First, what value has islam brought to the world in the last hundreds of years? In other words, what contributions has islam given us that elevate humans and advance humanity?
Second, what has islam cost the world in terms of human lives lost, capital resources spent and intellectual energies used up fighting islam's inherent violent nature and its express desire to conquer and control the world?
Answering these two questions should help intellectually honest and rational humans, regardless of their faith, assess the cost vs benefit of islam. The real question is whether or not the world would be better off if there never was islam. Is that a world worth pursuing? Ultimately, given islam's nature, we have an "either/or" question unless islam reforms and conforms to the 21st century and beyond.
Mr. Pipes and the rest of us have been safe for the last six years, thanks Mr. President and our Men and Women in uniform. Name calling and insults by heads of state is childish,an example is Chavez.