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Rice, in over her head
Jihad Watch ^ | April 23, 2008 | Hugh Fitzgerald

Posted on 04/23/2008 11:00:43 AM PDT by forkinsocket

“A reliable source has informed me that Condoleeza Rice has approved a new lexicon for State Department usage, absolutely forbidding the use of the terms "jihad" and "jihadist" by any State Department official.” -- Robert Spencer

Without intelligent use of the word "Jihad," a word both accurate and useful (these qualities do not always coincide), a word that demands to be explained, and in that explanation -- the same kind of explanation that the word "dhimmi" calls for, Infidels will be forced to learn certain home truths about the meaning, and menace, of Islam.

By banning use of the word "Jihad," Rice makes much more difficult the intelligent dissemination of information about Islam. She makes more difficult the task of seeing the war of self-defense in all of its dimensions, and furthermore, far from encouraging peace, defined as the absence of open warfare through military means, makes such open warfare through such means more likely, by preventing the United States and other Infidel lands, from working to divide and demoralize the Camp of Islam and Jihad. That can only take place, it is clear, once the conflict is understood, and once the most effective instruments of Jihad are grasped, and the monomaniacal emphasis on "terrorism" has come, as it must, to an end. For that emphasis has served to divert attention from the Money Weapon, campaigns of Da'wa, and most important of all, demographic conquest that, in Western Europe, proceed without Infidel governments taking the kind of minimal measures that, at any other time in history, would long ago have been sensibly undertaken.

Whatever the peoples of the West may have lacked in the past -- cars and computers, say -- they did at least forthrightly, uninhibitedly, recognize the nature of Islam, its meaning, its menace. Rice wishes to prevent this, in order to curry favor with Arab states, and possibly in order to prevent having to begin the difficult work (but hardly too difficult) of figuring out the kinds of things that might best work to weaken the Camp of Islamic Jihad. Those ways have all been set out here, over the past few years -- often in great detail. But Rice hasn't time in her datebook. She hasn't space in her brain, to consider how best, how most effectively, how at the least cost, without all the squandering (of men, money, materiel, morale both civilian and military) that the Iraq folly continues to cause, to undo or hold in check the forces of Jihad.

She's in over her head, and not waving, but drowning.

And despite all this, a Jihad Watch commenter said in the wake of this news that "our administration is doing just fine."

The Bush Administration has had nearly seven years to educate itself, and then to help educate those whose duty it is to instruct and to protect, in the nature of Islam, and in the meaning, and instruments, and goals, of Jihad. It has failed completely to do so. In fact, it has chosen to squander men, money, materiel in Iraq, in a venture that, if it might conceivably be justified initially, is so no longer. And that initial justification depends on one's judgment in the Administration's presentation of, and belief in, evidence concerning weapons, and ongoing projects to produce weapons of mass destruction by the regime of Saddam Hussein. For that was the argument presented to Congress -- that and that alone, and not the idiotic bringing of "freedom" to "ordinary moms and dads" in Iraq, or any other such impossible and irrelevant nonsense. Such nonsense stands in the way of the icy exploitation of ethnic and, especially, sectarian fissures that, once openly on display with the removal of the iron hand of Saddam Hussein, could have led, and can still lead -- and indeed inevitably will lead, as soon as the Americans get out of the way -- to a situation that will demand the attention, and the volunteers, and the materiel, and above all the money, of both Iran and Saudi Arabia, and will necessarily cause difficulties within many Muslim countries, including Yemen, Bahrain, Pakistan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia (in the Eastern Province populated by Shi'a), well beyond the immediate and permanent problems that will remain in Iraq.

Having used up -- having squandered -- so much political capital in Iraq, the Administration has failed completely to deal with Iran. And if Iran acquires nuclear weapons, one can thank those who were so convinced that the Iraq Project made sense, though no one has yet been able to utter an articulate paragraph explaining just how the stated desired outcome or goals of the Bush Administration in Iraq would help weaken the Camp of Islamic Jihad or, for example, lessen the threat of the Money Weapon, Da'wa, and demographic conquest in the threatened lands of Western Europe. They haven't explained this, because they can't.

