, anti-muslim and they will probably kill you. All the organistions are on banned lists of terror organistions distributed by Western governments. In fact practically every country in the world has terrorist organistions, and here's anther fact, Costa Rican terrorists were blewing up federal buildings in the US long before Al-Qaida had the idea, though obviously they were small scale. So for any non-muslims out there who feel left out don't worry theres a terrorist organistion probably quite near you and the odds are it won't be muslim.

WorldCitizen, It is a very noble idea... unfortunately, it is not very likely to work for a few reasons: First, the violent ones win. It's a kind of a natural law. Unfortunate, but true - violence is power. Second, religions breed intolerance. It is also an unfortunate but true fact - once you define yourself as something that is TRUE, it means that the others are NOT true. From this simple and natural conclusion follow wars, crusades, jihads, genocides, terrorist attacks and whatnot. I can't think of a single religion which has not followed this pattern of destruction and opression... other than the Bahaii, maybe, but they are by defenition tolerant and havn't had the time yet to mature into mass murderers. However... maybe your words will change something. Good luck with it, friend :) Oh, and to the people who reacted with obvious bigotry and extremism... may the Gods give you strength to grow up.

Philip, The reign of murder and bloodshed coming from around the world today from Muslims who act in the name of God is absolutely insane. These people pretend and claim to have a high moral ground when committing these atrocities. I've got a news flash...there will be no reward for you in the afterlife. As for the here and now I would suggest, and maybe I'm just a naive American, that Muslim terrorism has not paid a dividend to those perpetrators nor the people in the Arab or Muslim world. I see no real economy except oil. There are no exports or technology coming from these countries. I am unaware of anything the Arab people do that benefits the advancement of civilization. It seems the only two things Muslims do well is pump oil and kill innocent people. Seems rather grim in my view. Having said all that I am very glad to see not all Muslims are fanatical. That there is sanity in that part of the world. A cancer is growing in an otherwise respectable people and religion that must be rooted out. The patient must be willing to accept first that the problem exist then he/she must be willing to seek treatment. Cancer eventually consumes and kills its own host. It would be far wiser to implement a serious and introspective look at yourself now before these lunatics cause your demise. As for those that would blame America, Israel or the Westerners for the World's problems I would say this. Americans have fought long and hard and have been bloodied countless times for the safety and freedom of all people in this world, including Muslims. We do not occupy, we liberate, even when we see very little evidence of you doing it for us. History shows how we are willing to fight to end slavery, communism, tyranny and genocide. We could have taken the low road and said to hell with the rest of the world in WW I and II and in the fight against communism. But we didn't. We fought and beat the Nazi's and Imperialist Japanese and paid a heavy cost. In the end, those countries are far better off today than they ever were. In fact, Japan has the second leading economy in the world. I buy Japanese cars, electronic equipment and I love their food. Doesn't that speak volumes? Where are the Saudi Arabian products other than oil? Americans fought back the invasion of Kuwait by Saddam Hussein. Did we then take over either one of those countries? In Iraq today we are not there to enslave the Iraqi people. We are there to free them from a tyrannical dictator and regional bully in hopes that a democratic Iraq will flourish economically and become a beacon of hope in the Arab world. Japan did it. Why not Iraq? Many American life has been lost to get this accomplished. I would like to think this is appreciated not discredited.

brian brown, The word terrorist is simply a method of propaganda, fed to pathetic and easily confused people in an attempt to de-claw resistance and opposition. Established power has always referred to challenges to their power, just or unjust, as terrorism or something of the sort. This is the definition provided by the American Heritage Dictionary “The unlawful use or threatened use of force or violence by a person or an organized group against people or property with the intention of intimidating or coercing societies or governments, often for ideological or political reasons.” If this definition is used to look back on history we will find that the biggest terrorists have been established governments, only at the hands of governments have millions of people regularly been displaced, exploited or murdered, yet the only difference is when a government is involved it is legal. If all of the deaths caused by terrorism over the last three years were added up it would still not equal half of the people killed by one of the nuclear bombs dropped on Japan or the death camps in Austria. It is a shame that someone like this can receive so much attention for spewing off hate about who can and can’t be called a Muslim. The author should reexamine Islam again and perhaps this time he will find the prohibitions against anyone, but god, determining who is a good or bad Muslim

Mohammad Awad, Great Article and Brave Words. Indeed, I am so pleased to see finally that our journalists are focusing in the reality of things rather than the abstract, and conspire theories. And that is the right thing to say. We are looking into our actions and take control of it rather than crying and blaming the others for our failing. Thank you so much for this article.

Aamer Syed, When the Kosovo incident took place in the winter of 1999, we carried out a major demonstration rally in Ottawa in front of the Russian embassy for hours. I had a thought but I was on an emotional "high" and I simply swallowed the thought. When the intifada started in the fall of 2000, we demonstrated in front of the Canadian Parliament, the US Embassy and the Israeli “Embassy”. This time I could not swallow my thought. I spoke out. "We should march in front of Muslim Embassies and demand an explanation from them on how they plan to tackle the crisis! How can we expect these people to understand our suffering when our own people refuse to do so? “. Islam is a way of life. This means that the act of educating ourselves and gathering knowledge pertaining to religion AND science is encompassed in Islam. Most scholars are religiously well-versed but they lack "worldly knowledge" and hence their fatwas have done little to solve our problems lately. Conveniently, they have found an exit strategy from this fact; a simple fatwa saying that acquiring worldly knowledge is forbidden! What a gratuitous justification indeed! A Muslim is commanded by Allah to seek knowledge. The Prophet (pbuh) reiterated the importance of knowledge in several of his Hadith (sayings). The great scholars of Islam, including the likes of Imam Bukhari and Imam Ghazali had a whole chapter dedicated to knowledge in their books. We have to educate our scholars. It is high time our governments introduce general knowledge curriculums in our religious institutions. Take this case for example. A friend of mine went to Yemen and got married there. He went to a scholar in an old Yemeni mosque and asked if it was compulsory for his wife to be veiled while she lived with him in Canada. The scholar replied that if she did hijab (covering the hair only) without covering her face (veil), her status would be reduced to that of a prostitute! There is indeed a serious flaw in the scholar’s interpretation here. Firstly, veil has more to do with custom than it has to do with religion. The scholar has not lived in Canada. He has not experienced the life in a Non-Muslim state. And here he is giving out fatwas as if Canada is in his backyard. Secondly, we have to be more vocal. We have to voice our concerns and opinions to our representatives on the world stage. Now, we can come up with a thousand arguments like “Our leader is an American puppet..” etc but this type of attitude has not got us anywhere in the past 50 years and it does not seem likely that it would take us an anywhere in the future! So let us end this “blame game”. I would be lying if I said I did not believe that the US and Israel are deliberately hitting us where it hurts. I am not blind and neither is the rest of the world. The faults of all are an open book for everyone to witness and read. We have to write our books with an approach that abides by the Holy Quran and the teachings of our beloved Prophet (pbuh) keeping in mind the resonant winds of contemporary times. Islam is a religion for all times and is fully compatible with the varying strands of life. It is not restricted to the way of life some 15 centuries ago. I pray that our scholars understand this fact and I hope they realize the enormous power that rests in their pens, the strength in their voice and the ramifications of the ideologies they are formulating. I quote the famous Islamic scholar Imam Ghazali: “Knowledge without action is vanity; Action without knowledge is insanity". This goes out to the scholars and to the rest of us.

nano vengione, The article represents inflamatory and manipulative opinion. If you start thinking a bit more deeply about the meaning of the term "terrorist", you will realise how subjective and absurd Abdel Rahman al-Rashed's statements are. Also, its represents a kind of a bulletproof argument: i perceive muslims to be my enemies (since they are enemies of my friends in Israel and of my oil interests - re US perspective), i will label all muslims that attack my interests terrorists, subsequently i can claim that all terrorists are muslims. A little foolish considering that the world's single two largest acts of terror (atomic bombing of large cities)were committed by christians. But who needs to use their brain? This is what proganda is all about. All you can actually say with confidence that is that there are many muslim irregular terrorists and that there are many more christian state sponsored terrorists and murderers trying to speak for common decent folks - us who will determine the outome in the very end.

Salim Abu-Jassim, Definition: Terrorism "The unlawful use or threatened use of force or violence by a person or an organized group against people or property with the intention of intimidating or coercing societies or governments, often for ideological or political reasons." Interesting article. As a Palestinian Muslim I find this article too dismissive of the fact that terrorism goes beyond blowing up a bus or flying planes into buildings. I agree that the majority of Muslim terrorist actions are contradicting to the faith we follow (to say ALL terrorists are Muslim is in essence not true). However Western terrorism and the terrorism of its allies are equally as violent and repulsive as what we see being done by Muslims in the western media. The definition of Terrorism goes beyond this scope. Thus by definition the war on Iraq in which over 13000 civilians (as well as being illegal) have been killed is an act of terrorism, the war by the Israelis against the Palestinian people, which claims ten times more innocent civilian lives than visa-versa, is by definition an act of terrorism. Hindu extremists burning down Mosques and murdering hundreds of Muslims is just another simple example of how not all terrorists are Muslim. Western media portrays the Arab and Muslim simply as a terrorist. In western media nothing good is ever said about the Arab world or the Muslim faith. This in turn leads to ignorance and blind hatred by those in the west who like to portray terrorism and Islam as being synonymous with one another without actually examining what it is to be a “terrorist”. Each crime committed against civilians in the Arab world are still as heinous as those perpetrated by so called Muslims who decide that a civilian deserves to die because of their Government and military policy. In short Arab lives are no cheaper than the lives of an American or a German, or an Englishman. The slaying of hundreds of Arabs does not register on the scale of moral outrage of most Americans. All I ask is for the killings of Arabs to not be hidden by moral shades of grey of watered down statements and shoulder shrugging about a "war zone" and the "difficulty in distinguishing civilians from combatants". War is terrorism and those who live through war are feeling the emotions of terror.

Cleo Jakowski, An excellent article. Too bad it so long for an Arab journalist to stand up and write about an issue that should have been addressed years ago. It upsets me that so many Muslims still do not recognize that Israel and the West are not to blame for the Muslim/Arab world's inability to develop, produce, contribute to the world. How does the presence of the USA prevent young Arab girls from being educated? I don't see the USA or Israel encouraging honor killings either. Illiteracy and poverty are not the only reasons why Muslims are out to kill the infidels. It is found within the fabric of the religion itself. With or without the impoverised circumstances, Muslims feel a self righteousness not found in other religions. Not until Islam experiences a so called "Islamic Reformation" will the world be free of these barbaric crimes committed in the name of Allah. And as stated in the article "A Wake Up Call", only Muslims are capable of doing this. Otherwise, Western civilization will survive and flourish while the Arab/Muslim worlds will continue to live in a rapidly decaying intellecutal and moral vacuum.

ATEEQUA ABEDI, Bravo Aamer syed!A wise well wisher of the world,who is born and educated in North west,ethnicity and studies of south east could write such a comprehensive article...Wish u a v.long life.

Dave, Hmmmm. Where to start? Well, i guess first would be to commend the author on an article that at the very least appears to have been written from an objective standpoint. I would also like to say it was a well organized and articulated piece. That being said, let's get down to the important things. ** to tony.... since you like to point fingers at various factions, and remind others of what atrocities have been committed against muslims by non arabs, i'll return the favor and point a few things out to you... Most of the people Saddam slaughterd in Iraq were Iraqi... supposedly his own people, but since they weren't sunni, guess they don't count. Again, Muslim "holy" warriors slew countless thousands of people from virtually all ethnic groups to spread across the globe (... hmm southeast Asia, China, southeastern europe, the majority of Africa all come to mind here) Yes tony, i do realize that Christianity has at times committed it's own Jyhad, but i'm not implying that those Christians' actions were justified or equalized in any way by suffering inflicted upon the faith or followers by muslims, as your comment definitely seemed to do. and lastly to you sir, it seems extremely poor taste, and borderline disrespectful to accuse someone of slanting their belief or opinion simply because it doesn't agree with yours... *** to so what... - glad you had some emotional response to the article, meant you were paying attention :) but, for the enlightenment of all, would you care to give us why you liked the article so much, or even some of the thoughts or insights it provoked within you? Constructive dialogue only continues when the parties involved elaborate on their overt feeling and opinion. -------------------------------------------------------------------- ***to t Varani... ------------------------------------ I must agree with you whole heartedly, the Western Media (and in particular American Media) do not typically put moderate Arabic peoples in front of the viewing public simply because (and there is ABSOLUTELY no disrespect meant to the Arabic people here) they don't feel it to be sensational, and as you well know ted, sensationalism sells in American Media ****to Omar... how do you get rid of em? hmm that seems to be a multistaged objective. First, you must get them out of the Arab media. Simplest way to do that is boycott the media sources that continually put their teachings or even their likeness in front of you... I promise, when the papers and tv stations see their audience (and corresponding revenue) start dropping/disappearing, they will take a very real look at the content they're providing, and why marketshare left. Secondly, get rid of em by making them obsolete. Teach the students and children of your society, don't let old men who are bitter about not getting their "place" in world society fill them full of suicidal hate. And most of all, do what any spiritually devout person would do. use your voice to rebuke and chastise the teachings and actions of those who have strayed from Islam. *** to Tariq... ----------- no need to be ashamed. all races, religions, and political orientations have fiends, murderers, liars and cheats. Trick is, instead of being ashamed, do something about it. get proactive, not reactive. good luck on that btw :) ***to Imre.... thank you ever so much for posting your comment. your comment showed me this situation from a perspective i hadn't considered. Quite honestly, in a spiritual and metaphoric sense, i do believe the muslim commited acts of terrorism are more attacks on Islam (whether intentional or accidental) than they are on the "West"... Yes, these actions cause economic loss, death, horrible emotional scarring, etc., but those are all wounds that are eventually able to be lived through and coped with. However, the effect Islamic terrorism has on Islam is fa

Me, The only solution is for arab nations to move and work towards secular society and government. The failure is embedded in the fact that we have allowed religion to override life itself in these countries and people are unable to progress towards a modern, sophisticated and OPEN MINDED existence. Religion has become a political tool, not a faith, something that is merely binding as a form of control and intimidation. Until that is tackled as the real source of the problem then the future will continue to look as bleak.

Vida Krozes, Very thoughtful article and replies. Without a doubt, the nature of humans as a whole leads us to commit atrocities. Those responsible for any one atrocity have their justifications that are meaningful to themselves but are wrong to others. Certainly, no one group can take the moral high road. We have all at some point in history to various degrees and in various ways taken actions that are against the fundamental tenants of our religions and the basic human ideals on how we should treat each other. So what can we do? There is no easy answer but this article certainly goes in the right direction. The more we as humans everywhere recognize the harm we do to others and standup against it, the more hope we have of doing something about it.

Kathy P, As an American, I seldom hear an Arab view other than your terrorist acts. You in the Arab world have unfortunately depicted yourselves as sub-human animals who will starve and kill children for your cause. In this country we abhore and fear religious fanatacism. We have people in this country, Chrisitan, who we know can wreak havoc on our society if they become more powerful. The way you are percieved is that your countries are run by either religious fanatics, evil dictators, or undeserving royalty. Freedom is not a terrible thing folks. In American Society we may have our excesses and evils, but it is left to the individual to decide if they want to participate. In our country we have very religious people and athiests, and somehow, we all manage to live together in peace, and we have very nice lives. I wish i could convey to you how i feel that each man and woman has an individual relationship with God, and no matter how free or oppressive the society, there is good and bad, and people will be judged by God from their deeds. How many corrupt religious clerics do you have in your societies that secretly benefit from "western excesses" while they prevent their people from making their own choices in life? My husband was lucky enough to escape from the fanatics that took over Iran...he hears from his family how terrible it is there now. He will NEVER go back. NEVER. You can make your woman to cover their hair and hide their faces, but you cannot take away their thirst for freedom. Once the poeple of your countries figure out that they have been lied to and that their religion has been used by their leaders for political purposes; once mothers and fathers tire of seeing their children blow themselves up and once young people stop believing in the the lie of matyrdom; once your people become tired and see what the world truly has to offer, your governments will perish. Your people will not longer hate "the west", "the great saten" or whatever label you want to put on free people. Your tactic of creating hatred toward the west to keep yourselves in power will fail. I pray that one day my husband will return to his homeland; when clerics are what they should be, a moral voice in society, not a government that makes the rules.

concerned, Dave, Your longwinded response was inadequate and most patronizing. The conflicts I referred to are in fact currently active and not past events. I was not invoking history...I am invoking events of today and right now. Whereas we have a vocal chorus of Muslims condemning radical terrorism from the lunatic fringe of Islamic society, we hear nothing from commentators about state-sponsored terror. Nothing at all. And that is most sad, for it is exactly this silence that fuels support for terrorists. If the ethnically cleansed African tribes of Sudan start to commit acts of terror against the Arab/African allies that are currently in rule, we will all condemn the acts of terror. However, would any deny that it was Sudan's callous and atrocious behavior that was the cause? Or would we simply defend the Sudanese, and implore the African tribes to "reform, develop" and stop making "excuses" or playing the victim game?

Susan, Wonderful article, well said, it was a long time over due. Speaking of terrorism, I have a question for the Arab world to ponder.The question has to do with an issue the Islamic criminals are always bringing up. The Palestinian's, who by the way are not only Muslims but also Christians. What if 50 years ago the Palestinian people instead of resorting to terrorism commanded by an Egyptian, used non-violent protest to get their cause noticed? My personal view is that the rest of the world would have listen, and they would have gotten their homeland. But, they allowed the fanitical views of a a non-Palestinian to take over their cause, hatred of the Jews won out and the rest of the Arab world supported that hatred and continues to support it today. Now you have a whole generation of children who are willing to blow themselves up for the adults who spout this hatred, this is barbaric. When will it end, it will only end when the Arab world is brave enough to speak out against the terrorism. This article, A Wake-up Call is a start. Martin Luther King Jr. and Ghandi knew their cause was right and they knew the only way to get change was through non-violence. Guess what it worked.

john gossett, To jim borg - apparently you don't live in a free society as I assume the rest of the commentators do (given the fact we're able to even communicate in this forum). Your commentary here is the biggest piece of dribble in the entire contents. Don't know where you get your information (better called disinformation), but it shows people, once again, "Seek truth and the truth will set you free". You need to breathe deep Mr. Borg and go elsewhere to the overwhelming minority of fanaticals that would even entertain your fantasies. Not even worth commenting further!

Bashar Bakdash, Thank you mr jim Borg because what you said is really right. We arabs don't hate amercian poeple, but we do hate its government and politics, not because it's a free country. America is unjust nation by helping Israel to kill children (Please I ask every american person to watch news by non-american TV staion) and you will see surprises. and all weapons that Israel use to kill poeple are American. I want to tell ms Kathy P that we aren't (sub human animals) your free country has the same history of Israel, you also kill a full nation to make your country it is (Red Indian or American Indian) Milions of them was killed to make your free country. Nowadays America is more hated than before.

Wejdan, i am 19 years old , i think that the cause of our problems (muslims amd arabs ) is that we are controled and governed by extremists and crazy ppl ,they try hard to keep us in darkness so that we cant have our rights. We are under opperssion ,they kill us spiritually. What i want to say is that we shouldnt blame America and the west.We sholud be strong to face those tyrants .It is Haram to kiil innocent ppl. thank u.

Brian Torri, Addison, Illinois, Wow, what a lot of dialogue here. Nice to see most of it, some of it written in extensive self-hatred, it would seem, particularly among the Westerners, a label which, by the way, is just a historical artifact. Everyone can change at some point and not annihilate their identities, you know? Well, writing from the Chicago area, I can say that I appreciate and like the diversity of people found here, who hail from probably every corner of the world, if the diversity in restaurants is any clue at all. I also am glad to see the obvious taking place on this page; holding America and Israel to account is one thing, holding the terrorists to account for hijacking Islam is another. Make no mistake about it, human life is valuable everywhere in the world, be it 13,000 dead in Iraq, probably about that same number in Afghanistan, etc. The discussion on here proves one other point recently discovered in psychology or anthropology, I forget which: The Group is often smarter than One Individual. You open your big fat mouth and other people get a chance to refine it. Basically, it's an American saying: Two heads are smarter than one. Therefore, a thousand heads are infinitely smarter than one, especially if they don't already agree with one another. It's just like crops the world over. You plant just one variety of wheat, rice, barley, whatever, you take your life into your hands that no natural disaster will wipe out all of your crop. You buy into just one way of executing a certain idea or just one viewpoint on the world, you run the risk of being unable to deal with reality in a productive way. Just because America is the most successful nation in the world at the moment doesn't preclude others from being successful in their own way. Americans worry all the time about the weaknesses within their own society, sometimes to the point they doubt themselves. In this light, others might see how Americans might find it in wry humor how others think of us thinking of ourselves as rulers of the world. Trust me, we barely feel in charge of our own. One word on that note would be outsourcing. To all those Muslims and/or Arabs out there hurt by us, I hope that we can leave Iraq as good as if not better than we found it. You may not believe this, but most of our soldiers over there have this as their mission, as do the members of innumerable other non-governmental organizations operating there. I think we can get to reining in Israel, given a switch to non-lethal pressure on the part of parties opposing that state. It's a stretch, I know, but I think we react the same as the Palestinians do to people trying to kill us or our friends. If that's the case, who backs off the trigger first? And to that end, why is the one word Arabs in particular use to decry their circumstances, created by themselves or inflicted upon them by others, why is that word nearly always "humiliation". Even in all of the books criticizing us for our American will to have an empire, I have yet to hear them say we wish to humiliate anyone. Dominate them, yes, but **humiliate**? Perhaps this is a contrast between the glory days of the Islamic empire and now. Well, I hate to break it to you, but the good old days here weren't always good and tomorrow isn't as bad as it seems (thanks to Billy Joel for that line). From what little I've read, the Islamic world of the 8th to 10th centuries AD (or CE) followed the same path of empire with this group against that, the Ummayyads (spelling?) taking over this and eliminating rivals in mosques, etc. A lot of division, a lot of power taking, and eventual conquest by the Mongols (in part) and then the Turks. So, if you were a lot like any other group of people on the planet, why do you assume that yours is a particularly humiliating circumstance to be in? It's just a bad circumstance, no more and no less, and bad in very real, identifiable and discrete ways. I don&

trevoour davis, The world terrorism needs to be defined, the writer in my openion failed to realise a nother form of terrorism, which is called economic terrorism, or even a more dangerous type of terrorim called intelectuall terrorism. The brain washing done by the west using there media, to protray muslims as terrorists. It were not muslims that dropped the A-bomb, nor were it muslims that went to colonise other lands, nor it was muslims that used propaganda to attack any one elses way of life. The idea of muslims being terrorist is absurd. There is no proof that female bombers brought down planes in moscow, nor of any other alligations.

sammas, Iran, It is not the east or the west, that says,the Islamic religious leaders and the Islamic fundamentalists have declared themselves to be the followers of TERROR GOD. If things go this way, the followers of Terror God, whose high priest is Osama Bin Laden, ( Muqtad Al Sadr, Hamas, the Kashmiri militannts are born to destroy Islam )&will rewrite the Koran declaring Alla is not God of mercy but of terror who contents himself in seing the Sept 11, the Beslan massacre, the suicide blowing of buses, markets, plains, kidnapping, beheadng etc.....!!

Collin - Dallas, Texas, All of these problems are a direct result of religion. The reason that almost all terrorists are Muslims is that the Mid Eastern cultures have not matured as fast as the Western world. It is not their fault; different cultures grow at different rates for many different reasons. When Europeans were no more than barbarians, the Mid East was the center of human science and advancement, but now it is the West. The more primitive a society the more likely it is that they are ruled by religious leaders. Since religion was developed to explain the word without science, it is a natural enemy to science and truth. People that live in a culture that is ruled by religion only are taught fear, ignorance, and hate. These are the 3 things that all religions need to survive. When the Western world was controlled by religion it committed many atrocities such as the Crusades and the genocide of the new world cultures. Now the Islamic societies are at the same stage of cultural development that the Europeans were. The only way that we, as the human species, can evolve is to give up our faith in God. Think about it, almost every war is started because the imaginary God that one man talks to disagrees with what another imaginary God says to another man. Religion has only brought mankind war, pain, suffering, hate, fear, and ignorance.

Marc Benoit, This is a very thoughtful and well written piece. Why did it first appear in a Pan-Arabic London-based newspaper? I have to wonder why this didn't show up first in Arabic language newpapers. ----- ***( For Your Info: the pan-Arabic London-based newspaper is - Alsharq Alawsat-& it is Arabic Newspaper,,thank you)))>

knowledge, Those who think this is all about religion are being obtuse. Our religous leaders are simply doing exactly what your religious leaders would do if they perceived the same kind of threat to their precious freedom. Our religious leaders are paranoid, and the fact that we have westerners who refuse to treat our views with respect (well, unless you call bombing and occupation respect), then our religious sound reasonable to us. It is a mistake to think we Muslims are upset at the west for our lack of development. We could be as developed as china or eastern europe, but American attitudes to us would not change one bit. it is a mistake to think that we are soar at a glorified history lost. Are greiviences are of the post colonial period, and all of our rage is from events of the past decade. It is a mistake to think that we 'respect' the wanton use of force. It is a mistake to think that we are compelled to 'learn' from our humiliation. It is a mistake to think that we would sit idly by while it is painfully clear that we are not incharge of our own destiny. Look at iran...now that they have thrown off the yoke of western medelling, the people...and I say *people*...have matured to the extent that they see through crony dictatorships and yern for a better political system and more participation. All muslims want that kind of evlolution in thought on our own terms, and at our own pace. We reserve the right to make mistakes, without them being compounded by arrogant and self-interested powers. We reserve the right to be masters of our own destiny and learn our own lessons. You will not learn them for us, nor will you teach them to us. So why do you not simply leave us alone?

