We have seen the unfurling of flags, the lighting of candles, the giving of blood, the saying of prayers — in English, Hebrew, and Arabic.
Americans have many questions tonight. Americans are asking: Who attacked our country? The evidence we have gathered all points to a collection of loosely affiliated terrorist organizations known as al Qaeda. They are the same murderers indicted for bombing American embassies in Tanzania and Kenya, and responsible for bombing the USS Cole.
Al Qaeda is to terror what the mafia is to crime. But its goal is not making money; its goal is remaking the world — and imposing its radical beliefs on people everywhere.
The terrorists practice a fringe form of Islamic extremism that has been rejected by Muslim scholars and the vast majority of Muslim clerics — a fringe movement that perverts the peaceful teachings of Islam. The terrorists’ directive commands them to kill Christians and Jews, to kill all Americans, and make no distinction among military and civilians, including women and children.
We are not deceived by their pretenses to piety. We have seen their kind before. They are the heirs of all the murderous ideologies of the 20th century. By sacrificing human life to serve their radical visions — by abandoning every value except the will to power — they follow in the path of fascism, and Nazism, and totalitarianism. And they will follow that path all the way, to where it ends: in history’s unmarked grave of discarded lies.
Our response involves far more than instant retaliation and isolated strikes. Americans should not expect one battle, but a lengthy campaign, unlike any other we have ever seen. It may include dramatic strikes, visible on TV, and covert operations, secret even in success. We will starve terrorists of funding, turn them one against another, drive them from place to place, until there is no refuge or no rest. And we will pursue nations that provide aid or safe haven to terrorism. Every nation, in every region, now has a decision to make. Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists. (Applause.) From this day forward, any nation that continues to harbor or support terrorism will be regarded by the United States as a hostile regime.
Steyn's point is that we are fighting an ideology, i.e, militant Islamic fundamentalism. We have been very reluctant to go specifically after the tenets of their beliefs. We need to identify these radical beliefs directly. They are not just the "mafia" or your garden variety terrorists who pretend to be pious. They are true believers and proselytisers. They are extremists, but the response from the Islamic world has been less than encouraging. Bin Laden is a hero to many Muslims. And Islam must reexamine its basic beliefs and practices in the 21st century, e.g., the treatment of women, tolerance towards the practice of other religions in Islamic countries, etc.
To date, our national response has been to install foot washing basins into public restrooms and light up the Empire State building to celebrate Eid.
Even our most outspoken critics of Islam are avoiding one explosive issue that has religious and scientific condemnation of their culture. Mark Steyn talks about demographics. I confess I haven't read his book. But who is saying anything about 30% of Muslims marring first cousins, leading to inbred sick and stillborn children, whom they abandon to taxpayers? http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/short/333/7573/831?etoc Who has condemned polygamy, scientifically, not religiously for causing inbreeding? We make fun of Southerners marrying cousins, but everyone is hushed about Muslims. Each generation in polygamous societies has fewer male ancestors and more sons and daughters who are cousins and half-siblings. It is mathematical, not religious. Finally, polygamy causes a cultural necessity for violence and conquest since extra young men must be purged or find foreign women to rape and enslave. Mohammed's lust ruined his civilization, IMHO. Another interesting article about marrying cousins. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/4442010.stm