And the unpopularity of the Iraq War, and failure to explain the nature of Jihad, has made it domestically harder to obtain from Congress the support necessary for domestic security measures that make sense, if explained by an administration that had a policy that made sense. But the Iraq policy does not make sense. It makes the very opposite of sense. American forces should leave Iraq, indeed should have started to leave by February or March 2004 (by that time Saddam Hussein had been captured, his sons killed, his chief collaborators captured or killed, and the country scoured for weapons and weapons projects).

But the Bush loyalists, incapable of independent analysis, and still so incapable, saw support for the idiotic Iraq War as a test of wills with those they deem "lefties" (or some such vulgarism). And so they continue to pour this nonsense into the ear of McCain, who if he does not come to understand that the American forces should leave Iraq not because the Total Belief-System of totalitarian Islam is not a great and universal menace, but precisely because it is, will undoubtedly lose the election. And at least one of his potential opponents apparently has views on Islam that rival those of Jimmy Carter, indeed is a Carter in posse waiting to become one in esse.

"Our administration is doing just fine."

"Our" administration could hardly be doing worse.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Philosophy
KEYWORDS: iran; iraq; islam; jihad; pc; rice; wot
.
1 posted on 04/23/2008 11:00:43 AM PDT by forkinsocket
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To: forkinsocket
“A reliable source has informed me ..."

Whatever.

2 posted on 04/23/2008 11:04:11 AM PDT by the invisib1e hand (media is now a double-edged sword; it's no longer a billy-club in the hands of the big goons.)
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To: the invisib1e hand

Yup, and a “reliable source who asked not to be identified” told me the sky was, indeed, blue....

Without “named sources”, this article is nothing.

I keep thinking I’m going to start writing articles using “reliable sources”, even tho’ they do not exist.


3 posted on 04/23/2008 11:07:49 AM PDT by illiac (If we don't change directions soon, we'll get where we're going)
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To: the invisib1e hand
“A reliable source has informed me that Condoleeza Rice has approved a new lexicon for State Department usage, absolutely forbidding the use of the terms "jihad" and "jihadist" by any State Department official.” -- Robert Spencer

Robert Spencer is to be taken seriously. And the report is perfectly attuned with the naive, puerile and dangerous conception of Islam prevalent in this administration.

4 posted on 04/23/2008 11:08:25 AM PDT by Blennos (High Point, NC)
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To: forkinsocket
The Fray - Over My Head (Cable Car). Rice is over her head. LOL!
5 posted on 04/23/2008 11:12:36 AM PDT by Tamar1973 (Catch the Korean Wave, one Bae Yong Joon film at a time!)
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To: Blennos
the naive, puerile and dangerous conception of Islam prevalent in this administration.

You mean the adminsitration that stopped just short of nuking Afghanistan and Iraq and has prevented any attack in the US since 9/11?

/rhetorical question.

6 posted on 04/23/2008 11:12:46 AM PDT by the invisib1e hand (media is now a double-edged sword; it's no longer a billy-club in the hands of the big goons.)
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To: forkinsocket

A lot of this stuff is silly. We can’t kill every Muslim in the world - we have to fight terrorists and assist moderate Muslims in getting control of the Mideast. So if a little language modification will help that cause - so be it.

I don’t trust Bush on immigration, but in fighting terrorism he knows what he is doing.


7 posted on 04/23/2008 11:12:53 AM PDT by stinkerpot65 (Global warming is a Marxist lie.)
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To: forkinsocket

Indeed. Robert Spencer is a reliable source, and I can well believe that Rice has issued this directive—which the Arabists in the State Department would be only too happy to follow anyway.

There was, or could have been, a purpose for going into Iraq, but it seems as if Bush has increasingly lost sight of it. The only plausible purpose, in our national interest, was to secure an oil supply and a base for further efforts to combat jihadism.

But we have failed to exploit the oil—apparently for fear of offending the moonbats with bumper stickers. And we have failed to deal with Syria and Iran, the two obvious targets that should have been next on the list. And we have failed to deal with the Saudis, who are at the root of the whole mess. Instead, we are continuing to pay them billions, which they in turn use us to bribe our politicians and diplomats not to use the word “jihad” and not to do anything to start solving the oil crisis.