Bashar, The Prophet Muhammad's (PBUH) Last Sermon: "O People, lend me an attentive ear, for I know not whether after this year, I shall ever be amongst you again. Therefore listen to what I am saying to you very carefully and TAKE THESE WORDS TO THOSE WHO COULD NOT BE PRESENT HERE TODAY. O People, just as you regard this month, this day, this city as Sacred, so regard the life and property of every Muslim as a sacred trust. Return the goods entrusted to you to their rightful owners. Hurt no one so that no one may hurt you. Remember that you will indeed meet your LORD, and that HE will indeed reckon your deeds. ALLAH has forbidden you to take usury (interest), therefore all interest obligation shall henceforth be waived. Your capital, however, is yours to keep. You will neither inflict nor suffer any inequity. Allah has Judged that there shall be no interest and that all the interest due to Abbas ibn 'Abd'al Muttalib (Prophet's uncle) shall henceforth be waived... Beware of Satan, for the safety of your religion. He has lost all hope that he will ever be able to lead you astray in big things, so beware of following him in small things. O People, it is true that you have certain rights with regard to your women, but they also have rights over you. Remember that you have taken them as your wives only under Allah's trust and with His permission. If they abide by your right then to them belongs the right to be fed and clothed in kindness. Do treat your women well and be kind to them for they are your partners and committed helpers. And it is your right that they do not make friends with any one of whom you do not approve, as well as never to be unchaste. O People, listen to me in earnest, worship ALLAH, say your five daily prayers (Salah), fast during the month of Ramadan, and give your wealth in Zakat. Perform Hajj if you can afford to. All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over black nor a black has any superiority over white except by piety and good action. Learn that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute one brotherhood. Nothing shall be legitimate to a Muslim which belongs to a fellow Muslim unless it was given freely and willingly. Do not, therefore, do injustice to yourselves. Remember, one day you will appear before ALLAH and answer your deeds. So beware, do not stray from the path of righteousness after I am gone. O People, NO PROPHET OR APOSTLE WILL COME AFTER ME AND NO NEW FAITH WILL BE BORN. Reason well, therefore, O People, and understand words which I convey to you. I leave behind me two things, the QURAN and my example, the SUNNAH and if you follow these you will never go astray. All those who listen to me shall pass on my words to others and those to others again; and may the last ones understand my words better than those who listen to me directly. Be my witness, O ALLAH, that I have conveyed your message to your people".

Warren Vinzant, Neo-Muslims and American neo-conservatives serve each other's purpose. They stir up hatred and war to gain power. This is the equation that matters to them most. You would never see the neo-conservatives in the Bush Administration react with glee to the 9/11 attacks, but they immediately saw they could use the attacks to further their aims. The Muslim fundamentalists never admit to it, but the invasion of Iraq strengthened their position and gave them momentum in waging war and hate against America. Who will benefit from the Russian school attack? Putin and the most conservative and reactionary elements of his government will use this to tighten their grip on power and to justify every extreme action they wish to take. I could go on with examples. Those of us who are not the extremists are being marginalized. Some are co-opted by the extremist rhetoric. Many are being cowed into passive acceptance of political radicalization. Some are fighting for better understanding and peace, but the screaming hatred and fear mongering is often more powerful than the more civilized, thoughtful, and hopeful tendencies of humanity.

US Student, I am an American student trying to learn about Islam and the Muslim culture. I figure the first step is learning Arabic, but while I am still working on that I would like to compliment the author of this article for describing an unfortunate fact about the embarrassment and defacement of one of the world's great religions. I would like to beleive that many Muslims hold the same view you do. I saw a similar article in a local paper by the head of a regional muslim association. I beleive that if the currently silent majority let it be known throughout the world that using a religion of peace to justify murder will not be tolerated. I would also be the first one both to condemn much of Isreal's policy towards the palestinians and at the same time be disgusted by the illegitimate use of force for political gains by Hamas and the other terrorist organisations.

Observation, A courageous article, but unfortunately 'preaching to the converted', as the audience on the site appears to be largely, westerners, or Muslims from the west. The deep-seated social issues that have created, and sustained the current rise in 'Islamic Terrorism’, are such that it would take a concerted effort by all Muslim countries to cure, and this is never going to happen. The first is the education system followed in many Islamic countries. At the present time, Islam has no one single voice of religious authority, so any village imam, in any place, can determine and formulate the interpretation of the Koran for their own, often political, ends. This panders to the ignorant, and the zealots, and leads to a continuing flood of young men (and now increasingly young women) emerging out of religious schools, who know only that the infidels and westerners are the enemy. This is mentioned by one of the Islamic commentators to this article, as being his experience of this type of schooling, and therefore has to be acknowledged as at least one of the reasons why this terrorism problem has risen over the last 15 years. In the period of the ‘cold war’ many Islamic majority states were sponsored by one side or the other, and this led ultimately to a number of nominally ‘socialist’ nations, where, whatever their other issues e.g. repression, state violence etc, there was generally universal schooling, with ‘religious’ schooling a voluntary addition at the mosques. E.g. Libya, Syria, and until recently Iraq Over the more recent period, many of these state systems have broken down, because of lack of the resources required to keep them running, or because for political reasons, leaders have pandered to the call for a Sharia education system. This has led to the sharp rise of schools that are either wholly religious, or state systems that are run on these lines e.g. Iran, Pakistan and increasingly, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia. Apart from anything else this often leads to a system, which is little more than rote learning of the Koran, with little or no interpretation offered than that given by the Iman, and the student often leaves with no job qualifications other than to teach Islamic studies. The answer would appear to be the replacement of wholly religious schooling with a proper state funded education system. Religious schooling could then be a voluntary additional option, with some rules on the standards of the qualifications, and views of the Iman’s who taught in these establishments. However this costs money, and the reason for the rise of the religious schools in the first place is that they are often run by 'charitable' organisations, thus removing the need for often failing states to pay for universal education, but leaving the standard of the education to be determined by the militants who run them. Until the need to stop malleable young minds being inculcated with the religion of hatred and envy, is recognised in the Islamic world, then this cause of the problem will not be addressed, and the succession of young people willing to become martyrs will continue. Secondly, is the problem of work or rather of unemployment. Many Islamic countries have fast growing (And hence predominately young) populations, who are reaching their teens with no reasonable job prospects, this leads to a large group of under occupied young people who can’t get jobs because there are either none, or because their qualifications are non existent (see point above). They can’t emigrate because they have no skills but they believe that if they can just get to west they will make money (despite all the evidence to the contrary) so the refusal of the west to take them as legal migrants just fuels their resentment, and the belief, that their problems are caused by the west. The fact is that its their own states which have failed them, and until these states start encouraging free economic growth to create employ

A Frank, WOW, it has taken over 35 years for one Arab to concede that they are the principal perpetrators of global terroism. The simplistic and grandiloquent conclusion about the source of terrorism, as presented by the brainwashed Arab media, conveniently discounts the most salient and pertinent fact attributable to modern terrorism, namely, Islam - particularly the Arab imperialist variety. The latter's disdain and hatred for and institutionalized racism against the infidel, lack of introspection and abhorrence for intellectual inquisitiveness, and its penchant to resolve any issue through violence and deceitful obfuscation, are the root cause of terrorism. By Islamic logic, if the Koran is the unchangeable word of Allah, then women will always be legitimately subjugated as subservient temptresses; atheists, Jews and Christians will always be dogs and legitimate targets of derision and death; and anyone who "offends" Islam is a legitimate target for destruction - for example, Mohammed instigated and praised the genocide of Jews in Yathrib (Medina) and the subsequent ethnic cleansing and Arabization of the peninsula because Jews did not consider Mohammed a prophet. In other words, the world is dealing with indoctrinated fundamentalist literalists who can't and won't reason with logic because it is against the Koran. Modern Arab countries, while being lead autocratically by a select few oligarchs and/or megalomaniacs, feed their populaces revisionist history and mythologized Arab propaganda to divert any attention from this model. The scapegoat of choice, as they astutely learned from the Europeans, is antisemitism, which finds succor in the Koran. Furthermore, Arabs tend to conveniently omit the second most pertinent source of modern terrorism, namely, Western apologism. Just because Arabs can be darker skinned than westerners does not mean westerners have to feel "guilty" of imperialism or racism when Arabs conveniently invoke these claims. Arabs were among the world's preeminent slave traders and are one of the few cultures worldwide where this is still practiced and accepted. Arabs ravaged every culture they came in contact with and after an initial golden age (when it obviously came in contact with classical Greek philosophy, thanks primarily through the cosmopolitan Jewish presence in the Mediterranean) have remained stagnant for one thousand years. The fact is that westerners, especially antisemitic Europeans, have for decades paid economic and political rewards to Arab countries in order to avoid confrontation and to keep oil flowing, especially at the expense of Israel. Apologists love to rationalize about Jews and Israel, but are afraid and concede anything when dealing with irrational Muslims. By having set the precedent of rewarding terrorism, Western apologists have ensured that this uniquely Islamic weapon of choice will come to a theatre close to them in the near future. Even the Russians, who are the original paymasters and creators of the PLO and the weaponry source of choice for many Arab nations, can not escape this fate, because, ultimately, we are all infidels.

C.Sullivan, I like this article because it begins a shared responsibility I do not think many are undertaking. Yes it should be understood that most terrorism is coming from a single source. However it is The United States' position to honestly look at what is the best way to defeat terrorism. To examine the fact that the Arab world is a very alive and dynamic place trying to understand the same source of death and deserves to be treated as a fellow equal also in the firing line. I believe that an honest exchange and many changes of condescending and one sided policies need to change. Just as we should be able to stand up and point out that there are Imams not acting in the benefit of Islam, Israeli actions that are wrong should be named too. That is how we win without bombs, truth and reaching a hand across. Congratulations to this inspired author, may my country follow your example.

Brian Funt, Any innocent child that dies is tragic. All I hear about is how Israel is the biggest perpertrator. How about the tens of thousands of innocent Sudanese that have been killed? How come I never hear any Arab/Muslim media mention these attrocities in any depth? It would appear that Israel is an easy scapegoat for failing Arab governments. And to Tony, who agrees with me that innocent children losing their lives is a tragedy, does that go for Israeli children also? Please write again, and prove to me that you are not a hypocrit.

Sharon Camus, This gentleman has brought some hope back into my heart. Actually, he is not the only Arab or Moslem who feels this way. There are others, but their voices are rarely heard in public and if they are, they often threatened to such an extent that they fear for their lives. There are even Moslems who are Zionists. Yes, they believe that the tiny sliver of land in the vast Arab-Moslem Middle East called Israel, was promised by the Almighty to the Jews and that this is confirmed by certain passages in the Koran itself. One wonders, therefore, why the vast majority of our cousins, the Arab-Moslem people, are so determined to destroy Israel and massacre its Jewish population. Why, in the vast Arab-Moslem territories, stretching from Morocco to Iraq, a small portion of land inhabited and governed by Jews is considered an insult to Islam, although all three Holy books, the Jewish Bible, the Christian New Testament and the Moslem Koran confirm it was promised to the Jews by the One Eternal God? Moreover, why are there scarcely any Jews living any longer amongst 300,000,000 Arabs today, after nearly 1 million fled or were forced to leave after Israel became independent? Most of these Jewish refugees live today within the cramped borders of Israel together with 1,300,000 Arab citizens - out of a total population of 6,500,000. It is within the power of Saudi Arabia, as the principle flagbearer of Islam, to finally retract its unwarranted, and unnecessary, antagonism towards Israel and the Jews in general, and reverse the "jihad" objective of destroying Israel and exterminating its Jewish population. Then we could all, Jews, Christians and Moslems, live in peace, security and mutual honor in a Middle East which could become paradise on earth.

Salim Khan, Carl asks what type of Muslim Shahid is. Maybe he is the type who knows how many died in Hiroshima (civilian target) and how many died in the deliberate killing of German civilians during WW11, or in the bombardment of chechinya (today I heard it was over 40,000 children). Muslims can condemn the 9/11 strategy but Western governments cannot. 9/11 was modelled on western tactics of war as seen over the last century. The Germans are winning? Bomb their civilians. the Japanese are too slow to surrender? Nuke their civiliansm - twice. The Iraqis are playing silly beggars with the Inspectors? Starve their children (Remember, 'its a difficult question' but, half a million dead Iraqi children was worth it). The Chechens are fighting for freedom? level their city. Let me say that again,Western governments believe it is acceptable to kill innocent men women and children - for the right reasons of course.

Salim Khan, Regarding my earlier post Of course it does not take away the fact that terrorist do exist among Mulsims - as they do in other religions and nations. insofar as the article by the respected writer calls for radical self-reflection he is right. Muslim terrorism will not succeed in my opinion because victory comes from God, and I do not believe God will grant it when illegitimate means are employed. We have to resist using the war tactics of the West when they are shown to be against Islamic teaching.

Wajahat Abdullah, Well, this is not the first article that has been published, and as usual there is no in dept analysis done by any of the so proclaimed intellectual writer(s) the reason for what they call it 'terrorism', no human being would like to be a terrorist unless and until he is a maniac or abnormal, the reasons that convert a simple living being in to a 'terrorist' is a thought provoking subject and needs to be addressed and solved amicably not just rushing in to conclusions on one sheikh and osama bin laden. What made Osama leave the luxury of the Kingdom and prefer the life that he has had ? Was he insane ? What made so many young people to strike the WTC in 911? Were they all insane ? What made the Chechen's attach the school? Are they insane ? or is it we (the readers) or you (the writers) are insane ? we need to be looking at both sides of the coin. And this article will not change and make any difference nor does any of the forth coming millionth article would do anything good unless and until we apply ourself to find out the actual truth and support the best cause.

Saif, Amazing article,What a wonderful Way to Compare what we should be and what we are today, This Bold Article is surely going to Bring Change Within us,and will surely guide the Misleaded People,May God Help us all to Follow the Right Path. Thanks for this Article,its certainly an EYE OPENER for Muslims and Non Muslims.

Adel Harb, wake up you guys. It is for sure that not all muslims are terrorists not either some of them. It is true that muslims are fighting arround the world, but they are fighting against there enemies, against people who occupy there lands. Let us talk seriously and frankly, USA nowadays is trying to change the image of Islam and make it as the religion of terrorism, and it is successful in doing that so far if you see what happened in Lebanon, Palestine, Iraq, Afganstan, and it is thinking to continue the same in Iran and Syria...etc. It is clear that USA is trying to control the world but that does not give the right to classify muslim as terrorist. Muslims like in palestine are doing Jihad (Struggle to get back their islamic country). Others like in Iraq are trying to get rid of americans and that is not terrorist. We have to defferntiate between terrorism and Jihad or self defence. Islam is the peaceful reliogion and it is not a terrorist religion. Look what is happenning in USA, Irland ...etc can not we say that they are terrorist and why. To every one I am saying that islam is a nice religion and muslims are peaceful if you did not hurt them or abuse their rights and it is all from USA who is trying to link muslim to terra.

T.Mavrellis, An interesting article with much truth in it. It is necessary to admit one's faults, in order to correct them. There is one significant error in the article however. this kind of violence is not new to Islam. The Turks near the end of the Ottoman empire were notorious for rounding the Christian subjects of a village in the church, and then burning the church to the ground. And a common practice, throughout the Ottoman years, to keep the majority of the Christians living in the countryside in line was to periodically lock the gates of the towns on Fridays, and after prayers to simply slaughter entire neighborhoods. It is a sad tradition that Islam also must face and correct.

Mike Bloomfield, What a brave man the author of this article is. I was priviledged to have worked in a major hospital in Riyadh for 5 years in the mid to late 80's. Blessed to have worked along side many compassionate, giving people of all religions and nationalities. Our common goal was to help our patients through the healing process, a non-political issue. I was there when Israel invaded Lebanon and bore the wrath and ugly comments about the US support for Israel. I did not condone nor support the invasion, but stood by a listened to many horror stories from fellow employees who returned from Beirut. As my wife and I worked with the people of the region, we came to love them, their culture, food, and yes, even religion. But, we are not like the average American who may have never met a Muslim, much less worked next to many for five years. All most Americans know about the Arab world is what they see on television or read in the papers. We have tried for the past 17 years we have been back in the States to let others know how positive our relationships and years were in Riyadh. Unfortunately, it has been an uphill struggle and continues to be. More people of all nations have been massacred in the name of religion. Christians killed millions during the Crusades. Killing in the name of religion is pure evil. America is much different than most countries in the world. Hundreds of nationalities practice their religions peacefully within our borders and our laws protect those rights. There are evil people everywhere. We must not judge a whole nation or religion by the actions of an evil few. All of us were deeply shamed by the actions of our soldiers in humiliating the prisoners in Iraq. But we are also proud of their work to free the people of that country from an evil dictator that killed millions of his own people to stay in power. You might think I live in an idealistic world of my own. I know from having lived in both an Arab world and western world that people worship a merciful God that would NEVER approve of murder in His name. People who murder Palestinian children in the streets of Hebron will pay just as the hijackers of the airliners who have killed innocent people with little or no political or religious opinions. Instead of hand maidens in heaven, they will meet Satan himself and be judged accordingly.

Sam Maynard, West Virginia, Unfortunely many all people of the Muslim faith in the US will be judged by this viewpoint. I try to give everyone regardless of their race, religion, creed, or sexual orientation the benefit of the doubt, but it is becoming increasingly difficult to do so in light of the events of 9-11-01 and subsequent events. Still nothing forgives the warmongering of the current George W Bush/Dick Cheney administration, detailed in the recent movie Fahrenheit 911. I hope for the sake of the free world Bush/Cheney are not granted a second term by the US electorate to expand their misguided/overreacting counterattack on world terrorism. To whom it may concern, (or worry to death), I certainly feel less safe in the US due to the US incursion into Iraq.

Brian Funt, Sam, The fact that you site Fahrenheit 911 as your source for information really hurts your drdibility. Do you really believe that was a fair portrayel of the situation? Not that I am 100% in favor of our Iraq plan, but I don't site propaganda films as my reason.

reader1, Ron Fante - The Muslim God is not the same as the Christian God. Nor is it the same as any God of any other religion. The books tell this. As a comparison; the Christain Historical Books (Word of the Christian God) says that the Son of God (Prophet of God or otherwise) saved a person from being Stoned to Death. The Muslim Historical Books (Word of the Muslim God) says that the prophet of God had a person stoned to death. (For being an infidel.) There is too much confusion in the World, when comparing religions. These wars would not be fought, but for one reason. That this great huge world is the home of many people. And all of these people have evolved over time within their own little containers. Technology has come to them all in different ways. As with all religions, the unexplanable falls to the explanation of "faith". You must have "faith" in what you do not believe for it to even exist at all. Otherwise, in your mind it will never exist. As technology and science proves that those things do actually exist, so man/woman relaizes that and their "faith" falters or changes a bit. Because of this, some religions can not tolerate technology. So the wars have began. It is technology that has started these wars and it is technology that will end the wars. The Unites States of America has been attacked many times, before. The United States of America has never been defeated. But the United States of America has never been invaded. It is impossible to conquer the United States of America based purely on religious beliefs. The technology is to widely known of and used.

Mujahid, Mr Rahmans' article is naive and simplistic. It really reflects his background and thinking as a Muslim living in the west and working hard to be accepted.Justice for all is the only solution to the problems of political violence, engulfing the Islamic world, and its neighbouring countries. I did not read the author pleading to those who have taken away the rights of Palestenians to statehood to give it back to them! After waiting for more than 50 years to have a state of their own, and after being hoodwinked through Oslo accords and River Wye agreements and Camp David peace accords, to sign away their birth rights, all they have is a peace process!God bless Edward Said, who warned his people of the catastrope that will follow sighning any so called American brokered accord with the Zionist entity.When these young Palestenians blow themselves up, it is not for the pleasure of causing death to others, but to make the point to the greeedy world, that it is better dying than living as a slave and unwanted creature! As regards the Chechens, the author should read their history over the last 300 years and appreciate their strugle to live independent of Russia. Gorbachev refused to fight them, and Yelsin after suffering military reversals sighned an agreement with them to give them their state, within the Russian federation. Yet Putin came and reneged on all that and started a terrible military campaign against them, that had destroyed all their major cities and economic infrastructure and consumed more than 200000 Chechen men, women and children, without a wince from the democratic and freedom loving 'West'!. Giving the Russians a bit of their own medicine is not bad! The USA and Britain illegally invaded Iraq, because they have the power to do so! So if you enter and occupy another country, and the citizens fight you and your economic interest, that cannot be a bad thing. African countries were all liberated through wars of liberation.At the height of the war against apartheid, Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher all called Nelson Mandela a terrorist!Today he is one of the most thought after Icon of our times! ONLY JUSTICE TO PALESTENIANS AND TO THE MUSLIM NATIONS AROUND THE WORLD WILL BRING THIS PHENOMENON OF USING FORCE TO ACHIEVE POLITICAL END TO A PEACEFUL CLOSURE, AND NOT FORCE OR THE THREAT OF USE OF FORCE. MUSLIM NATIONS ARE INVADED, RAPED AND DESTROYED BECAUSE THEY ARE WEAK AND DIVIDED.THE INVADERS THEN RE-WRITE HISTORY AND PUT THEIR STOOGES IN CHARGE!THEY THEN ALLOW THEM STEAL THE WEALTH OF THE UMMAH. I RECOMMEND THE ADRESS OF DR MAHATIAR MOHAMMED TO THE LAST OIC MEETING IN MALAYSIATO THE AUTHOR FOR HIS ENLIGHTENMENT AND EDUCATION.

jeannie h, I found this article intersting and heartening. I think it is about time that it was spoken aloud, by an Arab Muslim, that your beautiful religion has been hijacked by a few...for their own purpose. For those who disagree, please explain how, now that Saddam is "gone," the Iraqi PEOPLE are not steping up to reclaim their own country. That a few people with their own agenda, seem to be intent on keeping their Muslim brother and sisters poor, cold, hungry and in chaos? I found it telling that one Iraqi was quotedas saying that the new interim President was responsible for the continuing violence because "he failed" to provide security. I think it is time the Iraqi people got over "the government is responsible to me" attititude and started providng security for themselves. I know that neighborhoods could work together in a common purpose for peace and security. Iraq has the resources to rebuild their country. Maybe it is time the responsibility rested with them. It is time to stop blaming everyone else for your own problems and predjudices. The fact is that Iraq is currently an "every man for himself" society and if that continues, the violence will never end...no matter who tries to help.

Mohammad, The key conclusion of all this debate - I believe - is that it doesn't matter who the blame lies with (in fact it probably lies with us all - Arab/Moslem or not). We as Arabs/Moslems cannot continually lament what has been done to us by others, since we can't change others' actions/beliefs...we have to change ourselves, take our selves forward, and fix our own problems. Let's stop whining and get to work. Good luck.

Otis G. Barlow, You are Mis-guided! September 17, 2004 Sir: This is a piece of information for those that do not understand the origin of the word “terrorist”. Like other words that serve to channel the fear and hatred of the targeted audience to a specific person or group, “terrorism” was borne to discredit the “liberation” movement that fought to end the scourge of colonialism. Would anyone have the courage to write that “not all Catholics are Colonialist, but all Colonialist are Catholics”? And then attack Catholics as the cause of all the carnage on the Planet. Or, “not all Jews are land grabbers, but all land grabbers are Jews”! Who or where could you get that published? It is ok to state or write the obvious but great care must be taken to avoid being an unwilling accomplice in self-destruction. Playing with words that pander to a specific agenda is dangerous play in this “New World Order”. A “Road Map” that turned out to be drawn on “Etch-a-Sketch. Followed the same path to ruin for the People of Palestine as all the other promises made to appease world outrage at the injustice. Help topple Saddam Hussein and there will be dancing in the streets? What happened to the engagement in the “Peace Process”? The interesting problem for humankind: propaganda used as information is not the obvious. It is insidious and designed to drive a wedge between the “Races” of the Planet. Moral conscience is not humankind’s savior. It is the rule of law that stands between civilization and barbarism. Note: It is the elitist that must maintain and keep an underclass to ensure there are enough people to fight wars, disrespect each others dignity and culture for their survival. There are however, members of the underclass that live their lives vicariously through the eyes of elitist. Thus Dave’s America! The humanity of a snake is evident in all the rationale for this genocide in Iraq. I respect the rule of law and the guarantees, protections it affords all humanity. The powerful and the meek. So peddle your confusion elsewhere! Otis, Otis G. Barlow Otisgb@aol.com Newark, NJ 07104

American Me, Dear Mr. Harb, Terrorism is not an Arab invention, for sure. However, in the Geneva Convention, the world decided what was acceptable, and what was not, in times of war. If you refuse to put on a uniform, and hide behind civilians, then civilians will die. It stinks. I don't respect the Israeli practice of legislated predjudice which led to the uprising, but you fools legitimized it with your displays of wanton violence. In terms of Iraq, I wish we had not gone there, and I don't care for GWB. However, the sooner the resistance stops acting like maniacs, the sooner we can leave, which would benefit us all. All the arguments against the US here center around WW2 and Hiroshima. Not to be simplistic, but sometimes we learn the best wisdom in Kindergarten. "They started it "

notaneocon, American Me, Yes dear, they may have started it however kintergarden kids are not known to kill the initiator of the fight and his family.

