"The abolition of the caliphate, then, accomplished precisely the opposite of what Ataturk hoped it would: it gave the adherents of political Islam a cause around which to rally, recruit, and mobilize."
As if they haven't done this against the US already... Does the author really mean to imply that if we did something like drop ol' MOAB on Mecca, we'd get attacked by terrorists? That's about as absurd as the dems proclaiming that the war in Iraq has put the homeland in greater danger. I don't see how we could possibly be in greater danger as far as terrorism goes than we were on 9/11.
They would have nuked us if they could have, instead of flying planes into crowded buildings, or possibly have done both. They still will if given the chance.
I don't necessarily agree that bombing Mecca would produce the effect we want, however. Really though, what could they do about it that they haven't already done, planned to do, or would do if given the chance?
Islam is the problem. One can arrive at that conclusion just by reading Quran. I warn anyone who hasn't read it, it's pretty much a loop of 'kill anyone who doesn't covert; kill jews; kill anyone who doesn't believe'. There's a section or two there instructing wife beating too. I found absolutely nothing about live and let live, nothing about peace, or loving thy neighbor (even if you can find nothing to love).
I don't believe we've faced issues such as this before in our history. We've always just spot-dealt with them all the way back to Jefferson declaring war on the Barbary Pirates. The only time that area has been at peace is when the Brits controlled them.
My theory is that the only way to stamp out the threat is to do things that are against our grain, like take them over. From my point of view, the ill intent they have for the west cannot be cured by democracy at all. If they are going to behave like animals they should be treated as such.
I agree with your analysis. The West needs to come to grips with the fact that Islam's mandate is "convert or kill" the infidel. Islam has been trying to fulfill this mandate for, oh, around 1200 to 1300 years!
When faced with such an intractable enemy, to survive, unorthodox measures may be required. And it is a question of survival, in my opinion.
This crap about trying to "understand" why they are the way they are is the usual "liberal bs, just like "crime is caused by poverty".
Islam is the problem.