It is extremely odd that our enemies can constantly use the term “jihad,” and know perfectly well what it means, but that we are forbidden to do so. It is odd that we must deplore the crusades, a matter of a decade or two of history, but must ignore 1400 years of Muslim aggression, violence, slave-taking, and destruction of civilizations.


8 posted on 04/23/2008 11:18:20 AM PDT by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
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To: Blennos

“..forbidding the use of the terms “jihad” and “jihadist” by any State Department official.”

The name of the game is, appease, appease, appease while we are the target of the Jihadists.


9 posted on 04/23/2008 11:19:38 AM PDT by 353FMG (Don't make the mistake to think that Government is a Friend of the People)
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To: Blennos
Amen! Ms. Rice's attitude towards Israel and the administration's pronouncement that “Islam is a religion of peace,” corroborates this report. It is very credible.
10 posted on 04/23/2008 11:35:28 AM PDT by MBB1984
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To: the invisib1e hand

I’ve always wondered what people find so impressive about Ms. Rice. Nice enough gal. Has collected a few impressive degrees. But intellectual giant with a deep understanding of geopolitical affairs? I’m not convinced.


11 posted on 04/23/2008 11:42:13 AM PDT by Minn (Here is a realistic picture of the prophet: ----> ([: {()
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To: forkinsocket

Rice/Jihad ping


12 posted on 04/23/2008 11:51:39 AM PDT by gleeaikin
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To: forkinsocket

What a strange article. The author believes the war in Iraq is a terrible thing, we should immediately leave and hand the country over to terrorists, and yet he thinks we should stop Iran from getting nuclear weapons. I’m going to assume Hugh Fitzgerald means stopping Iran without using the military. The apparent clue to Hugh’s irrational mixed up thinking comes near the end of the article where he puts “lefties” in scare quotes.


13 posted on 04/23/2008 11:53:23 AM PDT by faq
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To: Minn
She's black and she's female. Therefore, it's fashionable to attribute qualities and abilities to her, that she does not posses. It proves you're not a racist or a sexist in the eyes of mindless PC twerps. And that seems to be what's important to those who consider themselves enlightened.
14 posted on 04/23/2008 11:56:39 AM PDT by isrul (Help make every day, "Disrespect a muzzie day.")
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To: forkinsocket
This is just stupid. Its political correctness gone berserk. Then again, I never expected much from Condi Rice at State.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

15 posted on 04/23/2008 12:06:33 PM PDT by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: Cicero; All
Calling all "Condi For President!!" freepers.

FMCDH(BITS)

16 posted on 04/23/2008 12:09:33 PM PDT by nothingnew (I fear for my Republic due to marxist influence in our government. Open eyes/see)
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To: forkinsocket
Absolut ;) ignoring of the plain truth. It must be past "1984" ...the book
17 posted on 04/23/2008 12:15:13 PM PDT by veracious
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To: nothingnew; goldstategop

Sometimes I can’t believe how much people think that Condi is anything more than another AA hyper-educated, a likely adherent to the Black Liberation pathos...not to mention the fact that she hails from the Maddy Albright school of Internationalist....
She is not to be trusted by anyone, thank goodness she will be gone soon!


18 posted on 04/23/2008 12:16:44 PM PDT by iopscusa (El Vaquero. (SC Lowcountry Cowboy))
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To: forkinsocket

IMO, she was a big mistake. How’s she supposed to talk with muslim leaders of supposedly friendly countries when they don’t respect women to begin with?


19 posted on 04/23/2008 12:25:16 PM PDT by ElectricStrawberry (27th Infantry Regiment...cut in half during the Clinton years.)
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To: forkinsocket

Political correctness is the belief you can pick up a turd by the clean end.


20 posted on 04/23/2008 12:26:35 PM PDT by gesully (gesully)
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To: gesully
Political correctness is the belief you can pick up a turd by the clean end.

Brilliant! I nominate this for quote of the month.

Photobucket

21 posted on 04/23/2008 1:25:58 PM PDT by rfp1234 (Phodopus campbelli: household ruler since July 2007.)
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To: forkinsocket

The term Jihad is not correct anyway. Neither is Crusade.