S. Lofagus, To notaneocon: You are correct EXCEPT that you conveneniently forget that the ONLY culture globally that sends it's kindergarten kids to the frontlines of war are the ARABS. The use their children by strapping bombs on their little bodies, or sending them out to the streets knowing full well that they can get hurt in order to ensure "sympathy" from the ensuing images. Arabs just don't value life. Their entire philosophy is the value of death.

notaneocon, S. Lofagus, Such hateful propaganda...is this what they teach you in Sunday school? Is this what your media calls 'truth'? Never mind madrasahs, I think the new breeding pit for violent ideas is right there in the USA. Healer, heal thyself.... No, kindergarten kids are not armed or sent to the front line. And they accuse us Muslims of having an unrealistic and conspiracy-filled view of the world...

Al, Your story is refreshing in that you acknowledge that most terrorists are Muslims. Yet, you fail to acknowledge that they are following the Qur-an. For example, Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which has been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the Religion of Truth, from among the People of the Book, Until they pay the Jizyah with willing submission and feel themselves subdued. Surah 9:29

ismail, By its subject heading "A Wake-up Call : Almost all terrorists are Muslims.." and by its contents it seems some one delebrately sponsored this article. It's not yet established who was behind 9/11,this is the fact and moreover 50% Newyorkers believe that its the handiwork of their own government to take this as an excuse for acheveing own self interests. If you don't believe me go and check this sites http://www.deprogram.info http://suetheterrorists.net http://www.911research.wtc7.net check this sites in detail if you really want to support truth. Now tell me how can you blame that muslims are behind 9/11, what if US government was the architect of 9/11 who is the terrorists then, thay have already taken thousands of innocent lives in the name of 9/11. Write an articel if you know the exact fact and proofs taking in account of the news which go unreported in main stream media. But it seems you just want applause and thanks from distinct set of people and I believe your article served your purpose. good luck

troy schielein-usmc, i first hand know that every muslim is not a bad person as i had several iraqis literally lay their life on the line for me and our mission in iraq in the hope for freedom....but how do you know who to trust..these terrorists have been planning for a great while and are extremely organized and motivated which is a dangerous combination...we as americans if not changed soon will be our own downfall...we are too passive and too heart felt with these killers....i am a killer and unfortunately have had to do so but compassion is a part of it believe it or not but we need to attack with the same response they give us..thats all these terrorists understand...save the good and destroy all the evil....have no mercy on the bad and we need to realize the sacrifice that must be made..now not later, 9/11 will look like nothing and its on our back door...i lost 18 marines in the battle of an nasiriyah so i figure i have a pretty good idea of what is good and evil...so realize that not all are evil but also realize if the true evil if not met with evil itself your life as americans will not exist as you know it now..this country wasnt built on turning a head..it was built on the blood of patriots and if you are not willing to shed your blood get out of this country and give me another enemy to kill..take care

Brian Funt, For all of those that criticize Israel for the killing of Palestinians, I am still waiting for one of you to have the guts to stand up and say that Jordan and Lebanon are also guilty for killing Palestinians. And they have killed tens of thousands more than Israel has. Unless those lives don't count as much, show some courage in your outrage. I hear so much about honor. In order to be honorable, you need to be objective and not be a hypocrit. Please, somebody respond.

Brian Funt, ismeal, I feel for you. you are very ignorant. Apparently, you believe anything you read on a website. To say 50% of New Yorkers think that the US government was responsible for 9/11, is ludicrous. Oh, but it must be true because you read it on a website. If I pointed you to a web that said that more than 50% of Palestinians think that Arafat is responsible for the plight of the Palestinians, would you believe it? Of course not, you would call it "zionist propaganda." please respond

notaneocon, "For all of those that criticize Israel for the killing of Palestinians, I am still waiting for one of you to have the guts to stand up and say that Jordan and Lebanon are also guilty for killing Palestinians." Yes, dear Brian, they are. So, now that we have established that Israel is not much better than these dictatorships, what are we going to do about the Palestinians? There's no way to spin it: it is Israel and not Jordan or Lebanon that occupies the west bank and Gaza. It is they who have force out palestinians into refugee camps into neighboring countries (who refuse to be integrated in these countries lest they loose their right to return...not because the countries don't want them in), and treat all other palestinians like they are prisoners. "And they have killed tens of thousands more than Israel has." This is rubbish. Anyhow, the Isreli-Palestinian conflct is a low intensity one. It's not even the most important issue on the planet. Yet, what is most obvious in this conflict is the support one side has for it's atrocities, and the outright condemnation the other has because they are "different". Change that perception, and you have won. Otherwise, those who are preeching peace and all that stuff on one hand and who are not only aiding but commiting violence on the other come across as major hypocrits with an anti-Muslim agenda. You hate Muslims who go on about Infedels and all, but the truth is many Westerners are no different in their attitude towards "unfree" Muslims. Your solution is a very Osama like one too: convert them or kill them. Sorry, for those of us in the crossfire you both look like lunatics. What makes us angray at you in particular is that you don't even bother speaking to us...you preech to us without even knowing us. You have the audacity to go on about what is being preeched in our Madrassahs but do or say nothing against Evanglists who are Muslim-haters and support the ultra-violent and supremacist neo-con agenda. In fact, George Bush is a good friend with Billy Graham, such an evangalist. For the record, I think America is the greatest social experiment on the planet as we speak. I think your political and economic system is 1st class. You attitude towards outsiders, though, just sucks.

Mohammed Lodhi, Well done...good article. Its very easy to point fingers and say they are wrong. indeed what these people did is wrong, against the spirit of Islam and a major sin for going against allah's command. however, what Mr. Tony said is also worth thinking about. the biggest problem however is that we have to take a pathetic and apologetic stand for actions we dont even condone. this in turn makes even more difficult to make people of other faith understand that these things are in direct contradiction to our faith. when i see Arabs (from different parts of middle east) here in the United States and Muslims from all parts of the world, its embarassing sometimes to associate myself with them. in order to 'gel' into the society we made compromises on our faith, comes this day irrespective of how americanised you are as long as your a muslim you will be looked down upon. why? majority of the people dont know what Islam is. why? when we compromised our faith and didnt practice it accordingly we never gave the people here a true account of our faith. Now muslims here are talking about educating the non muslims about Islam, finally we realized it was a but a mistake to not have practiced our faith as we should have. we read in the papers about Saudi princes winning this derby and that derby, are we so naive to think that these derbies dont involve betting. this is blatant indulgence and today we are reaping what we have sown all these years. majority of the night club populations are 'arabs' (my sincerest sympathies for this fact), you may not like it but these are facts. the sterotypical image of an 'arab'(when i state arab muslims in general are thought of as same) is a rich whore mongerer. unfortunately nothing was done in the past to correct this image which was brought upon us by some irresponsible men. this is what happens when we abandon our faith, its a lesson learnt in time and i hope its not too late to pick up the pieces and start over. people here in the USA in general(non muslims) might be ignorant but(praises due to allah) there are those who seek the truth and more often than not in the process revert to Islam. USA has one tragedy in 9-11, but muslims world over have calendars full of such events. have the wealthier members of our society shed tears for them, perhaps if due attention was given back then to our own faith and people maybe 9-11 might have never happened. think about it. Assalaamualaikum

Brian Funt, notaneocon, you hit the nail on the head. It is not the most important conflict on the planet, but somehow, it gets more attention than any other. 80% of security council resolutions are against Israel. Please check you histiry, Lebanon and Jordan have killed tens of thousands. But I guess that is hardly the issue. I do feel for Palestinians living in squalor. And I agree that Jordan is not occupying the West Bank or Gaza. But lets remember, Israel occupied The West Bank afetr it was attacked by Jordan, and Gaza, after attacked by Egypt. Should there be no consequence for starting and losing a war? I agree, that Israel should eventually pull out of both territories, but let's not kid ourselves and say that that will be the end of suicide bombings by those who do not believe that Israel should exist at all - and you sound too intelligent to think otherwise. I assume you are a Muslim, and believe it or not, I do not discriminate against Muslims, or members of any other religion. What bothers me is that most Muslims as far as I know are more concerned with the Israel/Palestinian conflict, than any other issie. The Sudan situation would seem to be in need ofmore immediate attention. According to foreign papers, 50,000 have been killed, and millions are in refugee camps, and are in desperate need of help. And most are black Muslims. I do believe that the fact that those being accused of the attrocities are Arab Muslims has played a big part in why the Arab world has been silent on this issue. Am I wrong?

notaneocon, Brian...Israel 'won' a war...and so annexed land against international law. And you justify this as if it was a game? I ask you again, what about the people? They would be better off free, rather than under the Israeli yoke...at best a limbo. Let us not kid ourselves, there would be no terror if there was no occupation. Anything else is boogy-man stories used to brainwash and justify the occupation - and to deflect a critical eye away from Israel's policy of annexing land. Israel is the perfect example of American hypocracy. That enflames passions since America is so powerful. As for sudan, Islam-oriented Muslims are furious. Note that it's not an Arab-on-black thing as people in the West ignorantly think. It's a tribal thing...a serious problem in the Muslim world. Note that Turabi (former Islamist leader of Sudan, and also an Arab) is a staunch supporter of the Black rebels. Also, Junjaweed have black allies. As for Arabs leaders, they stick together. They are from the same sick family. But do note that American death toll of Iraqis is 1/5 of that of Sudan...so I don't think they are anyone to talk about situation.

Ismail, >To Brain Funt!,I feel for you, you are very ignorant, you believe anything you "read" on the main stream news websites,I think this "read" holds true for the websites you rely on for information because they hardly contains any proof of authenticity of information, everything in them is for "reading" and believing no cross check.>>> As of my quotes of websites what ever they claim they are there with proofs and facts, thats the reason I said above to check those sites in detail. Here is one more for you this is just the tip of an ice berg http://www.propagandamatrix.com/archiveprior_knowledge.html if you have guts check all links and information there videos, photos interviews etc,. then decide who is ignorant. ཏ young men hijacks 4 jet airliners and the weapon they used is, no not explosives or guns or lasers just a box cutter, before this according to their plan they got trained to pilot an aircraft but ofcourse not a commercial jet. So the real task in front of them is to pilot a passenger jet which requires at least 3 years apprenticeship with commercial pilot and another 5 years to hit a skyscraper with such a precision so that it will get collapse completely, the other hurdles will be escaping radar, AWACS,NORAD etc.. list will go on. But at the end these terrorists get successful in hijacking the jets and hitting the buildings with 100% precision and the victim is world's most powerful country it has every means to defend itself from any type of attacks, deploys F-15's jets 24 hours on alert, has state of art communication system. And viola 9 of the terrorists are still alive, did they survived the crash? how come?' did you like this fairy tale Mr. Brain? I think you do and there are lot many others with you. I believe who ever rely on main stream media as a source for information is ignorant, as everyone knows and its a fact that there will be lots of coverups and censors before the news exposes to the general public. If you really wants the truth try to search it and always see both the side of the story or if you just want to bluff around come out with an article like of Mr. Abdel Rahman al-Rashed you will get surprise at the appreciation you get because there are lot of ignorants like you. I would have appreciate you Mr. Brain if you have send me the link to that web which shows 50% Palestinians are against Arafat, I would have voted to that 50% Palestinians, yes Palestinians should replace humble leader like Arafat with the one like Ariel Sharon.!!!!!!

S. Lofagus, >>To notaneocon and ismail: Your indoctrinated “historical” perspective sheds light on Arab ignorance, subjugation and lack of intellectualism and introspection. You are fools that can’t think for yourselves and who just follow whatever your dictators, mullahs, ulamas, or kings tell you to believe. > Firstly, there is no “eagerness” in the West to defend Jews and assault Arabs. That is something that only emanates from the Muslim world in its reciprocal form. Actually, many Westerners are anti-Semites, especially in Europe. Islam is an expansionist imperialist religion that will use brute force if necessary, especially lately when globalization has forced it to come in contact with the West. The West is civilized and will not allow that to happen. Islam also invokes claims of maltreatment in the West because it knows that the dynamics of liberalism and democracy will try to address this as “racism.” The fact is that no people are more racist in this world than Arabs. Just recently, they have killed two million Christians in Sudan, so far have killed 50,000 black African Muslims in Darfur, and are one of the very few societies in the world where slavery is still condoned (because the “enlightened” Koran says so) and where women are worthless temptresses aligned with Satan (because the Koran says so). Everyone not Muslim, especially not Arab Muslim, is a kaffir (because the Koran says so) and worthy of derision and even death if the typical Arab mob mentality prevails on occasion (because the Koran says so). If Arab Muslims are such enlightened people, why is it that Christians, Jews, animists, atheists, Hindus, Zoroastrians and even Shia are not tolerated to practice their own religion in Saudi Arabia? Western countries allow all these different groups to live in theirs. In other Arab countries these same people are treated as second-class citizens if they are Jews and Christians and outright executed if they don’t believe in god or many gods. What a wonderful model of tolerance! Jews and Christians, throughout Islamic history, have been subject to dhimmi status and forced to pay the yizha tax to acknowledge their subservience and subjugation to Islam. It is estimated that about 1,000,000 Jews were killed by Islam since its inception, most during Islamic mob riots in place like Baghdad, Casablanca, Fez, Damascus and Alexandria. Arabs and Muslims live freely in the West and pay the same taxes and have the same rights as anyone else. Why did Mohammed (a ruthless avaricious thug/dictator) exterminate the Jews in Arabia? Not only did Jews found Yathrib (Medina), they predated Islam on the peninsula by hundreds of years. Instead Mohammed set a precedent for the annihilation of anyone differing with his dictatorial agenda. In terms of Israel, your indoctrination is appalling. The UN partitioned the British mandate in 1947 into two countries. Israel accepted this, whereas the Arabs did not. Instead Arabs invaded Israel in 1948 after Israel declared independence, in order to drive the Jews to the sea and exterminate them. Israel, outgunned, outmanned, managed to win the war because typical Arab inefficiency and internal squabbling left open opportunities that the Jews took advantage of. While the Arabs invaded they told the 900,000 local Arabs to flee and return once the annihilation of the Jews was complete. As we all know this did not come to pass. Of the million, around 800,000 (not 5,000,000 as you ignorantly claim) fled thanks to Arab instigation. The remainder stayed trusting the Jews after Jews pleaded for them not to leave. The latter Arabs became Israeli citizens (now numbering 1.3 million) and now enjoy the highest standard of living, highest longevity in the Middle East. They also are free to vote, to practice their religion, and to think and have representatives in the Israeli Knesset. They don’t pay a yizha tax, by the way, and have the same rights as other Israelis. Concurrently, in Arab lands, 1,000,000 Jews were expell

Ismail, Lofagus,blah blah blah..... I have read your story and listen no one will believe this please don't waste your time around here. You have taken the chance of this unmoderated list to spill your poison on Islam and Koran. No this is not your fault you have been bred like that by your community and the kind of language you use this only exposes the filth in your community. Remember by doing this kind of tricks you will do least harm to Islam, it only encourages misguides to get interested Koran and Islam. Take my advise if you have guts study Koran with true heart and pure soul and god willing the filth in you will get vanished.

Mujahid, Sir, I believe the editors of this paper/pages have a responsibility to edit out irresponsible and slanderous comments,especially those that are clearly mischievious and built on falsehood. Much as one appreciates yout efforts to give fair hearing to all shades of opinion, it is unjust to allow slander on the pages of your paper on the person of the holy prophet(SAW). It is also un fair to allow the Quran to be disparaged! Most Muslims reading these pages agonise over your editorial policy to allow insults on the person of the Prophet(SAW) to be published.Please stop it. I now bring to your attention, what Mr Ismail has just noted about a Zionist imbecile in the person of Mr Lofagus, a self confessed homosexual, and poorly educated, uncultured bigot. Please spare the Ummah from his rantings. He is not worthy of your pages.

Robert Amin Wilson Clements II, As an American by birth and Muslim by choice I feel heart broken and shamed by the actions of the misguided ones of our religion. I was raised by great parents in the fact they allowed us to learn about God in an open environment and bless our direction in his worship. I have been blessed by God to be enlightened by his words and shown the path to be a Muslim. I agree with this article 100%, we and the leaders of our religion MUST speak out about the actions of the misguided that are killing women and children in the name of God. I have read the Bible and the Koran and can not find where it is ok or a must to kill women and children in the name of God. If you disagree with the actions of a company or a government, it is not right to attack and kill members of the company or government just because you disagree; you need to work to change their actions with education. I like most don’t enjoy war, but I can read and understand history, which shows for a person to live in freedom and to be able to follow HIS path to God, it is needed. Robert Amin W. Clements II God Bless all of his children

S. Lofagus, Kamal, .........................?!.

Mohammed Ali Khan Lodhi, it disheartening to see the way some of the comments have been written. tasteless is just a word but what i read in some of the comments is beyond words. i dont know why anybody would run a website like this, just to appease some jobless or brainless non believers who vent their frustration in life on others' belief and community. the most remarkable difference one can see between a believer and a non believer is that no matter how heated an argument is, the believers will never foul mouth the prophets or beliefs of others. as it can be seen clearly, may allah send down woeful calamity on anyone who speaks ill of the Prophet(pbuh), he was the one who inspite of being abused by the people of Taif spared them. his forgiveness is exemplary. inspite of being persecuted in Makkah in the initial of revelation he did not utter a false word against the persecuters. his control of speech was exemplary. his treatment of enemy and enemy captives was better than today's geneva conventions. his judgement was immaculate such that the same people he fought on the battle field were not even touched after being captured. subhanallah, he was indeed a perfect example of how one should live. although he lost his wife(rwa), his uncle and many companions when he returned to conquer makkah, no woman, no child, no kin was hurt or even touched. how much of a heart does it take for an ordinary man to return to the place that took away a part of his life and yet be just in the eyes of Allah the almighty. the prophet's (pbuh) treatment with others has been written about at lengths in various Hadeeth. kind, gentle and patient are but a few mere words that can be used to explain something which is beyond the limited vocabulary of english language. it is a pity on ur part (ones who speak ill of the Prophet(pbuh)) that you judged him before u knew him. it is wrong to judge anyone before u know them, but to judge someone and then speak ill of them is worse and a sin even by christian standards. i suggest u repent what u said about the prophet(pbuh) otherwise a severe calamity might befall you. it can happen two ways, one way is a direct affect on ur material possessions another is that allah will push so far on the other side that u will lose reason and sanity in ur judgement(which seems to have started). anyways, the Quran mentions about people like thes in the Surah Baqarah, verses 7 through 9. just open and read the Quran and see how perfectly such people are described in the Quran no other being can fathom the workings of man other than Allah the Almighty creator himself. May allah guide us all to the straight path. Assalaamualaikum Mohammed Lodhi

Dr.S.Amin, To S.Lofagus also writing as K.Niala,Kamal Hussain....etc,etc-Mind your Language,proposals, comments-What does it proove to the readers, about the people writing against Islam on these pages.Its this mentality of yours that,partly,makes Islam the fastest growing religion in every part of the world,including US,UK.The people that convert to Islam,do that after a lot of thought,as it isn'nt easy to go through the experience of social changes. What the comments on these pages proove are an obvious reflections about writers for & against Islam.The most indecent & dirty mentality is being reflected by some writers against Islam.Can these people be considered worth following,listening to ? Can anyone reject or undermine Islam because of your ideology,comments,mentality- NEVER.Weigh the comments & everyone's conscience is there to judge.Further you don't get this much freedom to write,on the free media of CNN,FOX,BBC,as much you have here on 'ARABNEWS' which takes the lead over other media to vent opinions from accross the spectrum. If anyone is determined to make judgements on religions,he/she should study & compare religions in an accademic,research style & I assure if ONE'S HONEST TO ONE'S CONSCIENCE, Islam will stand out as the most comprehensive religion.I have met & spoken to converted muslims from US,IRELAND,UK,SOUTH AFRICA they were intelligent,sensible people very successful in their professions-priorly.I assure you Islam will ever be prosperous & simply propaganda or the ill plans with various names won't halt rather promote keen promotion of Islam.There have been ugliest things done in history by people from other religions,but the religion is not to be blammed for their blunders.Before you criticise Islam please be fair & also mention the deeds of people from other religions COMPARATIVELY.... For S.Lofagus=Kamal=Niala....... please read some info on webpages & debate it out with Mr.David Duke President of a US-EUROPE body before you come back.He is not a Muslim & see what an endless list of attrocities he has,that was practised on Muslims,Christians...by ISRAEL whoes Ideology you are promoting with so much cramps in your soul.... amin11659@hotmail.com & yahoo.com

Muslim, " In this way, We have appointed as enemies to every Prophet satans, from both mankind and from the jinn, who inspire each other with delusions by means of specious words-if your Lord had willed, they would not have done it, so abandon them and all they fabricate-so that the hearts of those who do not believe in the Hereafter incline towards them and are pleased with them and perpetrate whatever they perpetrate. (Quran : Surat al-An`am, 112-113)" So Lofagus=kamal=Niala=satan God has already warned the believers in the Quran against the people like you, the enemies of Mohammed (Saas) and Islam. Your hatred against Mohammed (Saas) and Islam is doing nothing but proving the Quran as the word of God and Mohammed ( Saas) is his prophet. check this site http://www.harunyahya.com

Tim, All this perpetuated violence we continue to inflict on each other around the world and pass on to the next generation can and will end once we realize we love our children more than we hate those who are different. Where are the next leaders who publicly and privately devote their influence and energy into creating peace. I pray for another Mohandas Gandhi, Martin Luther King or any voice from God in a physical presence that can begin to change our direction to a higher enlightenment, towards each other and towards ourselves. How else can all those in the world who carry out injustices and the pained and bitter oppressed who channel their suffering into resolve and passion to seek justice at any cost come to an end?

Bill, Great article, and I appreciate you for calling other Muslims to an evaluation of the practices of their beliefs. However, I believe you misunderstand the doctrine of your own religion. I have read the Qur'an and seen the verses that prescribe terror to the infidels (those who do not believe in Islam). If I were a Muslim, my holy book would tell me that I can not befriend a Christian or a Jew, and that I must fight against them and strike them on the neck. For what? For the goal of Islamic fascism, a completely Islamic theocratic state ruling the world through mullas and ayatollas who oppress and take away all decent human rights. I choose to follow Jesus, the Prince of Peace, who gives me the ability to love and pray for those who kill the innocent, as distasteful as that is to my gut feelings. I pray also, though, for the safety of those combatants, commissioned by noble states, who are willing to stand up to those who propogate their religion by the edge of the sword. Can that religion be from God, when there is within it the absence of true love for others of his creation?

notaneocon, Bill, Your interpretation is incorrect. No scholar, nor even any militant, recommends "terrorizing" non-Muslims for the sake of it alone. Terror is to be struck in the hearts of those who have waged WAR on Muslims and Islam. Islam extols muslims to defend their faith. If you want to take a single verse here or there, and use it to beat muslims with, then it may be satisfying to you, but it simply has no grounds in reality. The fact of the matter is, despite all your talk about Prince of Peace and all, most sane Christians are not pacifists. Most christians in the US whole heartedly support the war on terror(Islam) and the war in Iraq. Why? For the heck of it? Because they hate? No. Because they think they are defending their way of life. It may be distatseful for you, but the fact is Muslims and Americans think a lot alike. The only differences in thought are due to the disparity in power. So one will be more prone to accept underhanded tactics in warfare. If the roles were reversed, I know exactly how Americans would respond. Fascism, btw, is where the people put all responsiblity into the state, and the state has absolute control over peoples lives. Such a thing is anathema to Islam, and has never been a part of the Muslim world. The idea that espousing restrictive cultural norms is equal to fascism is absurd. If that were the case, then America was fascist for most of her history. -Cheers P.S. I wish you peace, but first you must give is peace.

igor, I am actually really impressed by this article. I totaly agree with it. Not all muslims are terrorists. But most of the terrorists are muslims. Jews don't hate muslims. Look at the facts. They go vacation in Egypt. Before 1979 Israel had full diplomatic relationship with Iran. Israelis did not hate Iranians. On the other hand Iran now constantly talks about destroying Israel. The problem is that nobody can fix it besides the muslims themselfs. Then Jews, Christian tell muslims that they have problem, it sounds rasist. It is different when this comes from someone who is muslim as well. I really hope muslims going to do something about it.

Nas, I am an American born Muslim. I must say that because of being born and raised in America, I was totally westernized. However, after 9/11 I have changed. I always used to think that I have nothing to do with Middle Eastern politics and with what is happening in other Muslim countries as I considered myself an American. Like Mr. Rehman, before 9/11 I used to condemn Muslim governments and Muslims in general and blame them for everything. I have now realized, how after 9/11 I am being discriminated against and being treated by fellow American as just another Muslim. I have seen real face of Americans. If Mr. Rehman thinks he can be a friend's of westerners by saying all this non-sense, he is wrong. He just needs to wait and see their real face after they have accomplished their goals in Middle East. Why don't people like you realize that they simply don't like you. They think all Muslims are stupid and illiterate. Even if you give up your faith and take a western name won't help, you will still be an Arab to them. God bless.

SMohammed, Mr Al Rashed I trust you have spent time analysing those who agrees and diaagree with your article

Abul Ikram, It is good article that only blames muslims. I do not think that you are focusing on the root cause. Your article has only described about the actions. You are not focusing on what led to these events. Ofcourse wrong doing has to be brought to justice. The roots lie in the history. Even, the history was corrupted and you will not find true history. From the 16th till 19th century it was one country who had their settlements everywhere in the world and now its the other country. There are millions of muslims dieing and millions becoming homeless. Muslims profiled everywhere in the world. More than 700 mosques were burnt in the Gujarat incident. Billions of property lost. These statistics are neither told nor accounted for. What is accounted is only the actions of less than .001% of people. I think human life, property, and values should be same for anybody.

Uncle SAM, The fact remains that islam preaches terrorism against those that arent the same religion. Arabs attacked the US and now the region must suffer because those that arent in the terrorist groups harbor the terrorists and allow them to conduct operations. Death to all muslims

Word, Dear Uncle Sam, You are not my Uncle. Even so, let me fill you in on a few facts about this earthly life: First, Arabs got the word of God. Then, Arabs got the wealth of God. Think about that.

Pauly, Shahid Amin, you are an idiot. While bashing the US you said that sowing compassion reaps compassion. Obviously the terrorist that killed Mrs. Hassan had no concept for compassion. Where was their compassion? Where is YOUR compassion?

Acca Pulco, I thought I would answer to your accusation to muslims of being almost the only terrorists by this article... I hope you will realize that terrorists are not only muslims... What a PARAOX, some in the name of democracy can commit the biggets acts of terrorism of all times. I hope that you agree with me and condamn any illegal terroristic act be it from both Muslims and Americans. AS YOU CAN SEE, NOT ALL TERRORISTS ARE MUSLIMS! AND BY THE WAY, YOUR PROPAGANDA IS ITSELF AN ACT OF TERROR! Fallujah: Murder Made Respectable Linda S. Heard, solitairemedia@yahoo.co.uk Iraq is under martial law, complete with curfews and press restrictions. A report in the prestigious Lancet says 100,000 Iraqi civilians have been killed since the start of the invasion. Unemployment is running at 70 percent, kidnappings and beheadings are rife, while the breakdown in security has driven every international aid agency out of the country. But never mind, Fallujah — a town of 300,000 souls of which many have already met their Maker — has finally been pacified. That’ll teach them to lay off foreign mercenaries in future. Oops! I mean contractors, of course. Congratulations USA! Now that all is right with the world, some 200,000 exiled civilians can return home, provided they still have one that is. A report in the Los Angeles Times describes the city as “a tableau of destroyed buildings, burned-out cars, battered mosques and piles of rubble”. No building was sacrosanct including hospitals and clinics. The fate of those who stayed behind because they have nowhere else to go or did not want to abandon their belongings and valuables is uncertain. Reports of families burying their dead in gardens, eking out an existence on flour or dates, bleeding to death without medical assistance or becoming ill after drinking contaminated water paint an ugly picture. We have yet to discover how many newly minted orphans there are, courtesy of the Marines, such as five-year-old Aysha Saleem who lost her parents and grandparents in one of the US military’s “precision strikes”. Indeed, we may never know as the mouths of reporters embedded with the troops open and close according to military diktats. We would never know how US soldiers are breaching the Geneva Conventions but for a renegade video aired by Australian ABC television. In it, a Marine shouts: “I’ve just injured one. He’s between two buildings”. One of his colleagues walks over to a tiny alleyway separating two houses, climbs up onto a metal drum, and fires his weapon in cold blood. “He’s done,” he announces flippantly. We may never learn whether his victim, exterminated like a rat, was a hardcore foreign fighter, a local insurgent or merely a male resident of Fallujah prevented from leaving. Men aged between 15 and 55 were either rounded up or forced to fight to stay alive. Members of the Scottish Black Watch regiment, whose job they say is to patrol the ”rat run”, confirmed the status of fleeing Iraqis as rodents. In a further breach of the Geneva Conventions, US troops prevented a Red Crescent convoy of emergency aid from reaching the main Fallujah hospital, where wounded residents have been forbidden from entering. Yet even though the stench of human flesh pervades their nostrils, one Marine held to the view: “We will win the hearts and minds of Fallujah by ridding the city of insurgents. We are doing this by patrolling the streets and killing the enemy.” Those who have lost mothers, daughters, sons and brothers to his bountiful nature will, no doubt, be grateful. Another such enlightened soldier Lt. Col. Gareth Brandl told the BBC: “The enemy has got a face. He’s called Satan. He lives in Fallujah”. Others of his ilk were holding evangelical ceremonies or dressing up as gladiators for chariot races, using horses confiscated from Iraqis, in the mold of the movie Ben Hur. A third, a music lover, was quoted as saying: “Only two songs send a shiver up my spine. The Marine<

Herbert Frogg, I admire the courage of Mr.Abdel Rahman al-Rashed, because he has surely incurred the hatred of the islamic extremists in publishing this article. Long may the voices of reason such as his prosper. I would like to comment on the staggeringly banal diatribe of Acca Pulco. I have no idea what nationality he is or where he comes from, but he holds a naive and myopic anti-american-at-all-costs view which is not dissimilar from the attitude of the terrorists. He shares with them an incapacity or unwillingness to even begin to comprehend that there may be an alternative opinion to his own. His rant that not all terrorists are muslims is pathetic. Of course not all terrorists are muslims and no one, least of all Mr. al-Rashed has said that they are. Obviously he has difficulty reading and also comprehending what has been written. Notwithstanding this, he continues to give full rein to his stupidity. He asks the rhetorical question "How can individuals, fighting for their own freedom against a foreign power in the towns and cities of their birth and protecting their wives and children, possibly be “terrorists”?" For him, there are no individuals in Iraq perpetrating their atrocities who were not born in Iraq, when there is ample and compelling evidence to the contrary. When these "individuals" set off a car bomb that kills random innocent Iraqi civilians as well as their intended target), for Acca Pulco these people are "protecting their wives and children". I could cite numerous other examples of his myopic interpretation of events, but there is little point. Sadly, as long as there are people like Acca Pulco in the world, bereft of the willingness and the intellect to see the world for what it actually is, there will be strife. The future of our world depends on people like Mr. Abdel Rahman al-Rashed, who is not afraid to see the truth, however painful it may be.

Acca Pulco, Another Twatty blind FROG! Saying that almost all terrorists are Muslims is a blind discriminating declaration. Only an ignorant idiot can make such a statement. I am not a Muslim nor I am an Arab, it does not matter since we are all human beings and what we are discussing here is a human tragedy that concerns every single person on this planet. I love America and a lot of Americans, I grew up drinking Coca Cola and loving all American symbols and movies, I always dreamed to be a US Marine, I always had and still have a great respect for the American nation. I count hundreds of American friends in New York, Nebraska, Boston, L.A, Miami…etc. I have been all over the states, while I am their I feel perfectly at home, in Miami and New York I know more people than the regular citizens there, New York is home for me, and all my friends there tell me that it is my city and it’s my city indeed. My American friends and I have all great respect for each other and I would fuck up anyone who would try to do them any harm, like I have Arab friends and I share the same feelings as with my American friends. I have lived everywhere and currently have freinds all over the world, I have no frontiers, I feel that the whole world is my country and I don't have enemies. But what I hate is propaganda, I hate racism, I hate discrimination be it racial or religious. And this is what you are doing here, you are encouraging hatred and adding petrol onto the fire. Mr Fried Frog, I am sorry but it's people like you who are the cancer of the world, you stand on one side only and you accuse the other. So for you only the muslims are in the wrong? And obviously the American army in Iraq is really in the right! bringing democracy and freedom? Helping the Iraqis? By BOMBING THEM! Pleeeeeeeeeez, give me a break! do you think you are the only clever person and we here are all DUMB? Well you are dead wrong, because I can see and can judge. Open your Eyes, blind frog, open your eyes you brain washed dumb/stupid/idiot/bigot/twat (schifoso di merda) I do condemn those who place bombs and randomly kill innocent civilians, those Islamist terrorists but who are not driven by Islam, they are driven by hatred and ignorance just like you! I am against the killing of any civilian, and to me who ever kill any civilian no matter for what reason is a TERRORIST! Americans have killed many so they are considered TERRORISTS as well, you can’t argue this otherwise you are not coherent! Anyone who fights his war against an enemy involving and killing innocent civilians is for a fact a terrorist and a war criminal! in this I do agree with you! I believe that in fighting the Iraqi regime, which we are grateful for, The American army has so far killed randomly and Indiscriminately more than a HUNDRED THOUSAND INNOCENT IRAQI CIVILIANS (this, in no way can be justifiable, it is authorized terrorism). We both made the same point, you TWATTY, except you are on one side only, I am on no one's side, I am just watching the poor Iraqi people paying a price for a big lie and for so much propaganda like the one Mr Abdel Rahman al-Rashed is displaying here. I feel so sorry for the Iraqis who are killed by both sides, the Islamic terrorists and the American terrorists. Well Twatty blind Frog, I will leave you to your frustration, mediocrity and blind ignorance. If the world was half full of people like me we would all be having a world wide party. but unfortunately it is 80% populated by racists like you thus we will be seeing more destructive wars! ALAS! Vive la paix et la joie de vivre… et a bas tout les TWATTY du monde entier, espece d’enculer va te faire foutre, con! <

Acca Pulco, Furthermore MR Fried Frog Twat/Twatty It is clear that you are blind, in my post MY OWN words are just the first paragraph where I condemn any act of terrorism including the American one. and then the rest is an article written by LindaS.Heard a journalist, and I found this article on this same website. The title is Fallujah: MURDER MADE RESPECTABLE! It is clear that yours was an attack, you did not even notice that I was impartial. But I got you! To you terrorists are only those who kill civilians as long as they are Arabs or Muslims. You did not condemn the atrocities that the Americans are committing against the Iraqi population. In fact this proves clearly that you are not concerned about the Iraqi people at all otherwise you would have blamed the Americans too, because they are killing a lot more innocent civilians than the terrorists… a lot more …a lot more …a lot more! Here you fool no one but yourself you bloody racist, you have had the audacity to attack me and accuse me as thinking in the same way as the terrorists and am an all anti American. Well you are dead wrong because with your reply you did the opposite, you proved how racist and ignorant you are… read below, learn, be coherent and please don’t come bullshit us here, your propaganda aint gonna work TWATTY FROG!

Acca Pulco, A War Crime in Real Time Obliterating Fallujah By Francis Boyle 11/16/04 "ICH" -- The obliteration of Fallujah continues apace. Article 6(b) of the 1945 Nuremberg Charter defines a Nuremberg War Crime in relevant part as the ". . . wanton destruction of cities, towns or villages. . ." According to this definitive definition, the Bush Jr. administration's destruction of Fallujah constitutes a war crime for which Nazis were tried and executed. There is nothing surprising about that. Since the Bush Jr. administration's installation in power by the United States Supreme Court in January of 2001, the peoples of the world have witnessed a government in the United States of America that has demonstrated little if any respect for fundamental considerations of international law, international organizations, and human rights, let alone appreciation of the requirements for maintaining international peace and security. What the world has watched instead is a comprehensive and malicious assault upon the integrity of the international legal order by a group of men and women who are thoroughly Machiavellian in their perception of international relations and in their conduct of both foreign policy and domestic affairs. This is not simply a question of giving or withholding the benefit of the doubt when it comes to complicated matters of foreign affairs and defense policies to a U.S. government charged with the security of both its own citizens and those of its allies in Europe, the Western Hemisphere, and the Pacific. Rather, the Bush Jr. administration's foreign policy constitutes ongoing criminal activity under well-recognized principles of both international law and U.S. domestic law, in particular the Nuremberg Charter, the Nuremberg Judgment, and the Nuremberg Principles. So their obliteration of Fallujah was to be expected. One generation ago the peoples of the world asked themselves: Where were the "good" Germans? Well, there were some good Germans. The Lutheran theologian and pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer was the foremost exemplar of someone who led a life of principled opposition to the Nazi-terror state even unto death. Today the peoples of the world are likewise asking themselves: Where are the "good" Americans? Well, there are some good Americans. Like three Catholic Nuns in Denver, they are getting arrested and going to jail for protesting against United States weapons of mass destruction (WMD) whose power for human extermination far exceeds even the wildest fantasies of Hitler and the Nazis. Or else for protesting against illegal U.S.. military interventions around the world. Just recently the Nuclear Resister estimated that since the Fall of 2002, there have been more than 9,500 anti-war related arrests in the United States alone. Many more will be coming. In international legal terms, the Bush Jr. administration itself should now be viewed as constituting an ongoing criminal conspiracy under international criminal law in violation of the Nuremberg Charter, the Nuremberg Judgment, and the Nuremberg Principles, due to its formulation and undertaking of aggressive war policies that are legally akin to those perpetrated by the Nazi regime. As a consequence, American citizens possess the basic right under international law and the United States domestic law, including the U.S. Constitution, to engage in acts of non-violent civil resistance in order to prevent, impede, thwart, or terminate ongoing criminal activities perpetrated by U.S. government officials in their conduct of foreign affairs policies and military operations purported to relate to defense and counter-terrorism. This same right of civil resistance extends pari passu to all citizens of the world community of states. Everyone around the world has both the right and the duty under international law to resist ongoing criminal activities perpetrated by the Bush Jr. administration and its nefarious foreign accomplices

Acca Pulco, More stuff for FRIED FORG THE TWATTY BIGOT RACIST. Rationalizing Atrocities Bring Them Home Before They Kill Again By DAVE LINDORFF 11/17/04 "Counterpunch" -- It is depressingly predictable how "worked up" the Pentagon brass gets about an atrocity committed in gross violation of the Geneva Conventions when the crime is captured on film, as happened during this recent Fallujah action in the case of an NBC pool cameraman showing the execution by a US Marine of a wounded Iraqi captive, and the apparent execution of several other wounded captives later on. But does anyone seriously believe that this particularly ugly atrocity is the only one that occurred during the assault? The casual way it was done, in front of the embedded cameraman, makes it clear that quite to the contrary, this must be standard operating procedure for the American soldiers, who weren't even worried about about the possible consequences of their being photographed. (Remember, the executioner was not alone, and none of his colleagues tried to stop him.) How surprised should we be at this bloodthirsty and criminal behavior? The goal of the assault on Fallujah was not the capture of a city-the normal situation in a war. It was the killing of all the insurgents who were in the city. Consider this. The approach taken to this assault was first to ring the city with a cordon of over 10,000 heavily armed troops, supported by virtually the entire fleet of U.S. warplanes in the Iraq theater-F-15s, F-18s, A-10 Warthogs and helicopter and fixed-wing gunships. Women and children were allowed to leave the doomed city, but all males "of fighting age" were turned back if they tried to leave. You have to ask: turned back for what purpose? If the goal was to capture potential guerrillas, here were the men and boys trying to leave, offering themselves up to be arrested, investigated, interrogated and even held in detention. But instead of this, they were turned back to face the coming attack (this action in itself was a major violation of the Geneva Conventions, which require armies to allow non-combatants to leave the scene of fighting). If they were really fighters, did it make sense to send them back into Fallujah where they could pick up weapons and possibly kill U.S. soldiers? If the goal was to capture insurgents, then these unfortunates would simply have to be captured later, accomplishing the same thing, but under much more dangerous circumstances for both them and for their U.S. attackers. Clearly the real goal all along was something else: to kill them all-insurgents, potential insurgents, and any other "fighting age" males (that included little boys as young as 15!) unlucky enough to be residents of Fallujah. That such horrors are going on in our name should be no surprise. This war was never about "liberation." It is about conquest. That so little is being said about it here in the U.S. is a crime. "Support the troops" we are told. But we cannot do that, if the troops are engaged in criminal behavior. Surely no American would wish harm to the many thousands of good men and women, boys and girls who have been snatched away from their families and their lives to fight Bush's war in Iraq. We want them all home safe, immediately. But no one should be blindly adopting a slogan that implies supporting what the troops are doing in Iraq, which we know includes atrocities worthy of the German SS. It should be clear to any thinking person that the U.S. cannot win in Iraq. Unable to defeat the insurgency in there, the U.S. has turned to terror and to military tactics--the executing of wounded and captured fighters, the turning back of refugees, the denial of water and food to people in Fallujah, the barring of ambulances and medics from the scene of battle, the deliberate destruction of medical facilities and the capture and closure of hospitals--that are on their face war crimes. Y

Tearsofblood, i see you left out things who do you think is butchering the Iraq People Hebrews who is butchering the Palastines Hebrews go to google search type in world order who is feeding the babies to dogs and cats in Iraq? well i can tell you again the hebrews are the unseen hands behind the world order and Bush is set on killing all arabs not just muslims he is there body for the love of allah terrorist are not just muslims wake up smell the decay of evil all around you these terrorist acts upon a whole country is evil acts worst than what any muslim has ever done do not reply till you go to google search engine and type in world order this is there excuse to butcher muslim by devide and defeating them now is the time to stand togather not be the hand that helps this great evil to wipe out all muslims because its not gonna just stop there do not forget i told you so From American female who knowns the true facts Seal Of Tae @-->-->--- AMERICAN CONCENTRATION CAMPSAMERICAN http://www.apfn.org/apfn/camps_confirmed.htm http://www.truthout.org/docs_02/08.15B.ashcr.camps.htm If you want other stories on this topic, search the Archives at latimes.com/archives

Dinesh, Brilliant article. At last a muslim who's reports on the facts. Not the usual rubbish conpiracy theory's. These theory's are simply for people who have an opinion which they don't want to change so find made up things to justify it. Simple - Any muslims who deny's that the majority of terroists are not muslim has simply been brainwashed. The biggest killer of muslims are muslims. But stupid people prefer to believe that it is only jews and americans that are the murderers (the easy way out!). Sharon is reponsible for killing 20.000 muslims, terrorists or civilians. Sadamn - 1.2 Million. Facts speak louder than words. Christians are being persucuted in Muslim countries around the world. This doesn't make good news though. Don't get me wrong, the US has done the situation in the East no favours. But open your eyes!

Acca Pulco, DINESH, you seem to be sure of what's what and you have no doubt! MMMH... Well tipical of who ideed is brain washed and who can't see further than the tip of his nose... Yet Mr come tell people to open their eyes! I'd rather say, UEEH, DINESH, practice what you preach first. And from your message it appears that you think that if arabs and muslims kill more arabs and muslims than anybody else like Sddam Hussein who killed 1.2 Million people then it's ok if americans kill only 100000, so to you we should all cheer and say hey after all they didn't kill that many like Saddam did. Well if that's how your brain works, I feel utterly disgusted of what kind of people have the right to say. Mr Dinesh DE MERDA, No one has the right to kill no one you bloody stupid blind RACIST, RACIST THAT'S WHAT YOU ARE LIKE ALL THE IMBECILS WHO CLAIM THAT ALL TERRORISTS ARE MUSLIMS, YOU ARE ALL BRAINWASHED, YOUR BRAINS ARE NO LONGER YOURS BUT SADLY YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW IT! AND ALL OF YOU ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THE KILLING OF ALL THE INNOCENT PEOPLE WHO ARE DYING UNDER THE AMERICAN BOMBS!

Acca Pulco, And where Is Herbert FROGG THE TWAT of this forum! thank god his not back to say any of his sensless comments!

Acca Pulco, Another answer to HERBERT UGLY FROGG TWAT! I want to see terrorists tracked down, cornered and either killed or captured. Usama bin-Laden, his lieutenants and his foot soldiers must be found and destroyed. The entire al-Qaeda organization must be destroyed. I think that part of our disconnect here, though, is that I say the entire al-Qaeda organization. You see, many of the insurgents in Iraq (not all, but most, according to the Army's own reckoning) are not members of al-Qaeda. They are not islamist terrorists. They're members of a national liberation movement. Not unlike the French Resistance, the American irregular Minute Men, the Russian partisans. They're fighting a foreign army of occupation. Some of the things the insurgents do are unacceptable and terroristic. The beheadings, the car bombings. Those who do these things are terrorists. But they aren't representative of the entire Iraqi resistance movement. The Army says they aren't. The resistance is a "big tent", it includes those who would commit terrorist acts and those who don't. You see, my big argument with your statement here is with what you think it means. I think you think that it means that the invasion of Iraq was correct. It doesn't, though. Iraqi resistance fighters didn't attack us on September 11. Hell, they didn't exist as Iraqi resistance fighters until March of 2003 or later! One of the great tragedies of the invasion and occupation of Iraq is that we have 130,000 soldiers in Mesopotamia and not nearly enough in and around Afghanistan. Where's UBL? We haven't been killing enough terrorists. We've been killing insurgents and calling them terrorists.

Acca Pulco, ISRAELIS vs ARABS WHO ARE THE REAL TERRORISTS? By: Hal Turner May 1, 2002 -- For years, we in America have supported Israel both financially and militarily because we perceived they were the innocent victims of hostile and violent neighbors. The US media has, for years, provided extensive coverage of every incident involving Arab-against-Israeli violence. From shootings, to car bombs to suicide bombers, we in America have seen it all. Or have we? Why would rational human beings, given a choice, choose to attack their neighbors rather than live together in peace? More pertinent, why would a rational human being choose to blow himself up rather than live? The Israelis, the US media and our politicians would have us believe that the Arabs are simply not rational. They routinely tell us that Arabs are "religious fanatics" who "hate freedom" or "hate our way of life" to quote George W. Bush. These arguments are fallacious and intellectually bankrupt. The reason for Arab against Israeli violence is simple: The Israelis have been systematically repressing and brutalizing hundreds of thousands of Arabs on a scale unparalleled since World War 2. I have the proof. Below are photographs of the victims of Israeli violence. They depict brutal, violent death, horrific personal injury and devastation of property which is simply unfathomable. ALL of it was perpetrated by Israelis against Arabs. ALL of the victims are civilians. As you view these pictures ask yourself this question: What would YOU or YOUR LOVED ONES do in retaliation for these things?

Acca Pulco, http://www.thewe.cc/contents/more/archive/atrocities.htm

Acca Pulco, All of this brutality; all of this violence; all of these atrocities; have been committed by ISRAEL. And they did it with OUR AMERICAN WEAPONS AND OUR TAX MONEY! All those military rifles: American made M-16's All the helicopter gun ships: American Apaches & Cobras All the fighter jets: American F-15's and F-16's Between outright "aid", military assistance, and loan guarantees, we American taxpayers give Israel between $3 and $6 Billion every year. They use our "aid" to wage this warfare on Arabs. Is there any wonder why the Arabs fight back? Is there any wonder why Arabs have begun attacking the US itself? If YOUR family had been brutalized in these ways, would YOU fight back? By fighting back, would YOU be called a "terrorist?"

Acca Pulco, Another lesson about history! Learn people learn! 10. Arab 'Terrorism' - Americans have been assaulted for years by images of Arabs committing terrorist acts. Ignorant of the history of the region, they cannot understand that Arab terrorism has been a reaction to Israeli terrorism - its ethnic cleansing of Palestine and its apartheid regime. They've become convinced instead that Arabs are inherently violent and untrustworthy. They have mistaken a symptom of a moral disorder for the cause. Arabs are not violent people in general. By any measure, there is far less violence in their societies than in America. The Palestinians are fighting for their freedom against an implacable enemy. The Palestinians have suffered much, much more at the hands of the Israelis than the American colonists ever did from the British, yet Americans celebrate their violent struggle against the occupying British. The Palestinians' desperate acts against the occupying Israelis and their supporters are morally justified given the violence that the Israelis have committed and continue to commit against them. Under altered circumstances, Americans would support the Palestinians as freedom fighters and understand that they were driven to suicidal violence and terrorism by the criminality of the Israeli state. Morally, most persons believe that violence is justified in order to end violent oppression, and this is the case in Palestine. Psychologically, people who are violated and oppressed will strike back in any way they can, especially when they have nothing more to lose. The Palestinians cannot take on the Israeli war machine, so in their intense anger, they attack any Israeli or supporter of Israel that they can reach. They use any means available, even if they can only throw stones at soldiers who are shooting at them, and even if they must kill themselves in suicide bombings. The above factors, taken together, are a sufficient explanation for America's collusion with Israel's theft of Palestine, with its ethnic cleansing of the Palestinians, with its apartheid regime, and with its use of violence to force the Palestinians to accept a peace plan that lets it get away with murder and theft. In reality, the current state of affairs is a violent affront to the values that Americans hold dear. I sincerely hope that more and more Americans will wake up and open their eyes. If only they begin to understand the true historical and moral context of the conflict, they would demand a moral solution. They would support U.N. Resolutions 191, 242, and 338. They would demand an end to the payments and the arms shipments. They would demand that the refugees be allowed to return, that Israel's victims be compensated, and that Israel reconstitute itself as a non-tribal, secular democracy with equal rights for all human beings.

Acca Pulco, In an interview published Monday on the front page of the daily newspaper USA Today, Gen. Abizaid who heads the US Army Central Command stated that “If you ever even contemplate our nuclear capability, it should give everybody the clear understanding that there is no power that can match the United States militarily’’. All of this was delivered in a menacing tone which, given the circumstances, smacked more of panic than confidence. Where is this coming from? Could it be a veiled threat by a general in the twilight of his military career or, more ominously, the words of his boss, President George W. Bush? Either way those are the wrong words, at the wrong time in the wrong place in this part of the world or any other part of the globe. America has never been more stretched logistically, militarily, and politically since the end of the Vietnam conflict in the 1970s. It is deeply mired in an Iraqi quagmire of its own making, deplorably mismanaged by Gen. Abizaid and his commanders, who are destroying Iraqi city after Iraqi city, but controlling none. At best, American young men and women, soldiers in Iraq, are facing an uphill battle which may very well turn into a humiliating defeat, in the Vietnam style of winning the battles but losing the war, through no fault of their own. If, as already evident, this war cannot be won by conventional weapons, their generals are not going to secure it by blasting neighbors, such as Iran or Syria, with atom bombs. But this kind of nihilistic thinking is a patter of the neoconservatives who inhabit the Pentagon and the White House, that we should pay attention.

Acca Pulco, Now we talk "ATOMIC TERRORISM" What next?

Acca Pulco, NOT ALL TERRORISTS ARE MUSLIMS, MANY OTHERS ARE NOT! I copied this letter form a Forum that supports tha war! This document shows you how anyone is ready to transform himself in the most ferocious TERRORIST no matter where he is from and no matter what is his religion! in this case it's even worse, the man in question is a professor, someone who is meant to educate, someone who lives in the civilized world and who is not supposed to let his rage say all the obcenities he poors in his paranoid letter! CHECK IT OUT AND MAKE YOUR JUDGEMENT!------------------------------------- I'm an ordinary American. Wife (whom I love and respect), 2 kids (to whom I would give both of my kidneys), 2 cars (ten years old), big mortgage, and a job not always pleasurable. I've worked hard all my adult life to provide for my family, to be useful, and not go out of my way to injure anyone. Like most Americans, I knew little about arab-muslim culture and believed that the developed nations were partly responsible for the poverty and authoritarian regimes that infest the middle east. Things changed on 9/11/01 when you ruined the lives of at least 10,000 Americans. These people instantly became my countrymen and you became my mortal enemy. Ordinary Americans are arming themselves for war with you. I and many of my friends have closets full of handguns, rifles, shotguns and thousands of cartridges. If we had enough ammunition and time, we would kill every last one of you. We completely support our President and our armed forces. We only wish they would destroy you faster, but we are certain that they will. We no longer listen to the insane words of Kerry, Harkin, Kennedy, Clark, and others whom we now see as ideologues who would sacrifice our country and our lives on the alter of their vanity and desire for power. We no longer listen to our secular mullahs, our media fools, preaching hatred of America and sapping our will with their lies and deceptions. We watch your cowardly methods of killing by beheading. We are disgusted. But we are not afraid. You turn your women and children into walking bombs. We are disgusted. But we are not afraid. You shoot and rape children. You kill their mothers before their eyes. You burn, hang, and tear apart the bodies of your victims, and then play with body parts. We are disgusted. But we are not afraid. Why should we fear you? What ARE you to be feared? You are cowards. Your bravado is a clown mask that hides the soul of a ghoul. You are not able even to manufacture the knives you use to butcher your bound victims. One day soon, our planes and missiles will begin turning your mosques, your madrasses, your hotels, your government offices, your hideouts, and your neighborhoods into rubble. And then our soldiers will enter your cities and begin the work of killing you, roaches, as you crawl from the debris. As cowards, you will have your hands in the air and you will get on your knees begging for mercy. And we will instead give you justice. Your actions and your words long ago placed you far from any considerations of mercy. You are not men. And if you come to this country and harm a child, shoot a mother, hijack a bus, or bomb a mall, we will do what we did in 1775. Millions of us will form militias. We will burn your mosques. We will invade the offices of pro-arab-muslim organizations, destroy them, and drag their officers outside. We will tell the chancellors of universities either to muzzle or remove anti American professors, whose hatred for their own country we have tolerated only because we place a higher value on freedom of speech. But we will no longer tolerate treason. We will muzzle and remove them. We will transport arab-muslims to our deserts, where they can pray to scorpions under the blazing sun. You have fucked with the wrong people. We will rid the world of your foul breath. Your caliphate will be your grave.

Acca Pulco, Fortunately there are the good americans who love the world! CHECK THIS ONE OUT, I LIKED HIS ARTICLE AND IT SO TRUE!------------------- ---------------------------------------------- Their Victory Is a Victory for Us: Support the Iraqi Resistance------------------ ---------------------------------------------- The heroic defense of Falluja by the Iraqi Resistance may go down in the history books as the turning point not only in the liberation of Iraq but also in the global struggle against revanchist U.S. imperialism. It may turn out to be what the siege of Stalingrad was for the Nazis, where one of whose best-trained and equipped armies failed to survive the harsh Russian winter and the tenacity of the Soviet people fighting for their socialist homeland. Indeed, it looks like it’s going to be a long hot summer for the United States and its dwindling number of “allies” in Iraq -- if they make it that long. One year after the invasion, mass uprisings are taking place across the country from north to south and east to west, definitively putting the lie to the assertions by the Bush gang that the U.S. was going into Iraq in order to help the Iraqi people and that the troops would be received as “liberators”. What bullshit! Turn on your TV now. Are they going to maintain that millions of Iraqis who are demanding that the U.S. get the fuck out of their country, who have seen through the scam and are not waiting for a token June handover of power to a select group of quislings but are taking real power themselves, are all “terrorists”? What are they going to do? Are they going to try to carpet bomb whole rebel cities like Falluja into submission? Perhaps so. The U.S. military and political establishment tried to do it before in Vietnam. The signs are ominous. In Falluja, they are using F-16's with cluster bombs; they have attacked hospitals and mosques and killed hundreds of civilians already. More soldiers are being brought in country. The Bush gang, already beset by defections and contradictions, knows that its fate hangs on what happens in Iraq. But, as with Vietnam, the imperialists will never succeed in imposing their will on a proud and politically aware people who know what the U.S. is really there for, namely to seize the oil and for propping up Israel. They will only succeed in creating more angry insurgents in Iraq. More and more opposition will grow in countries around the world, where the U.S. is already widely scorned and hated. And the chickens will surely come home to roost right here in the United States with more and more social tumult being inevitable. The upheavals of the Sixties will look like a picnic if they keep on escalating this immoral and illegal war. I say to you bastards in power, cut your losses and get out of Iraq before it’s too late. Bring the troops home before they rebel. This will come back to you, sooner rather than later. Many of our well-meaning liberal friends are advocating the intervention of the United Nations. To save the day for what? For imperialism under another flag? The United Nations did nothing substantial, after expelling a lot of hot air, to stop this aggression against a sovereign country in the first place. Moreover, it was the instrument for a decade by which the U.S. waged war with economic sanctions against Iraq, a war that resulted in the deaths of thousands of people. How can it possibly have any credibility in Iraq? Why, pray tell, does it have any credibility with you? The UN has only on rare instances acted according to its founding articles for peace and international understanding. From the Korean War through Vietnam to the present, it has mainly served as an instrument through the Security Council for the "Great Powers", especially the United States, to manage "crises", i.e., popular struggles. Alternatives to the UN -- ones that are truly internationalist and genuinely democratic -- such as the World Social Forums are emergi

Dr.S.Amin, To Mr.A.Pulco.I spent quite a time in reading your articles & took some notes from your articles as well as some other articles.Please refer to www.davidduke.com/ & www.davidduke.com/writings/howisraeliterror.shtml + www.nowarforisrael.com. Please kindly visit another article on this arabnews- 9/11: also by Mr.Abdul Rahman Al- Rashid-HOW DOVES BECAME HAWKS and run through the article & responses to this article. You can better answer my of the things in this article as you had a very representative collection of examples from the extreeme ends to the midpoint or moderating centre-point. I assure you that 99.999 % Muslims do not support any terrorist acts against any body. What ever is happening in limited situations does not represent views of any relgion,race or nation.On one side mostly / in essence people are critisizing Israel- US policies rather than the public. The otherside is critisizing people for their relgion,race,even being on the recieving end of every attrocity. The overall (end of the day)purpose is, after all this catharsis,to come to constructive conclusions,while listenig to other peoples mild to bitter complaints/allegations/views even swearing ,which still should be swallowed with patience,atleast for a broader & versatile GOOD or PEACE as much, as soon,as wider as possible. with regards & thanks to all participants on this article & forum, Dr.S.Amin, amin11659@yahoo.com

OsManli, I wonder what makes 9-11 a 'wake-up' call for muslims? Was it the fact that Mohammad Atta was screwing a dirty american women in Flordia? Or was it Atta and the boys having fun in the strip clubs and bars in Venice? Or was is that Atta was meeting strange men named "Stefan" at airports? Or was it "Huff aviation", who got lots of funding by "someone" to train these inept, pork-eating- poor pilot pervert "wahabbi 007s"?? May be we should ask Dubya, who sat like a retard in the Florida school on 9-11, looking more a retard then usual (as if his daddy Carl Rove rehearse that even over and over), Or shouldn't some one ask who the Bin Laden family and the Bushite family DIRECTLY benefits from the events of 9-11 that have launched a new global war (on islam) because Carlyle Group can make a killing selling weapons ( of mass destruction) to kill innocent civilians 1/2 way around the world?? Or is it that rabbi Dov Zackhiem, Pentagon money man, has lost 1 billion under his watch, while he worked on projects that involve "remote control aircraft"?? Someone tell be how all of this involves "muslims"??

Sam Iam, Shahid Amin You're a perfect example of why there will HAVE to be a REAL big war before this is all said and done with. Always displace displace displace. the funny thing about history you can always go back far enough to find injustices one way or the other. The Eqyptians enslaved the Jews in the time of the Pharohs etc. Nothing is ever going to be solve by justifying actions in some sort of historical cover.

Gary G, Bravo Mr. Abdel Rahman al-Rashed on elucidating the culpability of Islamists in spreading terror throughout the world. I only hope the article is translated into arabic as it is written in english.

Ken B, God, Allah – A hostage of human history! Mr. Fugate, I enjoyed reading your letter to President Bush. My friend Mustafa forwarded it to me. I also worked in Saudi, only for a few years though. I was treated well and have fond memories of working there. I found the undercurrents of your letter more interesting and meaningful than the more obvious “surface waves” that your words generated. Whether you meant to or not, your letter - in somewhat subversive way – brings to trial the problems of the main religions in the Middle East, and the psychology manifested there. I too watched the “Jesus Factor” and was also disturbed by the President’s apparent broadband connection to God. Any group or person that feels they’re connected in this way disturbs me. To be fair though, the root of the Jewish/Palestine problems goes back long before the U.S. (or you & me, or George B.) was ever around. We all inherited this awful problem. The people and their cultures that are odds with each actually have a lot in common, but instead they choose to let their religions divide themselves. This wasn’t always the case. Jewish tribes once lived in what we now call Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran and other areas - (a few still do, but many were forced out) - and the Arabs lived in Christian and Jewish communities – (many still do, and some were also forced out). They each learned from each other. I teach occasionally at the Juvenile Hall, and always remind my students where Algebra came from (Al-Jibr spell.?) However, we’re in a time where each group feels they have more of a right to live than the other, and God’s on their side, and of course God is always right. The Jews have stated that the only reason that the Palestinians were ever in that area, beginning centuries ago, was to escape their own tyrannical oppressive Arab leaders of their own countries, and to live a better freer life, along with the better economic rewards, that the industrious Jewish communities provided. Of course the Palestinians have an opposite point of view of history. The extremist Palestinians and Jews of each side do have one thing in common these days though, they each want the other to die or disappear. Of course this will never happen. Furthermore, everyone should back off supporting either side. The most intelligent plan I’ve ever heard regarding the Middle East problem was from a Saudi I worked with. He thought the whole area should be taken away from all factions and turned into an international area that belongs to everyone and to no single group. In my opinion, no group over there right now deserves any of the land, given what they have done to each other. I’m cynical when it comes to any peace in the near future. I think it will take generations to moderate each other’s position/thinking. “They each have plenty of religion to hate, but not enough to love.” The main problem (mainly the Palestine& Jewish problem) of the Middle East right now is that the main religions in the area feel as if their own connection to God is better than their neighbors. The murderous situation over who owns what is the result of each group’s ignorance of their own religious history. Isn’t this what the deeper water of your letter reveals? “Good thing both sides are really religious or things could get real nasty, vicious and bloody.” KB In the mean time, there’s a danger that all religions could become more radicalized and ‘fundamental’ and that us moderates will end up in the crossfire like the people of 9-11 did. Imagine more of the West’s cultural buildings getting destroyed, like on 9-11, by more extremists and then in retaliation the most important Muslim and Jewish religious sites get pulverized and obliterated with great loss of life. This is what could happen if all of the religious moderates don’t take charge, with common sense, and rein in their extremists and get a hold of their collective self’s and their religions through education.

Hanna H, With all due respect to the author of this article it seems that you seem to forget that terrorism did not start when the twin towers were first attacked. Terrorism is still at its peak in N.Ireland yet i see no one making a fuss out of it...Muslims are all targeted. Do you blame those who become enraged? surely not...have you ever been stopped by a police officer simply because you are a muslim and been questioned? if you had then perhaps your view would change. Many people wear the title of a Muslim but IT DOES NOT REPRESENT ISLAM. I was quite appauled at what you said about terrorism becoming Islamic way....since when did Islam encourage the believers to kill civilians? never! Every one is to blame for terrorism not just a certain religion...it so happens that Islam is being targeted...until powerful countries can learn to leave the middle-east alone i doubt the terorism will stop. Instead of pointing the finger we should try and re-build the world together...after the tsunami so much many went into those countries...all of a sudden people cared but in Africa every week about 100,000 people die....why don't people help then ey? instead of powerful countries going to war and blaming attacks on Muslims i think they need to aid the countries that need the money they waste on a pathetic war that is all fabricated. However, some credit must be given to you brother for your efforts. May Allah (swt) reward you in this life and the hereafter.

Krystal Kamanos, You couldn't be anymore right, and how could you be wrong, just because the truth is ugly or offensive to someone doesn't make it any less true. I'm a 21 year old greek/italian Canadian from montreal. I refuse to choose between religions choosing to take in the teachings of love and acceptance, international needs. I grew up observing and being raised by many different people with many different backgrounds. I know that there are bad people and good people, and no matter what the bad people want you to believe, there is no gray area. Simply right and wrong. Terrorism is wrong, racism is wrong, sexism is wrong, America is SO wrong, but most importantly those who think their way is the only way are wrong. Humans are so ridiculous in the sense that for some reason just because we have evolved to where we are, we suddenly think that we are no longer animals? Everything that anyone does, be it the Pope or Bin Laden, do so because they are fueled by the instinct to spread their DNA and to dominate their territory. Animal instincts, just because we think we are gods doesn't make it so, religions are based on a human need to explain away everything and to make it alright, but before there was science there was religion, who cares if its muslims or neo-nazis or the christians who felt that for some insane reason they had the right to wipe out all traces of mayan and Incan religions. Believe me people please when I say that it doesn't matter what you believe in, the only true faith is love, for the rest of your species, for the rest of your ecosystem, your environment and yourselves. Why fight, why bully and why be anything than nice, do you really think it matters where your descendants came from if we all migrated from the cradle of civilization?? NO ONE truly belongs anywhere. Isreal is no one populations home, its just another plot of earth and vegetation, like all the others making up the world. Just because some tyrant got to a place first and stuck in his flag or strong armed another people out does not by any stretch of the imagination be considered a FATHERLAND. The fact that people refuse to see the truth, that no one organism needed permission to enter the world, and no one is bound to ask permission either, the fact that millions slave so that the elite can spend 150$ for a hamburger or 1,500,000$ for a car they'll never drive, and for what?? Why must we pay taxes and live by rules that were written by other hairless monkeys tyrants?? If humans as a species can not come to their senses, stop waiting for a second coming, and start facing the fact that they will have to fix themselves, we are doomed to live out our precious brief existence shackled by others' politics. We are just one pathetically confused species of primate with too much fire power and way too much ego. As for the americans, they blow away whole villages, make deals with the devil and piss on common peoples faces, then freak out because for once it wasn't them doing the bombing. We Canadians are a bunch of cowards, though not for the fact that we won't send innocent youngsters to be slaughtered in the name of oil profits (thats just stupid) but for some reason our government doesn't mind being americas whipping boy. All us countries are horrible for some reason or another, from Korea to Argentina, but that just proves that it is not the countries, because the whole concept is man made (the earth is here so we can come and go as we please) its the people!! Us, our race we are a failure!! We live in our own petty little words, preaching righteousness in some form or another while continually showing everybody what hypocrites we really are. Well I don't know about the rest of you world, but I intend on living by my rules only. 1) Respect others and their property 2) Treat others and the world as I would like to be treated 3) Do everything I can to save the world 4) Love 5) Respect life above all els

Tom, A brave article. I personally know few muslims who have similar idealogy like this writer. However, from my experience I would say thats its is the religoius heads of the Mosques who misguide the masses to kill for islam. I have heard them with my own two years when I used to live near a mosque. These are the people who tell children to pick up weapons. How many of you live to agree with me ?

Paul Mc Gregor, Speaking as a non-muslim, non-terorist person who at least vaguely belieaves that famous quote 'America is the only Country in the world to go from barbarism to decadence without having done anything in thing in the middle.' I have no doubt that all the leaders of the current conflicts raging around the world would justifie their actions by saying that they are forced to act in this way for the Good of their People or their God or God's or for some high minded Philosophical Ideal. What concerns me is that more and more of the 'Terrorists' are Children brainwashed by 'adults' into atrocity. Sooner or later the vast silent world-wide majority will act. This majority will be made up of PARENTS, one of the most common grounds we all have irrespective of religions or even culture is the love, cherishing and nurturing of our Children. Sooner or later THERE WILL BE AN ACT SO BARBERIOUS THAT ALL THE PARENTS VEIW THE VICTIMS AS THEY VIEW THEIR OWN CHILDREN. What would YOU do if someone hurt YOUR Child? Politics and politicions do not work because of all the agendas and corruption. Eventually the Vast and silent majority will see the stupidity and waste that all this is costing. Then,possibly we may have some chance at having Peace. Failing that we may have an Alien invasion which would have us all bound together against a single enemy, then we would possibly see that our differences are far out-weighed by our similarities. Until then I fear that the reaction to Islam and Muslims will get worse and increase until there are no muslims left in non-muslim countries. As sad as it may be, the Fact is that only Muslims can deal with Muslim Terrorist's and have a live breathing person at the end of the day. (for a short while given Islamic Law) As a non religious person I do not have the option of blaming it all on God by saying it is the will of God, I can only judge the act. Such persons who kill for such reasons and in such ways are not worth the food they eat or the air that they breath.

jenny lee, Excellent article! Change must come from within not without - Islam must change itself.

josaphine, i can't say i totally agree.. i mean unfortunatly a lot of the terrorists are muslims but take a deeper look here. i mean i would call the nations that bombed iraq a huge terrorist organization, but they might disguise themselves like they are doing some kind of patriot act. if you really think about it why would america invade iraq?? the answer is pretty simple. GREED. it had nothing to do with weapons and stuff they wanted OIL. why else would they bomb iraq since they never harmed america in any way shape or form ?? it was the same thing in the 60's when the bombed veitnam it had nothing to do with comunism they had new weapons they wanted to try out. cuz if they really wanted to get rid of comunism why didn't they invade russia? the answer here too is pretty simple as well because russia will strike back just as hard if not harded! you are looking at this the wrong way isrealis killed thousands of palestines, americans killed thousands in iraq and most of them were civilians and also the same thing happened in afganistan, and those were all muslims!!

Hanna H, Jenny Lee-Why should a religion of simplicity.perfection and peace like Islam have to change? so that people like you will be satisfied? so that mortals don't care about the life that comes after them....so that they no longer no the limit between right and wrong and good and evil. It is not Islam that needs to change but those who don't know its true meaning....why judge something that you don't know? i bet you, you don't even know anything about the religion but spend your time watching and absorbing the media....news flash! media is linked to politic....politians are LIARS! (don't be so shocked!) Tom....it is not all mosques that spread such hatred....i have attended many mosques and they all seem to talk about 'how you should treat neighbours' 'etiquette' 'respect for elders' etc....not about war and weapons, lol. Kystral-Atheists refuse to believe that god exists because it does not follow their ideology...God exists and i would like you to prove me otherwise? it is not a man-made culture but one that exists...you only need to find a religion that is truly furfilling in order to believe. you never know how it feels to be someone until you step into their shoes and skin and walk around them.... it is good to see non-muslims that are open-minded! su8bhanllah (glory be to god)

Paul Browne, It is good to see that your human compassion has no religous boundaries and all faiths alike want peace and to live together in harmony but you are taking too much on yourselves as muslims. The West have a long (and proud history) of conflict and conquering of races of men, women and children. It is what makes us so righteous and confident in our image of oursleves in the world as freedom fighters and do-gooders. We have violent tendencies that are provoked by our global media corporations, our vision of the middle east is distorted and propagandised to such an extent that it only took one single incident to send us over the edge and for our governments and weapons/oil industries to cash in. 9-11 was that incident, now we are fighting a war with Muslims and that war is being fought by Muslims, christians, Hindu's, Buddhists (and all other religeons in the US/UK forces making religeon a moot point in this matter) and the worst thing is that it is Arab oil that is paying for it all (check the price of a barrel of oil). It is not your Muslim youth that is escalating this war, you have to find out who are making the most profits out of the war to disover who is driving this evil. Have a look at the end of year profit figures of all the major oil, banking and media corporations compared to the late 90's and start of the naughties. Hopefully the UK and US public will get bored of this war soon and it will end along with strikes and demonstrations on the cost of petrol/diesel will force the price down meaning less profit and less incentive to fund an expensive and unnecessary war. Lets all put our faith in the peace process in the hope that there will be no further excuse for this war.

Moussa Al-Tamti, A more appropriate name for your article would be "Almost all terrorists that appear in the media are Muslims...". Don't allow the biased views of those with an agenda to affect the minds of those in the east, as they already have in the west. America has a far more savage history of terrorism than any country in the Middle East, yet the prevailing opinion would perhaps suggest otherwise. Don't be pushed around by words in newspapers, and talking heads on television!

Humane Been - Moss Vale, Australia, To: Collin - Dallas Texas...agreed. Religions are the base for all wars and the cause of almost all grief on this planet But to give up ones faith is not the answer. I am a non-denominational, non-believer (an athiest, if you like)...we are all made of stardust or something? I respect the right of people and cultures to find solace in God or Allah or Buddah or whoever, they have found their peace and security in forming their lives around something they believe in. (peace be with you all, whatever religion). I cannot understand (maybe because I am not religious), how ones faith, can be dictated by violence, it does not make any sense...on one hand to say "Allah Akbar" then go blow the shit out of some poor unsuspecting innocent. Or for some Christian Evangelist to get up and dictate what God has told You to do (he hasn't told me, so why should I listen to some crackpot wannabee preacher) If Terrorism is not removed from Islam and Christianity and the countless other faiths, they will (as mentioned in this forum) - Destroy themselves and any respect that they once had. our world will selfdestruct in the so called Apocalypse - maybe the fabric of our world is sewn together by religion, we as a species need it to survive? - take it away and you take the shirt off our back, we die unprotected, freeze to death in the cold of nothing. We are all Brothers and Sisters that originated from 'somewhere', we, for the present time, all occupy the same piece of Earth that we call home, look after it and each other, or 'We' as a people (most likely) or 'God' (or Mother Earth itself) will strike back with fearsome consequences - then where would we all be? cold and lonely, with a reduced majority on all fronts - Hey! then we can all start the cycle again! Humans? cant live with them, cant live without them....

Ahmed, First of all I am not in favour of praising cowards such as Abdirashid who wrote this article, secondly if you are not going to speak of the HAQ then do not speak at all. Moreover, if one sees themselves as a 'moderate muslim' then they are Munaaqfiq (hypocrite) as one cannot be 'moderate' since moderate means to hold a intermediate position between those generally classified as being Muslim and those seen as being Kufar. Furthermore the truth shall prevail as allah says: Al-Anfal [8:8] For He has decreed that the truth shall prevail, and the falsehood shall vanish, in spite of the evildoers. We have come to the end of the crossroads it is now that one has to decided whether you are a true believer of ISLAM and one who upholds the HAQ or a hypocrite who is scared of speaking the truth therefore says all kinds of things just to make sure that the Kufar won't get angry with him/her. All in all, WORLD WAR III shall happen whether you believe in it or not, or whether you want it to happen or not. Allah says: So he gave nothing in charity, nor did he pray! - But on the contrary, he rejected Truth and turned away! Then did he stalk to his family in full conceit! Woe to thee, (O man!), yea, woe! surah 75:31-35 Al Qiyamah Return to ISLAM, return to the HAQ, return to the SIRATUL-MUSTAQIM

Dr. Rudresh Sajjan, Muslims have problems with everyone (with Christian, Hindu, Jews, Bhuddists, etc) and everywhere (America (USA), Europe (Spain), Asia (India, Isreal, etc), Africa (Nigeria), etc). I know US is doing a big crime by attacking mainly muslim countries like Afaganisthan, Irac, Iran, etc., and killing tens of thousands of Muslims (many innocent children and women). If moderate islams do not take immediate steps, then this whole world will be devided into two sides - Muslims and Non-muslims with muslims declaring holy war on all non-muslims, then imagine 21st century would become breeding ground for 3rd Muslim-nonmuslime World War - III. I really like the moderateness of this author. My god bless all Muslims.

kenb, This is in response to Ahmed's recent commentary above. He says Muslim moderates are Munaaqfiq (hypocrite). I say moderates are intelligent enough to know that Alah is way too big to fit into any religious scripture (or mind) abstracted by human language and intellect. The moderate may also feel that Alah is way too big for any one language, and way too big for any one religion to capture "him" - with all of its religious nets. The moderate Muslim or Christain may also be humble enough to realize that Alah probably doesn't have human emotions and personalities. "He's" ineffable without anthropormorphic qualities (The spiritual Arab Sufi's intutively knew all of this. They were wise people but are now discredited) As for quoting scriptures, Christain Fundamentalists do the same thing. I have a computer program that can read any text and read it back to me in a computer generated voice. This means the program can be set to read any scripture memorize it verbatum and read it back over and over ad infinitum. This would be known as being a very religious computer program but not very spiritual one. (Is Ahmed also a very good computer program?) I'm afraid the fundamentalist Christains and Muslims fall into this category. They refuse to study the history of religious thought and therefore interpret scripture literally, as if these ideas all popped up in one time in history instead of evolving over time. This amounts to blasphemy because they don't use their GOD gifted talents to inquire about the symbolism of their religious language. What's left is a wall of religion blocking out the spiritual GOD. Kenb, a moderate Christain

George Sanders, Dear Abdelrahaman,Yr.article is good,very good...too much good! You as the whole population in Saudi Arabia or are Muslims integralists and then terrorists or are servants of the Royal Family,anyway in both cases YUou are ...arabs. Since we are Christians You arabs decided we are Yr,enemy.That's the point... Or Integralists or Al Saud Family servants You are a problem to all of the democratic Countries. If really You wabnt to be righteous with Yr.speaches....go to Police and give them the names of the Saudis that You know they are connected with the international terrorism...as all the Saudis You know them...., You know that money is coming from this and that Family...You know tghe Mouttawas who are terrorists...Even the Saudi Police knows.....c'mon when did You finish with Your Kingdom of HYPOCRACY ???

showadah, Hypocrates are not the moderate muslims Hypocrites is the Royal family ,the All muslims all aver the world,the Muttawas,the etc etc etc

abdullah, SPECIAL REPLY TO AHMED WHO REPLY TO ABDELRASHID : You say Abdulrashid is a coward....You are a Coward because abdulrashid is a hero to write what He wrote...!You are a Coward Ahmed a typical terrorist coward!!!May allah give You the worst of the death.

Ahmed, To Abdulallah: I am a realist, i am a MUSLIM, I am a true believer of ISLAM, I am not a MODERATE MUSLIM. I follow the Quran and the Sunnah of Muhammed (SCW) very strictly because I know that in it lies the coolness of the Soul, without this I know that I will not have inner-peace. The Messenger (S.A.W.) warned us that talk is very dangerous. In an authentic hadith reported by Imam At-tirmithi and Ibn-Majah, that he said, "A person may say a word that is pleasing to Allah (S.W.T.) and he may not think much of it, but Allah (S.W.T.) will, (because of that word), bestow his pleasure upon him on the Day of Judgment, and a person may say a word that is displeasing to Allah (S.W.T.), and he may not think much of it, but Allah will have, (because of that word) his wrath and anger on him on the Day of Judgment". So in that context Abdulallah should we not speak of the Truth? Should we not say what we really think eventhough other people try to hush us up because they do no want the truth to be uttered. Kenb you speak of being Moderate as if it is a good thing? As if there can something as a 'new Christian/Muslim' i.e. moderate Christian/Muslim well Kenb what differs a 'Moderate Christian/Muslim' as compared to a TRUE CHRISTIAN/MUSLIM? I can tell you right now that a TRUE CHRISTIAN/MUSLIM follows every single law, and belief of the religion because he/she knows that within this Religion lies the calmness of the Soul, but on the other hand a Moderate Christian/Muslim does not follow all of the ruling of the Religion he/she leaves one or two out because it is not in accordance with their THINKING! So tell me Kenb should every Christian, MUSLIM, JEW be a Moderate as to not cause confrontations between the religions because it would make people like you much happier? Or is it because you are afraid of the fact that Islam speaks of the Truth and isn't afraid to speak about every single issue/subject whether it is about sex or marital problems unlike Christianity where it would be considered next to blasphemy if a worshipper asked the priest about what is permissible when one is making love to partner, but whereas in Islam the Prophet (SCW) actually told us what to do when one completes making love to his or her partner. On the authority of 'Aa'shah (RA)who said "Whenever the Prophet wished to sleep or eat while in a state of Janaba (i.e. after having sex and before bathing), he would wash his private parts and perform wudhuu' as for prayer." [Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim]. You see Kenb Islam is not afraid to talk about any subject unlike Christianity and as such do I say to Abdel Rahman al-Rashed SPEAK OF THE TRUTH AND LET NOT THE KUFAR DETER YOU FROM SPEAKING THE TRUTH. PS. Abdulallah what makes you pray to ALLAH that I die the worst of deaths? Have I said something that is not TRUE?

Kenb, To Ahmed (above); thanks for your reply. I’m not an expert on any religion, let alone an expert on what Allah is or wants. I am an expert, however, on what Allah isn’t. We are all experts on what Allah isn’t because (for starters) we know “HE’S” beyond all human concepts and human conditions (a basic tenant of all religions.) For instance, I know that Allah isn’t Good, and I know Allah isn’t Bad. These are human limiting terms for categorizing things. Allah is beyond this dualistic “world view”- and beyond all of our categories (of the many) of knowing- where all of our opposites define each other (i.e., light defines its opposite darkness - up defines down, heat/cold, etc. etc). For me to describe Allah in human terms as “Good” means that I have imposed dualistic human limits on “Him”. This is why Islam speaks to the “ONENESS” of Allah, to get us beyond our petty concepts of “Him”, to ensure thoughts of transcendence, and to ensure that he doesn’t just become another overbearing strict “parent”. The “Oneness” of Allah would, therefore, hint at a Being that is all-knowing of the relationship of “everything–to-everything”, in the eternal. We, however, are stuck with the particulars and apparent separateness of all things perceived within our experience of time and space through the categories of our mind. So here we are with our puny selfish human minds actually thinking we have some idea of what “Allah” is- or worse, what he wants. It’s at this point, and with this knowledge of my own ignorance of what I can’t or don’t know, that makes me a “moderate”. I don’t really know anything; I only can only know relative truth or relative knowledge - but know nothing of ultimate Truth or ultimate Knowledge- or the relation of everything to everything. For someone to actually think they know the “TRUTH” means they must have swapped places with Allah. As far as fundamentalist Christian’s interpretation goes, I believe they need to be more humble, less selfish with their obsession with heavenly goals for themselves, and stop taking their scripture so literal. They are exasperating! There is a river of knowledge of religious thought that goes back over 5000 years and is all inter-related. This history and knowledge is being ignored. For instance, books have actually been written about the history of God. Of course the true God doesn’t have a history, but the God in our minds- that we act and react to- does have a history which is fascinating. (Read Karen Armstrong’s book, “The History of God”). A Christian fundamentalist wouldn’t want to hear that God wasn’t always thought of as a “Judge”. This idea of God being a judge came to us from Persia long ago. The Jews adopted this notion of God as a “Judge” and was further adopted later into other cultures and religions. And so what do we make of the Prophets? The Prophet’s “world view”, culture and knowledge of the physical world, all played a part in what meaingfully could be communicated from God in context of the prophet’s time and experience in History. For instance, this is why descriptions of how to pray in a spacecraft in a weightless environment, or names of other continents are missing from scripture. What was important in context of that period of history, in context to man’s problems and fears, in that time in history, is mentioned only. And how one dealt with injustices was explained in context of violence, reflecting how things were dealt with within that period of time. God couldn’t pour his infinite knowledge and wisdom into a finite human mind – instead he had to pour according to the “shape” of the Man’s (prophets) mind- and culture- in that time in history. Future knowledge wouldn’t have fit very well into the prophet’s “world view” in that time in history- It’s impossible. There were more pressing practical problems, like health and hygiene and local enemies. Many people were dying from eating improperly prepared and stored food - including pork. When I was a boy we could

Bjorn, Although I think the article sings as a voice of reason from the muslim world, surely you can see that the art direction of this website glorifies terrorism, and undeniably the worlds worst terrorist attrocity. Fighter planes, 9/11 in multicolour against a backdrop of a smoking New York city... is that what Arab News wants to be synonomous with? The visual propaganda at work here does little to support the well written views as being genuine and sincere.

ahmed al Anwari, Boh

abdullah, reply TO ahmad "ND aLLAH u aKHBAR hABIBI, i CANNOT PRETEND god MAY KILL ANYBODY.i jUST SAY mAY gOD gIVE yOU dEATH....jUST TO LET yOU UNDERSTAND THAT nobody HAS THE RIGHT TO kILL ANYBODY IN THE NAME OF god...allah. ALLAH IS GRAET AND MUHAMMAD IS HIS PROPHET. How such bloody ignorant terrorist like that ill othama may incite men to go and Kill in Allah's name.This is great sin!! Allah not Tolerate that...Which Sunnah wich Hadith allow such miserables to act in Allah name that way? Ahmed...I love yOU CAUSE yOU ARE my BROTHER BUT yR.wORDS ARE AGIUNST aLLAH AND INCITE BAD mUSLIMS TO GO AND kILL.uP WITH THE mODERATES IF THE OTHERS ARE kILLERS.tHE DAY i SEE ALL gOOD mUSLIMS HELPS kILLERS i WILL QUIT iSLAM AND FOLLOW allah MY WAY...sO ITR IS NOT ME TO WISH yOU BAD DEATH IS aLLAH WHO KNOWS WHAT TO DO WITH yOU,IF yOU DON'T CHANGE yOUR MIND.

S.Amin, Dear Mr.Abdur Rahman Al Rashed,are you more American than the Americans? Please read the concerns of the Americans about 9-11. If someone has fever due to Malaria,we treat the fever but more importantly we treat the Malaria. You are concerned about the fever=Terrorism but did you ever sincerely write about closing down THE FACTORIES OF TERRORISM,i.e Palestine,Kashmir,Chechnia,Algeria.. Through JUSTICE for the innocent people who are subject to terrorism for years. Islam does not allow terrorism,but it refuses to accept terrorism as well.You talk of Saudi support for Jihadies,Knowing very well,these Jihadies were trained,equiped,transported by the US itself.Did you address the US policy on this matter? ...NO. If you speak the truth you'll be out of your post,out of London, labelled with links to some mulla / cleric by democratic,freedom loving, 'other' bosses.World can not keep running on ill intendended lies,propaganda.Russians, Nazis ...all tried.God or Nature or history has its own pace of dealing with Pharoahs, Hitlers..Anyone who plays Hitler in the present time whether US,UK or Israel will have their fate decided by THEIR OWN ACTIONS and not by Propaganda or blaming their victims,or 9-11 stage shows... Please refer to this article for A WAKE UP CALL FOR YOURSELF as well :- NEW 9-11 FILM NOT WELCOME BY SOME By: Devvy August 15, 2004 NewsWithViews.com Back in May, NWVs ran a news item on aspartame which caused a massive amount of mail to the news editor from individuals making the accusation that the facts presented in that piece were based on junk science by quack doctors. I believe these reactions were from people who immediately felt a great fear that because they probably have been consuming diet soft drinks and other products for decades containing aspartame, they could be the next Michael J. Fox. Because the subject matter is so serious, I felt compelled to do a two part follow up based on facts about both the doctors and the science. The rude e-mail ceased. NWVs recently ran a news item on a new video titled: 鯧 in Plane Site'. There has been a fair amount of mail to NWVs charging this film is nothing but stupid conspiracy theories by people who have never even seen it. Please allow me to provide some additional information not covered in the news item. Besides owning a copy of this film, I also attended the screening of this new video and it was very disturbing. One critic accused the producers of this film as having some sort of agenda to get Kerry elected. Another stated the producers of this film made it up, creating phony film. Mind you, none of these individuals have seen this video, they only read the news item. Some individuals simply shouted in their e-mail that it was all a bunch of "crap" by "right wing wackos." The usual attack the messenger, obfuscate the message. This film is being distributed by Power Hour Productions, specifically Joyce Riley and Dave vonKleist. Both are talk show hosts. Joyce Riley has been one of the pioneers in exposing gulf war syndrome; she was a Captain in the Air Force Reserve. Joyce has fought for the truth and gone far and above the call of duty to help countless veterans throughout this country. She is truly one of those relentless seekers of truth; the research she has provided and still produces is always backed up by government documents. The producers of this video are making a complimentary copy available to anyone who lost a loved one on 9-11. There is no money being made off this project, it's just another important step in sorting out the truth from theories. I receive no compensation for recommending anyone's videos or books. Because I personally know Joyce and her husband, I also know that all they have done over the years has been done with love and caring for our vets and not for money. They live very modestly in Missouri. They aren't making big bucks like GOP mouthpiece Shawn Hannity or<

Food for thought., It is easy to see since the world has become more of a Global "home" and that "hate" is the name of the day, are we adopting a "hitler" like view of lets kill them all mentality and let Mohammed sort it out? This may work... although finger pointing goes both ways, it all depends on which side of the fence you're on. Mohammed versus God Peace should be the name of the day.

Anis Mohiuddin, Yes, you are right about Muslims and terrorism. But the main driving force has been Christians. The cause of Palestine alone has brought in the most terrorism. In fact it is not a terrorism per se, it is a response to one. America is the mainstay of terrorism. America is the enemy of mankind. Americans elected George Bush second time whose qualification was 'drunkard'. The whole world asked him to be removed but Americans elected him. Mandela said about him'Bush cannot think properly'. How can you expect a drunkard to think properly? Almost all terrorism has been instigated upon Muslims.

JAMES MING, I LOOK FORWARD TO HELPING AS MANY MUSLIMS AS I CAN GET TO HEAVEN AS SOON AS I CAN.I'M TOO OLD TO RE-ENLIST (47),BUT ME AND SOME FELLOW PATRIOTS ARE GOING TO TORTURE AND KILL AS SOON AS WE SECURE THE NEEDED FUNDS.WE SHALL HARM NO CHILDREN OR ELDERLY.FUCK THE REST.

jon burford, It is always nice to see a thoughtful person, take on complex issues. Whatever anyone's religion is, it's clear that lots of the violence perpetrated around the world, is in the name of Islam. So, in this view, it is welcomce to see more & more Muslims speak out against extremist factions. To those who have posted, blaming Israel, the US, etc for the extreme violence in the name of Islam... when is it time for you to wake up?? When is it time to take responsibility for your own actions??? Those who commit the atrocities are to blame... period. Your logic is the same as President Bush's, about killing innocent Iraqis, because America was attacked. It makes no sense. Killing innocent Israelis, doesn't help does it? Wouldn't it be better to listen. Same for the Israelis, does killing help? No. The only way this craziness will ever stop, is for each group to start listening to the grievances of their counterpart. In Palestine, if you want peace, drop your weapons & make it clear you want peace. And watch what happens. I understand the grievances of both sides, both very real. My sense is that you don't want peace, you want no Israel. And as long as you think that, Israel will hear you, and keep its back arched for attack. Violence will continue until you truthfully want peace. At which time, Israel will drop its weapons, because it no longer feels threatened. I thank the author of this piece, for speaking truth. And I hope those on all sides, begin to listen to each other's grievances. They are all very real, and need to be addressed.

J. Vine, The original article shows an unbelievable lack of knowledge and awareness of current affairs. And few comments show any further understanding. I suggest that the original writer - who uses no truthful examples or research to back up his wild claims - stop writing such drivel. It's misleading and offensive. This is sub-tabloid journalism and it's discusting to read so many people supporting such vacuous claims just because it suits them. Please people do some research on these issues beyond a google search. Just to be clear I am not a muslim. I am an Anglosaxon Englishman who'se dad was almost caught up in the London tube blast last month. So don't try to paint me as partial. I have expressed no views other than this article is grossly inacurate.

An American youth, I am an American teenager who happened across your article while doing a school report. I am just writing to thank you for speaking out so openly and honestly on this difficult topic. I had not wished to think of Muslims as terorists, but it is hard to ignore all of the facts that show how almost all of the terrorist actions like the ones that you mentioned were performed by Muslims. And it is good to finally hear that the majority of Muslims actually do not support those murderers. Thanks for helping me to understnad the authentic Muslim view of terrorism.

Ismiler, This article is one sided, written with blinkers on. This is a American, Jewish site falsely parading as a arabic site.

suzan okol, that is not true that all muslims are terrorists!!! have u seen what you americans and jues have done u came into the middle eastern countries killing inosent peolple until now but you havent seen what you have done and after that you cum and say that almost all terrorists are muslims i dont think so i know who all these terrosits are and they should know who they are tho the americans and the jues

Joanna Cyr, A very thoughtful article. I was looking for this kind of loud voice a long time... Centuries ago Arabs used to be a very powerful force influencing Europe (West) in an incredibly lasting way. Art, mathematics, medicine, astrology, science in general, new technologies, all were developed and promoted by Arabs in their own world and transferred to Europe (mostly by sword and violence...no denying that...). Nevertheless, Arabs built, created, evolved. What are they doing now? Are they not capable of creating anymore? Can they only destroy, kill, terrorize? Are there universities, hospitals, scientific institutions in the Arabic world sought after by the Westerners? The answer is no. It is the Arabs who migrate to the West by millions, because they cannot thrive in their own cultures. It is the Arabs who come to the Christian world, yet they do not come to integrate, but to hate and reject. Where is this love you talk about, respect for others, pride in your own (true) achievements? Where is your desire to make this world better? You throw empty words at the West but you show no true achievements. In this age we no longer believe in vengeance, wars, hurt and supression. The only way forward is to create, build, respect, and accept each other. Death and murderous "sacrifice" is no longer tolerated by any civilized religion or philosophy. Throughout history all nations and all cultures suffered immensely. Arabs are not the only ones who were being killed, humiliated, and tortured. Every single person in this world could have a reason to hate someone, including members of one's own family. If we follow this path, we will never find peace...

Samuel Jordan, Kill all Muslims!! I have already killed one and I am proud of myself!!!!!!

samuel, I hate muslims!!

Ghurabaa, As-Saalamu Alaaykum to all my muslim brothers and sisters,Ramadaan Kareem and hi to all non muslims and May Allah Guide you to the true religon Islam. I don´t agree with the brother who rote this article,We muslims are the people who has been suffring the terrorism of USA,Great Britian,Russia and thier allies. They occupied Afganistan and bomb,raped and killed our brothers and sister in Afganistan then the brothers in Afganistan started to resist the Occupation and the whole world turns to them and call them for terrorist? They occupied Iraaq then they bombed Fallujah,Tal Afar,Haditha,al Qaim,they raped the sister and killed thier children then the brothers in Iraaq started Jihaad against the occupation forces Whats happens then?The whole world leaders started campain against the terrorist (the mujaheedin) in iraaq must be stopped. Russia occupied Chechen and killed,plunderd raped our sister in Chechen then the brothers in Chechen started Jihaad agaisnt this oppressor Putin Then the worlds leaders started campain against our brothers and sister who are suffring from the terrorism of Putin then "muslims" agreed on that the mujaheedin in Chechen are terrorist? Who are the real terrorist? Why are you talking when non muslims suffer and thier blood being spilled becuse of the evil the against the Muslims and Islam? Why are you talking and riting when 45 non muslims bieng killed when 10000 muslims are being killed in the hands of the infidels every day? Have the muslim blood so cheep that you don´t care about ? Why did you not rite when the sister in Fallujah where raped by the crusaders forces? Why did you not rite when Tal Afar was gased by the Crusaders forces and the extrem Shi´as forces? Why did you not rite when muslims are being abused in Chechen? Why did you not rite when the Quran used as toailet paper in Guantanamo by the US forces (May Allah Protect the brothers in Guantanamo) ameen? In my opinon this is war against Islam and Muslims but today some muslims are brainwashed and they have sold thier religon in defense of the enemy of Allah. Muslims are being taken to prison without evidences they are torted and beaten just becuse they said the true as many of the true scholars are being imprisnod like Shaaykh Naasir al-Fahd,Shaaykh Alee al-Khudair,Shaaykh Ahmad al-Khalide,Shaaykh Abu Muhammed al-Maqdasi,Shaaykh Abu Qatadah,Shaaykh Umaar Abduraahman etc...the list is long May Allah Protect our Scholars of the true ameen They are imprisoned becuse the supported thier oppressed brothers and sister over the whole world. I also support my brothers and sister in Jihaad and a belive that Jihaad today is Fard ayn (obligatory on all muslims)...I support every resisting group in Palastine,Afganistan,irak,Chechen,Kashmir...etc untill our brothers and sister are safe from oppresson of the tyrants. A woman entered hellfire, over a cat, (which) she did not feed, nor did she leave to wander and eat from the earth's bounty...So what are we going to tell our lord over ONE MILLION (Iraqi) CHILDREN, KILLED, NO ABILITY OR POWER HAVE THEY (to defend themselves)!!! Verily, we belong to our lord, and to him we shall return" To the brother who rote this article my advice to you are repent and go back to the Quraan and Sunnah becuse this article will be a evidence to use against you on the day of judgement. This is a Quote from Shaaykh Abdallah Azzam regarding people like you think over it...... "Jihad amongst the Muslims today has become like a taboo subject that is discussed over coffee. The one who writes and speaks about Jihad has not even spent a minute in the battlefield." -Sheikh 'Abdullah 'Azzam

Nikus, Hi, Every time some Islamist or Terrorist bomb and destroy or kill, Muslims claim ISLAM as peaceful a religion, more loudly. This is very shameless act. I am from India. ISLAMIST terrorism is not new here, at least we have experienced that for hundreds of years. South Asians are culturally very open minded and liberal and soft in nature. Even in these countries, we see a lot of ISLAMIC violence and sectarian movement. Religion is to calm people and make wise. In Pakistan,India etc., major mob violence you see after the Friday prayer. They start pelting stone and destroying property, coming out of mosque. I have never seen or heard of people coming out of temple or church after prayer and starting violence. Political problem exists everywhere. That can be solved democratically. Regarding the latest bombing in London, I have seen in BBC hard talk, a muslim cleric is justifying the act and puts the excuse as Iraq invasion by UK-USA. This person, is from Pakistan or some third world country. Britan has given this person shelter and voting right. If you don't like Iraq policy taken by UK, start agitation and public movement. It is high time, you start revise ISLAM and remove some parts like " if you sacrifice your life in killing other people(Jihad), you will be awarded with 60( number I don't know) virgins...". Sex in afterlife can not be at the cost of human life and destruction to others. This is extreme perversion.

Ahlan Wasahlan, This message is directed to all readers. Although we share the pain of those who have died or are suffering from the violence spreading all over the world (regardless of who they are, be they muslims, christians, jews, hindus, buddhists, athiest or agnostics), we must never condone any form of violence against those who do not partake in the conflict that surrounds them. It is sad to ignore the violence that is happening in our world today, but always remember that NO violence (in whatever form - by a lone individual or a state-sponsored campaign) can ever avenge or reduce the violence that has befallen us. An extended act of violence will only escalate to further violence as fire would only do nothing but feed the bigger fire. May Allah have mercy on our souls ... AMEN!

ranti, to mr.al rashed. just take it from me as advise. pleas remember allah when you write such an articles,because you will be asked during qiamah time about all of that. i think you are muslem,and you are the best one who know how much islam is great. may be some of your examples is tru,but this did not reflect our great islam. and also you can be sure all those examples you mentioned is done really by muslems ???because i know so many examples of many such events and it was discovered later it is done by only the name of islam. i wish you understand what i want to say. i think this ummah has enough burden ,no need to add more. all should know islam is the relegious of peace,and ithing if you know about our prophet how many times he was hurted by others and he use to forgive,i think this is the best examples . does not mean that any one says i am muslem means that he behave exactlly what it is the real faith of islam. pleas alwayes remember allh when you write such an articles because you are affecting a big group of people which they are onesent and love peace. thank u.

Shahid Amin, Arab News  (Continuation-Discussion.) ( Shahid Amin ) Its Pakistan and Pakistani mullahs & madrassas that made the US the sole world power, against the USSR, which the US,UK couldn't achieve in years. All the terrorists are US trained and sponsored. Read this NEWS ( ARY-ONE TV 02-Oct;2005. 10.00 pm) Ex-British Minister Michael Major has stated : (Daniel Pearl- US spy, working as journalist in Pakistan) Omar Sheikh, involved in the murder D. Pearl was working for the MI-6 and was a double agent.(He was sentenced to death by a Pakistani court, he has appealed to a higher court against his death sentence)The US &British intelligence agencies are trying to stop his death sentence. If he is sentenced to death he will expose a lot of sensitive information. ( The poster-background, Muslim slogans, chopping head off the victim, was arranged by A MI-6 agent. The poor boy Daniel Pearl got slaughtered by his own intelligence agency, through their double agent working for and recruited by MI-6. All the following Head chopping incidents were an exact copy of that event, done & arranged for MUSLIM BASHING, to justify US ,UK , Israeli (& poor allies') crimes against humanity ,extension of colonialism into the twenty first century. Just imagine the height of civilization-HYPOCRACY,RUTHLESSNESS) NEXT: He said that MI-6 recruited 200 Muslim for Jihad Activities during the Kosovo crisis.(Mr. A. Al Rashed here's your answer- your own bosses have done what you are criticizing ) NEXT: He said that the 9-11 boys had links with the US & British Agencies. Another News: Haroon Rasheed, The Zambian Muslim arrested for involvement in LONDON BOMBINGS while in the US was arrested by the US govt on the request of SOUTH AFRICAN GOVT, for being involved in terrorist activities. He was released the next day on the request of the British Govt. as he worked for the British Govt. A British Intelligence Agent on getting dual New Zealand citizenship wanted to appear open in the press to state how UK MI arranged the Bosnia Crisis. On the intervention of the UK govt he was told by the NZL govt to keep shut or he will be deported to UK. Things are not what they appear on the surface. US, UK, Israel should not KEEP REPEATING the mistakes done by the USSR, Hitler & the like, now, when they have left USSR, Hitler.. far, far, far, far, far behind in atrocities. They should consider a respectable exit strategy or retirement plan from this hegemony, ruthlessness, neo colonialism, barbarianism and what not, if not, HISTORY THROUGH THEIR OWN MISTAKES WILL MAKE A BAD / SHAMEFULL EXAMPLE OF THEM,THROUGH THEIR OWN,VERY OWN,PURELY OWN MISTAKES without THE INVOLVEMENT OF USSR,CHINA OR THE MUSLIMS, The Muslim which they treat as an imaginary threat. They should stop staging shows & dramas to inflict brutality on Muslims or any other poor victims. No body hates American ,British, Israeli people but they hate the brutality, Inhumane policies, neo-colonialism of the US, UK, Israeli governments. The US.UK public has a responsibility to wake up to these atrocities, stop them rather than enjoying the sweet but sour fruits of colonialism, brutality, elitism, which will keep them and their generations to come on the sharp edge of the INTEREST-CAPITALISM the blood sucking system which generates more poor (social casualties)- an endless debt system which translates itself desperately into wars, hegemony, greed, poverty to the extreme limits for the height of delight of the few. We should learn from history. The fate of Hitler, USSR... we have forgotten. We should teach, preach or promote tolerance and respect, not wars, colonialism, hatred and intolerance. Terrorism is being sponsored and used as tool to justify Colonialism, win elections-public opinions, stage wars, justify occupation, justify brutality and genocide, sponsor and impose unpopular, puppet rulers in third world countries to reinforce Neo- Colonialism into the 21 st century. GOD IS

KenB, Extreme craziness: It seems that the main motivating factor of a lot of religions is the obseessive and selfish need for a life hereafter for oneself. I wish each religion would make it a rule that you can only help someone else get in heaven- not yourself. The most selfish and preverted heavenly goal is to meet vigins and drink rivers of wine. Are these heavenly minded perverts aware that it's not spelled out clearly whether the "Virgins" are male or female? They may be in for a big surprise. Are women also promised virgins? God help us. KB

S.Amin, MR. KenB. Why are you so obsessed with virgins and wines? Why are you running away from answering the questions asked? Do you forget FACTORIES OF TERRORISM - PALESTINE,KASHMIR,CHECHNYA.. AND CLOSING THEM BY DOING JUSTICE NOT BRUTALITY WHICH IN TURN GENERATES BRUTALITY, WHICH GOES ON AND ON.WHY YOU DON'T LOOK AT THE DISEASE AND ONLY ON THE SYMPTOMS.EVERY RELIGION HAS ENOUGH EXAMPLES TO LABEL ITS PEOPLE AS TERRORISTS. ALL RESOURCEFUL COUNTRIES HAVE ENOUGH CAPACITY TO MAKE THIS WORLD PEACEFUL, BUT THEY CHOOSE TO KEEP IT A BATLEFIELD.HOW CAN WE EXPECT POWERLESS PEOPLE OF COUNTRIES MADE POWERLESS,BY BRRUTAL ( meaning= CIVILISED)countries to bring the change and the powerful, able counties as powerless,unable to behave constructively.We here base our opinions,perceptions.. on reality on the ground and not on CNN,BBC disinformation cells-LOOK AROUND WHATS GOING ON IN THE WORLD, DON'T DEVISE CAT AND MOUSE STORIES NEITHER BELEIVE THEM FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE, NOR RELY ON THEM FOR SOOTHING THE GUILT AND ACHES OF anybody's SOUL.Talk of solutions to the present crisis to bring peace to this world, and not of the failed colonial policies that are bringing all the suffering to this world.Use your imagination, go into the future,every regime colonialism ( old world disorder)=zionism= capitalism ( The renewed world dosorder),socialism,communism has an expiry date,or time limit in history,when it happens, history won't use your words or language for self glorification,it will speak the truth,and,you may not be there to divert the opnions.God will welcome you and all terrorists from all religions, for all your support of suppression, colonialism, brutality,modern warfare,reward you,AND PUNISH ALL THE VICTIMS OF SUPRESSION, COLONIALISM,POVERTY,MODERN WARFARE,BRUTALITY FOR NOT DOING ENOUGH, TO ACCEPT MORE BRUTALITY,SUPPRESSION,POVERTY. ....USE YOUR IMAGINATION AND JUST IMAGINE... (amin@iafrica.com)

kenb, S.Amin; Eid Mubarak. -I mention this virgin/wine thing to ridicule and make foolish the dangerous mindset of portions of “Fundamentalism”; because it’s within this mindset where your factory of terror originates and compels people to kill others. The selfish need to get into an airy-fairy heaven has become a crazy but serious problem. Your right, other religions also have the same sort of mental disease. Some Christian Fundamentalists and Jews also have their nut cases. Today, A Muslim religious leader in Indonesia pleaded with his flock to return to the correct Islamic way or another Tsunami wave will come upon them and kill them all. How cruel and awful to say a thing like that to fellow human beings that have suffered so much - making them feel guilty for a natural calamity and indirectly accusing them of being the responsible party for all of the dying, including family members. (S.Amin, there’s no way that you can honestly disagree with what I’m writing here). What’s crazier is that they have defined God as an intolerable assassin/tyrant/ that does his killing thru nature. The only ignorant thing that was missing from his speech was that the Americans and Jews caused the wave. Recently, an American Christian “fundamentalist” congressman (nut) said that the hurricanes in New Orleans (U.S.) were God’s punishment for the sins committed there—another mental giant. I guess we all should just accept that God/Allah is just another Sadam Hussein that likes to kill and make everybody feel guilty, and that any fun at all is evil. And that God is just another strict overbearing parent that hates almost everything most humans are inclined to do. The Dark Age Christian Leaders had a monopoly on how you would be guilty - in the Churches view- thus controlling minds and the keys to the gates of heaven. Portions of Islam are doing the same thing all over again. They need a reformation- out of their dark age and away from their anthropomorphic view of God and away from their tyrannical midget minded mullahs. As for imagination, I would love more of it. For starters, lets imagine that the disease and the symptom exist in our minds first, and not out there. “WHAT YOUR LOOKING FOR - IS WHAT YOUR LOOKING WITH”. Civilizations are bumping up against one another because technology made the world smaller. Islamic countries blame the West for exporting negative cultural values to them. In reality, they import them. They even try and get to the U.S.- in large numbers. We have more Mosques in the U.S. than most other countries. Palestine has become disproportionably more important than what it really deserves to be. There is a lot more suffering in other areas of the world, but everyone is fixated on the Jew/Palestine problem like it’s the biggest thing in creation. In reality, neither one of them deserves any of the land now - given what they have done to each other. Would the Arab/Islamic world use its imagination in regards to Palestine, and instigate a big neutral area where no one owns any of it, including the Jews? No, they never will because this issue is the biggest diversion in modern history- controlling passions away from themselves on to an enemy “out there”. If the Palestinians and Jews disappeared tomorrow, a lot of individuals and Middle East Governments would be in serious trouble. They would have nothing to hate, and there attention would have to go back on their own shortcomings (imagine that!) How about imagining that humans are inherently violent, and need very little excuse to bring out their violence. What makes it so dangerous now is that people are brainwashed into thinking that God enjoys seeing them mutilate, maim and kill their “brothers”. Where did this imagination come from? By the way, most cultures (including the U.S.) have killed more of there own members than so called outsiders have. Now it’s a lot easier to kill, because God has taken up the joyful spectator sport of bodies being blown up, and rewards the mut

S.Amin, ARAB NEWS DISCUSSION-Dear Mr. Ken B. Thanks for your Eid compliments. The article you wrote earlier was in a hurry, but your later / recent article is, thought provoking and deserves to be among the posted articles / views on any international news forum as it takes into account the collective suffering. I work in rainbow of nationalities, religions, color and races. I have a very enjoyable working relationship With all of them. I had Muslim, Christian, Jew ... teachers I respect them no less than I respect my parents. I have colleagues, from all religions and I treated them no less than my brothers. Most of my patients have been and still are Christians but I always treat them with as much kindness, respect and prayers as much I can do for my parents, sisters, brothers and my own children. I'm proud of it and this is what Islam expects me to do or any system would expect me to do. I'm hurt when any human being Is hurt, even an animal or a plant is hurt for no valid good reason. I belong to no political, religious, social, racial gang or group. I help anybody of any religion, color, race, age where ever I can. You should post your E mail as well, I have lots of things / examples to send to you personally, avoiding the personal use of this forum, regarding role of religion, some interesting articles, saved from time to time. I've to do a lot of reading for my subject related material. I still spend some time, on news / views and general reading, but still am no less aware of what's going around. I don't support any of the terrorists. What they do is, against Islam. They believe in some ZIOCON form of ISLAM, which wants to deliberately create hatred against Muslims and Islam, to justify the US,UK and the big boss Israel's aggression, brutality, wars, hegemony, The new world disorder. They were trained by the US, to fight against the USSR, in all the techniques they are using now. There are Professional criminals hired for political use. What they do is to harm and create hatred against the Muslims / Islam. They do nothing to the advantage of the Muslims. They help Bush win his elections, Blair win his elections, Berlusconi, Howard, Husni Mubarak, and the like win their elections or score political goals, through a very very timely terrorist act and an E mail or a video, this story has repeated itself so many times that it looks a funny attempt now, They should ask Hollywood to give them new stories. Their acceptance of crimes on the website is another JOKE for the sensible, they can be traced in no time if it's their websites and E- mails and US/UK/Israelis are not collaborating with them. All the E mails are timed for the US/UK/Israeli's advantage on time every time. No body is that foolish. Osama is not hiding, rather enjoying an outdoor, free life in high security, US camp / guest house in Kandhar region. Contact a Pakistani Magazine-TAQBEER (or TAKBIR)and request for their article on Osama Bin Ladin's traveling in Afghanistan, even coming across US field unit, which did not intercept him, and he moved on with his contingent, after which many lured Jihadies recognized his double role. There are so many issues that it's beyond the scope of this forum and available time. I do not hate any body as people, for their religion, color, race, nationality, political views. But I do not support groups of people or govts that brutalize, colonialise, murder, create wars, for their political, military, financial aims. May it be any govt or group of people. I feel very sad when people whom God has given enough sense, support wars, colonialism, brutality... It's not adequate only to oppose the DIRECT TERRORISTS-THE B-TEAM OF MURDERORS but fully SUPPORT THE INDIRECT TERRORISTS, THE A-TEAM OF MURDERORS. I OPPOSE BOTH TYPE OF TERRORISTS,FROM WHICHEVER RELIGION,RACE,COLOR,NATION THEY BELONG TO.( Dr. S. Amin : amin@iafrica.com)

kenb, S. Amin, Thank you for your kind response. I believe we could be friends ! I think our dialog should be public on this commentary. I'm working in the M.E. on construction projects and my company has a rule against discourse on religious/political discourse. I thing we should review each other's commentary thoughout this article. I have 3-4 other commentaries you should read, and I will read all of yours. Then lets let loose with our ideas again, to each other, on this Arab News commentary section. By the way, I'm surprised but pleased that they have such an open commentary section. It's very unusual for the M.E. Kenb

Kenb, I couldn't have said it better.Jordan’s King Abdallah yesterday vowed to “take the fight” to Al-Qaeda’s strongman in Iraq Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi whose group has claimed suicide bombings that killed 57 people in the Jordanian capital. “This is not a battle between a Jordanian-born, Jordan or different countries. This is an ideological struggle between extremist Muslims that have this perverse view of Islam against the rest of us moderate Muslims,” he said.

Bare Madday Ahmed, That such a naive and shallow writing; such an abject and ludicrous composition; such a vulgar and preposterous conclusion; such an obsolete and meaningless chatter will fascinate many a man and attract words like “impressive” “ well- informed” “ long overdue” , ironically shows the wretched state that contemporary masses have willy-nilly stooped. All those who prefer not to think but are ready to gulp any crap that the so-called civilized west shoves down their throat, or else are geared up to serve as kowtowing comprador bourgeois, will never shy away from flaunting, nay! Will forever hawk, their master’s double standards on not only the definition of terrorism but on virtually everything else. “Evenhanded use of the "terrorist" label “ as Carl Boggs have put it “would mean sometimes affixing it directly on the U.S. government. During the past decade, from Iraq to Sudan to Yugoslavia, and Afghanistan, Pentagon missiles have destroyed the lives of civilians just as innocent as those who perished on September 11, 2001. If journalists dare not call that "terrorism," then maybe the word should be retired from the media lexicon." Yes! the chivalrous, the conscientious and the impartial leaders and writers of the world are capable of seeing the culprit and putting the blame where it belongs. Terrorism has become a sort of screen created since the end of the Cold War by policymakers in Washington ... It is fabricated to keep the population afraid and insecure, and to justify what the United States wishes to do globally. Those are the well-meaning words of the internationally acclaimed human rights activist Edward said. But those with shallow brains can’t decipher as Robert Perry, the investigative reporter and author has put it, “ the two parallel but opposed states of mind about military atrocities and human rights: one of U.S. benevolence, generally held by the public, and the other of ends-justify-the-means brutality sponsored by counterinsurgency specialists. Normally the specialists carry out their actions in remote locations with little notice in the national press. That allows the public to sustain its faith in a just America, while hard-nosed security and economic interests are still protected in secret. " Terrorism to the discerning is easier to define. Its when the target is none but innocent civilians. To quote Mahathir Mohamed, “Whether the attackers are acting on their own or on the orders of their governments, whether they are regulars or irregulars, if the attack is against civilians, then they must be considered as terrorists." Terrorism is nothing but the intentional use of, or threat to use violence against civilians or against civilian targets, in order to attain political aims. But the trouble with the US policy makers and their sycophants like the initiator of this bogus article is that they fancy much turning the victim in to the culprit. When those fighting for their rights attack the enemy even with their lives they are branded terrorists. But when tomahawk missiles annihilate a whole community or nation its termed liberation, democracy. As Anthony Quinton the US ambassador to Nicaragua aptly put it “ If they do it it's terrorism, if we do it, it's fighting for freedom. " If ever you come across a murderer, torturer and child-rapist, worse than the Nazis, rest assure that he was reared by US gov’t. For how else could one interpret the words of the head of the US office of public safety mission in Uruguay when, while teaching classes in the art of torture he said, “I can teach you about torture, but sooner or later you'll have to get involved. You'll have to lay on your hands and try it yourselves ... The precise pain, in the precise place, in the precise amount, for the desired effect.'' No wonder then that the Abughairib and Guatemala torturers were homo-rapists.

shoshana, Good for you! Finally, a Muslim taking ownership, responsibility, for the bad image all Muslims have due to the few (in relative terms, out of 600 million Muslims, how many are terrorists?). The trouble is the culture of hate: if Muslim mothers and fathers stop teaching their children to hate all infidels, especially the Jews and the Americans, stop inculcating blind adherence to the religious leaders, and start truly educating their young freely, then perhaps the image of the Muslim will change. There are desperados everywhere, there are victims everywhere, yet only Muslims send their young and their mentally disabled to kill themselves while murdering others. Suicide bombings are a crime against humanity, and those who commit them are depraved murderers, not martyrs.

Michael D. Adams, All Muslem speical forces are called terrorist by the propagandists of the major powers.

Mr. Keiser- Worhach, Your article was wonderful, although it is important that terrorism as a whole is neither new nor solely Muslim action. What is new and what is Muslim is the goal of this new form of terrorism. Terrorism in the past always had clear goal of becoming a legitimate war with political goals. The new form of terrorism so often utilized by members of the Muslim community puts an emphasis on the complete eradication of western culture, whether by attacking out at the US, Israel, or Russia. There is no wish to create a legitimate army or a legitimate state because it is believed that the ranks would be filled with unfit Muslims and Allah would only look down upon their action. In truth many of these groups hate other Muslim just as much as they hate Christians and Jews. They seek to divide and enrage and the only way for them to be stopped is for Muslims, Christians, and Jew to remember Abraham and join together against them. So many people focus on what Muslims, Christians, and Jews have done to each other after Abraham, that we forgot how we all came from Abraham. Ask yourself would you spit in your brothers face?

FK, i must congratulate you on this article ,at last one true muslim journalist is able to write a true article,I am a chritian but I lived most of my life with great muslim friends and neighboures and still I am,I never seen the changes and the fanatism and intolerance from fellow muslims towards others who are not muslim in most of the arab world.being a relgoius is not to hate or kill other people but to present youreslf as ambassador to your religon and culture as wisdom say(It up to us to show the peolpe who we are by the way we behave and not what we achieve).time for all muslims to just mind their own business and worship god in peace ,treat other peolpe the they wish to be treated.if muslims could reach this level then they will be respected again and their voice we be heared.

S Amin, Writers & readers-Please refer to this aricle and wake up Subject: CIA Funding Terrorists Date: 5 Dec 2005 03:54:57 -0000 >How our governments use terrorism to control us >By Tim Howells >Online Journal Contributing Writer > >http://www.onlinejournal.com/artman/publish/article_277.shtml >Nov 28, 2005, 13:55 >The sponsorship of terrorism by western governments, targeting their own populations, has been a taboo subject. Although major scandals have received cursory coverage in the media, the subject has been allowed to immediately disappear without discussion or investigation. Therefore the appearance this year of two major studies of this subject is a welcome breakthrough, and provides essential reading for anyone struggling to understand the events of September 11, 2001 and the post September 11 world. > >The studies are complementary. NATO's Secret Armies, Operation Gladio and Terrorism in Western Europe by Daniele Ganser concerns terrorism sponsored by American and British intelligence in Western Europe and Turkey between the end of World War II and 1985. The War on Truth, 9/11, Disinformation, and the Anatomy of Terrorism by Nafeez Mosaddeq Ahmed chronicles the cultivation and sponsorship of militant Islamic terrorism by the intelligence services of the United States, Britain and Russia from 1979 to the present. Both studies are models of scholarship -- meticulously documented and carefully reasoned -- but the world they reveal will boggle the mind of the most wild-eyed conspiracy theorist. > >Creating "Communist" Terrorism to Fuel the Cold War > >NATO's Secret Armies describes how following World War II the US and Britain, fearing a Soviet invasion of Europe, established "stay-behind" paramilitary units throughout Western Europe and in Turkey. Had the anticipated Soviet invasion occurred these units would have constituted ready made resistance groups, trained and armed, with secure communications with each other and with their allies in Britain and the US. In some counties, for example Norway and Sweden, these stay-behind units were true to their original charters, remaining inactive until they disbanded at the end of the Cold War. In other countries, however, the paramilitary units were activated by their handlers in the United States as part of a hellish "Strategy of Tension" designed to convince left-leaning populations in Italy, Germany, Belgium, Greece, Turkey and other countries that their very lives were at risk from communist terrorists. The arms and bombs originally intended for the Soviets were turned instead on their own compatriots with the aim of placing the blame for the waves of terrorist attacks on communists. > >In Italy the stay-behind operation was referred to as Gladio (Latin for "Sword"). The Piazza Fontana bombings that killed 16 and wounded 80 shortly before Christmas in 1969 initiated a wave of terrorist bombings in Italy by Gladio operatives that continued throughout the 1970s. The worst single bombing occurred in the Bologna train station in 1980, killing 85 and wounding 200. Another Gladio bombing in Brescia in 1974 killed eight and wounded 102, and the same year a train was bombed in Rome, killing 12 and wounding 48. The case that led to the discovery of the Gladio plots by the Italian courts was a 1972 bombing that killed three policemen. > >The Gladio operations in Italy are relatively well known and well understood because of several high level judicial investigations that received coverage in the European press and have been the subject of a few books. One contribution of Ganser's book is to bring this material together in a concise and well organised format. Further, Ganser extends his study beyond Italy to examine the effects of stay-behind operations throughout Western Europe and in Turkey. > >I was quite surprised to learn that by far the most extensive and destructive stay-behind operations were those carried out in Turkey und

Raheela, I DISAGREE THAT "ALMOST ALL MUSLIMS ARE TERRORIST"Those so called suicider bombers i tottaly hate and i am a muslim what they dis was wrong. God said if their was a holy jihad then you must protect your country even if it means you die because u will become shaheed, it state no where that you must go and bomb buses that have normal citizens on it that are going about their daily dutis, becuse not only did the scicide bombers die but they will have to do that agin at the same place everyday until the day of judgement because they commit suicide not do a jihad.And in the Quran it state that you must not commit sucide ever because i gave you life and im the only1 that can take it away from. So if allmuslims understood that then they would not commit these scicide bombs.

Jorge Ferrer, I am so tired of the media comments on how terrorists are treated at Guantamano bay & abroad. Remember 9/11 & sink those memories into your mind. Our men and women are fighting a war in Iraq where terrorists are comming from Iran & Syria across Iraq borders. Iran is trying to aquire nuclear capabilities. Palastine is going to be run by Hamas. Leave the Presidant to do his job and wake up.

S.Amin, S Amin: Terorism-Osama-Al Qaeda,9-11 are intelligence & political tools used to mis represent Muslims & Islam.This is the Ziocon propaganda / plans/acts used to attack Muslims / Islam after destroying USSR.This is the next/ current cold war.Osama & his team only appear in the media / cassettes of Al-Jazeera TV of the Qatar province of United States of America to support Bush,Blair...& their team,to help them win elections,get congress,senate,parliament bills passed by OSAMA'S very ,very, very,timely cassette release THREATS.TERRORISM IS THE NEW TOOL USED TO IMPLEMENT THE NEW WORLD DISORDER. AL QAEDA IS SIMPLY A WING OF CIA / FBI / MOSAD / MI-5...'S HIRED BY MONEY & BLACKMAILING AGENTS.IF ANY BODY WANTS TO KNOW WHAT AL QAEDA IS DOING NEXT-JUDGE IT FROM BUSH'S OR BLAIR'S SPEACHES/STATEMENTS- THEY PREDICT THE NEXT ACTIVITY.OSAMA,AL ZWAHIRY'S ALL STATEMENTS /CASSETTES TIMELY APPEAR TO SUPPORT BUSH,BLAIR,ISRAEL'S ACTIONS,NEEDS.THESE CAT & MOUSE / TOM & JERRY CATOONS ARE CREATED TO FOOL THE WORLD, TO KEEP WAGING WARS,JUSTIFY CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY, JUSTIFY & LEGALISE COLOUR / RELIGIOUS DISCIMINATION,RACIALISM,COLONIALISM,INJUSTICE,SUPPORT PUPPET REGIMES..... THIS IS THE REAL FACE OF CAPITALISM,SO ROTTEN,POVERTY INDUCING THROUGH RUMOR-PRICE HIKE SYSTEM THAT IT WILL BRING THE SOCIALISM BACK BY THE FED UP MASSES OF PEOPLE ALL AROUND THE WORLD DUE TO THE BLOOD SUCKING,OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC BY THE ELITE MAFIA'S BY WAY OF WARS,RUMOR & DELIBERATELY SPONSORED ATTACKS-CIVIL WARS TO SHUT DOWN OIL SUPPLIES TO HIKE OIL PRICES & HENCE MARKET /COMMODITY PRICES,WHICH NEVER RETURN BACK/COME DOWN ( ITS GENERAL PUBLIC'S HARD EARNED MONEY STOLEN BY PRICE HIKES, INTO ELITE & CORPORATE CRIMNALS' POCKETS, TAXES ULTIMATELY POURING INTO ELITE/CORPORATE POCKETS.THERE IS NO REAL BASIS FOR ANY NATIONS / RELIGIONS / PEOPLE TO GO TO WARS. ITS THIS ELITISM/CORPORATE CULTURE/CAPITALISM/NEW WORLD DISORDER THAT SUPPORTS ALL THE WARS,CONFLICTS,TERROR ACTIVITIES/GANGS...THIS HAGEMONY IS MAINTAINED BY THE USA,EXPERT ADVISE & AID BY UK,FLARED & SPEARHEADED BY ISRAEL & ITS GOVERNOR GENERALS IN THE USA,UNWILLING BY THE COALITION OF THE WILLING (ACTUALLY NON- WILLING COUNTRIES).EVERY THING EXTREEME HAS AN END, THIS CAT & MOUSE/TOM & JERRY STORY / DRAMA WILL ULTIMATELY COME TO ITS LOGICAL END,ITS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME. ( S.AMIN: amin@iafrica.com )

Jorge, A very brave and well written article. Readings like this give me hope that my children one day will not learn to hate Muslims, I hope there are many more like you out there.

Jorge, To "Raheela": The author of this article does not say that "All Muslims are terrorists", he states that "Almost all terrorists are Muslim" . These are very different statements, but you seem to pay very little attention to the reading. Please read the article again and re-post your comments.

Jorge, To "Michael D. Adams": First, please check your spelling, at the very least spell Muslim correctly. Second, No special force from a legitimate military branch of any Muslim country is labeled terrorist by any major power. If you are referring to Hamas os Hezbollah, you need to get your head out of your ass sir.

Jorge, To "Bare Madday Ahmed": In case you did not know this, allow me to school you. In the case of Yugoslavia NATO forces were there to liberate and protect Muslims form Kosovo and Bosnia, as they did just that. You are so involved in your own hatred that you try to make a senseless point of labeling the U.S. as a terrorist country, yet, you probably live either in the U.S. or another western country. You neglect to mention the numerous cases in which Muslims rape and MURDER children, including Muslim children, in place like Russia, Sudan and Somalia. In East Timor, Muslims raped, robbed, murdered and destroyed over 250,000 lives over the course of 25 years since the illegal Indonesian invasion of the small island, and nobody talks about it, not you and not even 99.99999999999999 % of the American population. You seem to justify, encourage, and willing to finance murder and rape by Muslims. Your attempt to put forth an irresponsible case of fictitious American terrorism is just lame… you too sir need to get your head out of your ass. The author of this article is a courageous individual and you sir, are probably a terrorist.

Jorge, To “Shahid Amin”: Read all my other comments, you too sir, are probably a terrorist.

Jorge, To "Ismail": You are the true idiotic face of a terrorist. Where do you get your idiotic figures from you fool? 50%, you too sir need to get your head out of your ass. Oh yes, and check your spelling too.

kenb, As long as groups keep shrinking God down to fit into their religion, we'll keep on having crazy ideas motivating crazy behavior. Fundamentalism (all types) are a real menace that won't go away soon. KenB

bill jennings, I have visted a number of countries that the majority of the people are of the Islamic faith. I have found them to be like people in other countries. In the manner of religion they have not had the exposure of other religions as such is typically forbidden in their countries. If they ask about Christians and our Bible they are shocked to learn that many of the things they have been told are not true. Many are not even aware that Islam is the fastest growing religion in the U.S. And most are suprised to learn that America is not a Christian Nation, but just a country in which most of the people are Christians and that it is not a "state religion" as it is in their country. If there is going to be peace in this world Islam is going to have to compete for the minds of people with true words and deeds and not with guns and bombs. Communism was more afraid of a free press than all the bombs in the free world because they did not want their people to know the truth. Today that applies to some Islamic countries, and the leaders of those countries are also afraid of the truth. Europe had its Dark Ages when religion was the rule of the land and it was one of the worst periods of suffering ever. Islam is having the same problem now by not letting the people have good leadership. There is not one cleric, iman, or aytolla who can show you a letter from God saying he has the right to rule men. Killing of innocent people is the work of satan and those who kill innocents in the name of God are not working for God but satan. And last of all there are no virgins in heaven and there is no sex. and of course no reward for killing in the name of any God. Good night.

jg, A question to muslims? What would it take for the wiolence to end for america to leave Iraq? leave Afganistan? or maybe the citizens of Iraq would enjoy having Sadam reinstated as their dictator? I have been to Bagdad I have seen the palaces and the way that he was living and I have also seen how the common citizens were living and their was no comperison. However the United States is not like this I went to school, played sports, and had a few friends that were muslim. Americans are not raised to hate muslim were are taught that it is wrong to hate anyone. But i bet that if you go to a school in Iran the students there are being taught to hate westerners. I feel that the problems in the middle east are not caused by the west but rather by the leaders misuse of power. Any one who disagrees needs only to travel to bagdad and see one of sadams former palaces or lood in osamas bank account went workers in afaganistan are happy receiving $50 per month. Muslim world quit letting these false leaders hide behind a noble religion. god bless you all!!!

ivor lotte, Good article sir, and provocative comments. I would suggest that the more we all engage in finger pointing as to who is "really" to blame, the less progress we will truly and substantively make toward peace and reconciliation. What might be wiser is if we each call upon our respective leaders to come clean, to be honest and to admit to the atrocities our nations have perpetrated, whether for religious, economic, or geopolitical reasons. America needs to come clean and own up to its brutal and bloody past as an exporter of terrorism, anti-democracy, insurgency, kidnapping & (exported/outsourced) torture, first strikes and coup d'etat, just as much as many in the Muslim world need to own up and cleanse themselves of their bloody history of violence and the shedding of the blood of innocents. Yes, Israel is an American satellite state and this cannot be denied nor glossed over. Israel has benefitted from the US hypocrisy, as have other nations who do America's bidding, and consequently is almost impervious to any potential chastisement for killing nine year old children carrying big bags, invading a sovereign nation and so many other routine atrocities. Unfortunately though, the Muslim use of terror tactics (and isn't this a loaded term used to dismiss one party's concerns as terrorist while the dominant party calls the same acts it carries out as "freedom fighting") has tarred every Muslim with the same brush and unfortunately contributed to a rapid increase in racism and Islamophobia. Hating Islam is of course not racist is it? Discriminating against anybody or group on the basis of a stereotype, such as race or faith, is racist, but because Islam is the new scapegoat, such discrimination is ignored. It is all part of the psychops and propaganda to dehumanise Muslims and is no different than what the Nazis did with respect to the Jews, gays, and Gypsies: dehumanise them and it makes them easier to be wiped out, discarded, to become unpeople. All this to say, that despite the lofty idealism of America and its allies, America is dealing in death and has done so for many, many decades. In order for us to move forward however, we all need to own up to the blood on our hands and realise that we all face a far graver concern: the imminent destruction of our fragile planet. We can kill each other, or pull together and work toward a common end. But, we won't get there unless each side owns up to its violence fully and unreservedly, without blame and justification. This is the first step to being accountable, which is critical for reconciliation. Peace to all, Muslim & non-Muslim alike.

atrocity exhibition, Jorge Ferrer you speak like a true American: blithely ignorant of all outside of the borders of the US. Maybe 3000 people died at 9/11 ... that's a slow week's worth of killing in Iraq, of women and children and men as well, by Americans and allies. That also discounts the entire history of America since the sinking of the Tonkin, if not before (which was a contrived event to further American interests!! I wonder about (/11 in this regard as well: played very nicely into the PNAC's call for a new "Pearl Harbor" in order to further its geopolitical supremacy). You are both foolish and no doubt one of those idiots who voted for Bush and probably rate him as a good president. Trouble is, you are selling our country down the drain letting the prez get on and do his job. Have you any idea what that job is? It is bleeding the economy dry, we are in greater debt than ever before, we are a hated nation, distrusted, a rogue, a pariah state, with rapidly vanishing civil liberties and a failing currency which is going to get worse once Iran moves into the Euro exchange for oil. How dare you even bring up the deaths of 9/11 which, while tragic, do not compare to what this prez is doing in our names. If you voted for him, and if you still think he's doing a good job then if there is justice in this world then you will go down with him into his little stinking cess-pool of lies and deceit. He is foul and a liar and a fool, a dispicable example of a God-fearing man: he makes Christians look bad just by association. Jorge Ferrer, get your head out of your ass, as you seem to want to instruct others here to do, and smell the coffee ... or should that be blood, you know the smell? That slightly iron-tinged smell wafting through the air, buoyed up only by the smell of feces that emanates from Capitol Hill and the White House? That's the smell you should be using as your magnetic north of truth, because the Bush-Cheney-Rumsfeld triad aren't going to give you anything straight, except a ticket to hell. Shame on you Jorge Ferrer: read a little and quit watching Fox TV "News". Get a life, and move out of your little comfort zone of Amerika uber alles!!

alina, very well done. i think the writer is very stupid. probebly he got paid to do this. i am muslim and i think islam is one of the most peaceful religions in this planet except those certian individuals who make it bad for the others, but americans always like to investigate through other's countries business. i can tell you one thing and this is the truth. the whole 9/11 was a setup because moran bush wanted more oil. this is the real truth and noone can deny it.

AlinaBelina, Alina, you should go find some Mulsim porn online instead of try to invent conspiracy theories :-)

Elvis, It is comforting to hear a rational voice. Only Muslims can stop Muslim terrorists. In the United States we have our own terrorist groups (Klu Klux Klan, Neo-Nazi) that hide behind the label of Christianinty yet nothing they do is in concert with anything taught in the Bible. True Christians are the ones who point out that these groups are anti-christian and it is up to Muslim leaders to do the same.

Iam, Only Muslims can choose to stop the mindless slaughter of innocents, the outpouring of hate from the mullahs, the inequality and mistreatment of women and minorities in their societies, the suppression of thought and expression and the intolerance of any other cultures. Only Muslims can look within themselves to solve their own problems and return to being the religion of science and learning as it once was long ago. Do not blame the West or other religions as they can not be explainted as the underlying cause for the last 1000 years of it's decline. The window of opportunity is closing fast as other cultures are simply turning away and isolating themselves from Islamic societies to minimize the contact and the damage. Even energy will soon not be a ready source of trade as the world discovers and exploits the alternatives at an ever increasing rate. The shocking lack of Muslim voices expressing rage at the extremists for hijacking the religion is an indication that despite the words of some moderate leaders, most Muslims would rather confront the outside than fix the inside.

kenb, One of the reasons for extremism and Fundamentalism, (where groups shrink GOD down to fit their religion), is the absence of the Women's voice. Women are a civilizing force that tends to moderate the extreme and passionate -- sometimes crazy side of Men. For instance, drunk driving men in the U.S were slaughtering thousands of innocents. A couragous women started "MADD", "Mothers Against Drunk Drivers". The laws they enacted helped save many lives. In the Middle East and other Islamic areas, the Women's voice is stifled and diminished under a male dominated societies. One half of their societies don't have much say in what goes on. What if the Women in these Islamic countries started an organization called "MAFI"-- "Mothers Against Fanatical Islam" -- just think of all the lives they could save. They could be a factor in reducing the number of young men determined to get "drunk" on their selfish need of the intoxicating thought of heaven for themselves. Kenb

Tom Kelly, Typical muslim setup. They tell you how good of people they are and then stab you in the back. Never trust a raghead sonofabitch

Shahazadah, Yes, One more views in the name of Freedom Of Speech. There are some good and bad in every sect and religion, but you can' really blame the whole sect and religion. Please for the sake of Allah don't blame Islam for all this. An individual is responsible for his own deeds. Some miscreants are using only Islam as a platform. Just pray to Allah to put us all on right path and follow the teachings of Quran.

DAS, The articles is one of a Kind I have seen form the Arab world which talks of self-realization about terrorism and which in turn would help define the concept of Jihad and qafirs , well I see a lot many people equating problems of Isreal with Kashmir , well to the Non-indias the Untold truth about Kashmir is that 15 % of Kashmirs have been killed by the terrorist simple because they were Hindu and ignored that a kashmir(Muslim terroirts ) was killing his own brother another kashmiri just because he was a kafir, well India has the second largest Muslim population in the world next to Indonesia which has the largest people need to think Kashmir Muslims just has 17% of Indians Muslims if Muslims were really badly treated why havent the rest 83% revolted against the Indians and Indian army , well all the riots starts because of the pan-Islamic concept which tells all Muslim to love mecca and medina and fellow muslims and just treat non-mulsims as kafirs...well I have many Muslim friends but when I see the lastest riots in India and subsequent bomb blast in a Hindu temple which all started becasue some Indian Muslims wanted to forcefull protest against Danish Cartoons and tried to force Hindu bussiness to down their shutters during Bush India vists.....I think Islam should advocate more of love for motherland like Mothers then talk about Universal brotherhood based on Pan-Islamic conept which would turn Local Muslims like the Indian Muslims in to traitors who just join the gang into protesting things which are not local to their place of residence.. anyway I just want to make a point that 17% Kashimir muslims talk about atrocites against them by Indian army which is a false propoganda and still people beleive into these propoganda where as noone every talk about the 100000 Kashmir Hindus who were killed by there own kashmir brothers and around 400000 of the Kashiri Hindus living as refugees in their own country from last 25 years is this the Kashmir cause that kashmir is only for the Muslims what about Kashmir Hindus and Buddists population ....well Muslims who talk about Jihad and Kafar should understand that ultimate it doesnt matter what name we use for GODS be it ALLAH , JESUS or RAM its same like we using different vocab for water where INDIAN Hindus call it JAL , INDIAN CHRISTIANS call it HOLYWATER and the INDIAN MUSLIMS call its as PANI....so can god ask his own creation to be destroyed just because there happen to be qafir and worships Him with different name......

abdul khadir, assalaamu alaikum, shame on this brother al_rashid who claims himself to be a muslim.shame on this brother who thinks that he is bringing in peace by writing this article. i bet you have done all this to earn fame and nothing else. your view about all terrorists as muslims makes no good sense, and the comments chain you have started is inciting more hatredness by non-muslims towards muslims.your article is shit and it contains one sided views.i wish you should have also been tortured by these enemies of mislims,you would have never written such article if your own sisters or your mother or your wife or your daughters have been raped by these enemies of islam, or your dad,your own brothers or your sons been tortured and killed in front of your eyes.why did you forget to mention in your article about the shit happened in abu gharib prison to prisoners of war, why did you forget to mention that almost whoever dared to face western countries have always been named as terrorists,what did these britishers labelled indian freedom fighters, what did america named to vietnamese freedom fighters,who helped an underdeveloped country like afghanistan to fight and win over a superpower like USSR. alas...... what an evil shit you have in your mind. why did you forget to mention that even after all these terror incidents happening all over the world,ISLAM is still the fastest growing religion in the world and the very fastest spreading religion inside america itself. hope you dont have much knowledge about things happening in the world, your mind set up is just confined to two things ISLAM and the west,why are you not cosidering other terrorists organisations like LTTE,NAXALS OF INDIA,MAOISTS AND MANY MORE.If you dont believe that oganisations other than arab muslims are nothing then just make a visit to other terrorist groups along with your beautiful wif,daughters,sisters and all your family members,then you will be very happy to view everything happening in front of your eyes.... why did you forget to consider that there are muslims in almost all paRTS of this world and why only suffering muslims are becoming terrorists. just think if i do shit to your faMILY AND if you come for revenge, and then if i call you a terrorist for taking revenge, what do you think of this. all you could have written in your article is that you could have pleaded to muslim community to read QUR'AN and follow its rules perfectly. since ALLAH gives best way to patience ,your shit views can never equal the guidelines of ALLAH. so kindly return the money you got to write this article to the enemies of ISLAM and try never to repeat this mistake again. IF YOU ARE SO CONFIDENT OF YOUR VIEWS THEN COME TO DEBATE WITH ME, I WILL MAKE YOU SHIT IN YOUR PANT.ITS AN OPEN CHALLENGE.

S Amin, . Please refer to a posting in one of these articles, posted as: [Wellwisher, http://website.lineone.net/~jon.simmons/roy/peanutb.htm Here is a list of the countries that America has been at war with - and bombed - since the second world war: China (1945-46, 1950-53), Korea (1950-53), Guatemala (1954, 1967-69), Indonesia (1958), Cuba (1959-60), the Belgian Congo (1964), Peru (1965), Laos (1964-73), Vietnam (1961-73), Cambodia (1969-70), Grenada (1983), Libya (1986), El Salvador (1980s), Nicaragua (1980s), Panama (1989), Iraq (1991-99), Bosnia (1995), Sudan (1998), Yugoslavia (1999). And now Afghanistan. Certainly it does not tire - this, the most free nation in the world ] ( un quote) Comment:- Yes it did not tire and went into Iraq, now planning for Iran, then Syria, Then S. Arabia , what next ? Ask the Israeli's, they 've got the list , Bush, Blair, Cheney get revelations through Rumsfeld's team that brings them from the Capitol Hill-TELAVIV. Its a matter of serious concen, historical significance & background and future predictor of logical / scientific outcome: To every action, there is equal and opposite reaction ( Newton's Laws ). How can USA grow seeds of hatred, bloodshed, barbarianism, abuse resources of other nations, leave them poor, bombed, irradiated, orphaned and label them ignorant, uncivilized, terrorists and reap crops of love and appreciation, despite pouring lots of aid over these wounds and then hurt the wounds again and again. Same being done by European Governments. This is the root cause of First World versus the rest. [THE FIRST WORLD'S PROGRESS IN EDUCATION,INDUSTRIES,SCIENCES....IS SUPERB, A BIG WELL DONE, IN CAPITALS, ALONG WITH THE AID GIVEN IN DISASTERS, CRISIS, THE DONATIONS ARE ACTS, BEYOND DOUBT, APPRECIATED IN THE BEST POSSIBLE WORDS.] Now returning to 9-11:- Many 9-11s happened in the past, are happening and will happen to keep on track and justify this dominance. Problem is common people are too ignorant, short sighted, Hollywood fantasized, shopping obsessed..... and have all their time for worthless activities but no time for critical thought. May be they fear the reality and hide in the myths and dreams of self glorification.( For example you as American still don't know that the name of your country has been changed by this regime to THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY, where HYPOCRACY is called DEMOCRACY. Your capital has (with full effect from 1960s ) changed. The country is no more governed from Washington, but from TELAVIV. This is a crude example of : THOSE WHO STEAL OTHER PEOPLES' SOVERENITY,GET THEIR OWN SOVERENITY STOLEN, LIKEWISE.) *There will be no threats from the many AXES OF EVIL [They just want to mind their own business, leave them alone. If you chase a mouse it will scare away, but if you corner it, it will stand up to its defense, even without any WMD ,however powerless it may be, then you call it AXIS OF EVIL, TERRORIST, HAS WMD, THREATENS ISRAEL, WANTS A- BOMB, WHICH EVERYONE ON YOUR SIDE HAS IN HUGE NO.S, IS UNCIVILISED...IS THIS THE NEW WORLD DISORDER, GLOBALISATION, THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY- USA's NEW NAME, HYPO (DEMO)CRACY]. JUST THE ANGELS WILL FACE THEIR HOLY CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY ( NO INTERNET, COSMETICS TO MEDICINE, MOON TO MARS GIVES ANYONE LICENSE OF CIVILISATION FOR MASS KILLINGS, EXPLOITING / LOOTING FELLOW HUMAN BEINGS, ON SKIN COLOR AND RELIGIOUS DIVIDES. ( I HAVE DETAILED ACCOUNTS OF OIL- GOLD-OTHER MINNING,WEAPON INDUSTRIES' FIGURES FROM VARIOUS COUNTRIES / DECADES TO STATE THIS). THESE ARE ACTS OF BARBARIANISM CONTRARY TO CIVILISATION. The Weather inside USA is as pleasant as in Saddam, Hitler, Stalin, Chengez Khan's Palaces. But it is not representative of reality. TODAYS AMERICANS ARE NO BETTER INFORMED THAN THE FRENCH QUEEN WHO SUGGESTED TO THE POOR PROTESTORS THAT IF THEY CAN'T GET THE BREAD, WHY DON'T THEY EAT CAKE. PLEASE DON'T BRUISE (NOT BROWSE) PASS THE REALITIE

csabill, Just wanted to add this... India is not perfect. In a society with multiple religions and multiple view points and opinions... and a democracy that is slow yet still works... skirmishes do happen. But we still allow muslims to practice Sharia for civil disputes involving muslims only. But you dont know how hard muslim women are fighting the evils of polygamy & triple-talaq (now even via SMS & e-mail) etc and do much worse than non-muslim Indian women. Polygamy is punishable under general Indian law and divorce has marriage counselling as the first step of the legal process for non-muslims... The problem is not muslims or islam... but with the way you select teachers of islam to the believers... Get great grades - become a doctor. Get good grades - become an engineer. Get bad grades - become a lawyer ;-). Fail - become an imam. That is how one muslim affairs person (he is muslim too) put it on the Doha Debates on BBC. When your teachers know nothing about the non-muslim world & know only sharia and Quran... you are screwed anyway. You guys need to pick people who have had good education of history and non-islamic & islamic world and teachings and law and politics to teach islam in religious schools. Someone who is a scholar in Quran need not be fully aware of how those who have never read the Quran live their life. But 3/4ths of the world is non-muslim. Unless a person who knows this and acknowledges the multicultural nature of the Earth we live in teaches islam, I am sorry... we are going to fight our way to destructing this Earth... On Kashmir... Every kashmiri killed by Indian army is muslim. Unfortunately, every terrorist killed in Kashmir is either a Pakistani muslim terrorist or a muslim terrorist trained in Pakistan. Kashmir was a peaceful place till the late 70s when Pakistan started injecting terrorists from their side. So the killing is a result of a hate filled pogrom started by the muslim brothers of kashmiri muslims against India. It simply doesn't help you. But just strengthens the view of the author of the article, a very brave and honest man in my eyes.

csabill, To S. Amin...
"The CIA and Pakistan's ISI trained and armed the mojahedin who, in the 80s, were seen as terrorists by the government in Soviet-occupied Afghanistan. Today, Pakistan - America's ally in this new war - sponsors insurgents who cross the border into Kashmir in India. Pakistan lauds them as "freedom-fighters", India calls them "terrorists"."
That is from the article you posted. Hope it clears your doubts on Kashmir. It is a result of bitter hatred between India and Pakistan dating back to the partition during Indian & Pakistani independence, but as always has been politicised as a islam+muslim issue by Pakistani and you guys as always have believed the muslims and never consider what the infidels say. Yeah right... the auran does say that the witness of a non-muslim is invalid before sharia and you are true muslim who believes in the auran as word of god.

kenb, To S.Amin; All of your words in all of the languages doesn't change the fact that more people try to immigrate to Western Countries rather than the other way around. Why is this?

Bare Madday, TO kenb:::: U asked Amin the question: why do ppl go to west and not the east or south???...This kind of question, to say the least, betrays a aslumberance ignorance..for how could one who lives in that allegedly civilised, developed and presumably knowledgeable part of the globe, utter such goobledygook. Most of those who migrate to the west are either ignorant like you, or are traiters, who, instead of binding themselves with and fortifying the forces of anti-imperialism and anti-neocolonialism, are willynilly flocking in droves to their butchers, of whom they consider(thanks to the brainwashing classes they atend)their masters.

Frankie Shaw, When will the terrorist Muslim learn that all the bombing, kidnapping and murder changes nothing. It affects the lives of those immediately involved but nothing beyond that. People are possibly horrified for a short time and then get on with the business of living. The volume of attacks has done nothing but desensitize all of us. What has changed for the better for Muslims or the West since 9/11? Nothing. Therefore the philosophy of jihad is flawed and pointless. Killing us will change nothing and the sooner we all get a handle on that, the sooner we can get on with the business of peace-making and learning to accept and tolerate our neighbours.

Chimbala Mkwinda, Mkwinda,I have been always wondering why fellow moslems do not condem publicly these acts of terrorism done mostly by moslem faithfuls.Thank you for your article,it has encouraged me.Sure these terrorists are messagers of satan only to turnish the image of this good religion.To denie that most terrorists are moslems its another sign that the one arguing has no honest heart and lacks justice to judge matters correctly,or I may say such people might be other hiding terrorists in our midst.No just mind can refute that the greatest harm done on human kind has been what the so called moslems are doing,imagine the suicide bombers in Irag,who are they?Where on earth people can be so cruel to enter holy places while faithfuls are praying and denote abom?This is more serious and shows how these so called Moslems have stooped too low until can kill people while praying.These bandits are worshippers too,misguided by certain religious leaders.Iam even questioning what these other sheiks preach to their followers,am afraid there must be somewhere these cruel people are taught that killing other people of different faith or those supporting who are deemed to be infidels is doing God a service.Wrong teachings pervent good minds from persuing ajust course in life.Let us unite and condem these acts.These bandits are turnishing the image of Islam.It is being shallow minded to make comparisons between American,or Russian troops and Moslems.Moslems are people believing in Allah,who is the fountain of peace,while these other groups are nations,not a religious grouping.Most Americans and Russians are pagans and whatever they do its not astonishing because you expect such acts from them,people without God,what else can they do,its killing and all sorts of evil to the highest degree. I agree with the writer of the article condeming those killers 100%,its shameful and sickening for moslems who worship God to be in fore front killing innocent people.Almost in all countries where the number of moslem faithfuls is higher than others,there is no peace,killing innocent people everyday,shame!! and stop that to save the image of Isalm.

kenb, To Bare Madday, All I'm saying is that I don't know of a lot of Westerners trying to move the other way. However, I have worked all over the world and have met many people desiring to move to Europe, N. America etc. I'm trying to help one bright fellow - from the Middle East- move here to join his family. I'm not saying all other countries are bad in comparison. I'm only saying that the West can't be as bad as you make it out-- if all these millions of people are trying to move here. Also, do an inventory of all the things you utilize that are derived from the West. I bet the list is long. Start with the computer your using to bad mouth everyone. Kenb

Oday Shahin, Your article is full of insults not to just Muslims, but to everyone. The article is full of fallacies, logical ones this is not including the haram things you have said, lets ignore that for a second. Thus, logocailly speaking, you are very wrong. To say that "almost all terrorists are Muslims" is to say that "all thiefs are Christian", it doesnt prove anything. Your prove is not valid, because you only use Middle Eastern incidents. You call yourself a reporter...you know nothing of journalism. Do yourself a favor..close this site and get a real job. Hahahaha...you make me laugh.

M Johnson, I am an American. I go through my life day by day and week by week trying to provide a decent living for my family. I may be naive to think that most people in this world are just like me. I want to love my family and friends and practice my religion without any inteference from the Government into my life. My religion and that of the Muslims has nothing to do with terrorism. That is the main theme of this article. To believe that killing innocent people is the will of God, no matter what side you are on, is ridiculous. God does not condone killing our fellow man. This is about governments and leaders of certain groups wanting to prove something to the world. I may not want to be a Muslim, but I cannot deny them the right to practice their religion in my country, because we are a free nation. How many Muslim nations are willing to say the same. How many are willing to allow their people to convert to other religions if they want. I may not agree with the Muslim way of life but I do not believe that all Muslims are terrorists and not all terrorists are Muslim. If christians and muslims continue to use religion as a justification for war we will have another global war. Why don't every one that believes that it is the other sides fault and that your people have no blame to share in all of this, look back at history and remember that there are good and bad things about both sides of this conflict and try to remedy the situation. We need peace and stability in all parts of the world. Let's try that for a change.

Daniel McCreedy, The only ones who can stop the murderous, and Satanist blasphemy committed daily by Muslim terrorists is other Muslims. Please do this before the 2nd holocaust occur