22 posted on 04/23/2008 5:37:25 PM PDT by Mike Darancette (Obama: America is the greatest country on the earth, Help me bring change.)
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To: goldstategop
This is just stupid. Its political correctness gone berserk

And here I was thinking PC would be to refer to terrorists by their own self description as holy fighters for Islam.

23 posted on 04/23/2008 6:28:22 PM PDT by Oztrich Boy (NO I don't tag sarcasm. Why are you asking?)
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To: devolve; ntnychik; PhilDragoo; dixiechick2000; MeekOneGOP; forkinsocket
Let's all just say it together.. JIHAD !


24 posted on 04/23/2008 7:58:20 PM PDT by potlatch
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To: potlatch


Alan Keyes (lost to Obama) is for reparations

Condi Rice is for affirmitive action

Not much different than Obama!


25 posted on 04/23/2008 8:11:43 PM PDT by devolve ( -- -The_Project_Islamic_Hope_website_banner no_longer_features_Barack_Hussein_Obama_Junior)
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To: devolve

Good post devolve.
And speaking of ‘rice’, best buy some while you can, lol.


26 posted on 04/23/2008 8:14:40 PM PDT by potlatch
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To: potlatch

.

Yeah - rice rationing!

Corn biofuels - Now rice

Congress mandating ethanol was pure genius


27 posted on 04/23/2008 8:19:02 PM PDT by devolve ( -- -The_Project_Islamic_Hope_website_banner no_longer_features_Barack_Hussein_Obama_Junior)
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To: devolve

There is a thread about WalMart rationing rice already.

And the media makes things worse, when you keep hearing that things are going bad it actually makes them get worse.


28 posted on 04/23/2008 8:23:10 PM PDT by potlatch
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To: potlatch

.

No “rationing” for restaurants

Just individuals

It’s crazy stuff!

Next it will be beans!


29 posted on 04/23/2008 8:48:21 PM PDT by devolve ( -- -The_Project_Islamic_Hope_website_banner no_longer_features_Barack_Hussein_Obama_Junior)
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To: Cicero
"The only plausible purpose, in our national interest, was to secure an oil supply and a base for further efforts to combat jihadism."

It was in our national interest to enforce the surrender agreement from 1991. That enforcement called for the removal of Saddam and his regime.

What would we do then, just leave the country in chaos? No, of course not.

The only choice would be to help build a stable and free government that would serve our interests of long-term stability in the region.
30 posted on 04/23/2008 11:25:11 PM PDT by joseph20 (...to ourselves and our Posterity...)
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To: AdmSmith; Berosus; Convert from ECUSA; dervish; Ernest_at_the_Beach; Fred Nerks; george76; ...

She may switch parties. It would make more sense.


31 posted on 04/25/2008 12:01:41 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/_____________________Profile updated Saturday, March 29, 2008)
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To: Salem; SJackson; Alouette; F15Eagle; 444Flyer; mkjessup; T.L.Sink; M. Espinola; sheik yerbouty; ...

Ping!


32 posted on 04/25/2008 4:33:39 AM PDT by Convert from ECUSA ("Typical 'bitter' 'White Male" whose vote the Dems now deseperately want so bad - HA!)
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To: dennisw; Cachelot; Nix 2; veronica; Catspaw; knighthawk; Alouette; Optimist; weikel; Lent; GregB; ..
If you'd like to be on this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.

High Volume. Articles on Israel can also be found by clicking on the Topic or Keyword Israel. or WOT [War on Terror]

----------------------------

33 posted on 04/25/2008 4:59:11 AM PDT by SJackson (before we work on problems, have to fix our souls. Our souls are broken in this nation, Michelle O.)
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To: Mike Darancette
The term Jihad is not correct anyway. Neither is Crusade.

What's wrong with jihad? It's the term the terrorists use when recruiting.

34 posted on 04/25/2008 7:02:07 AM PDT by SJackson (before we work on problems, have to fix our souls. Our souls are broken in this nation, Michelle O.)
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To: Cicero

Ms. Rice appears to have Shi’ite for brains..


35 posted on 04/25/2008 11:03:27 AM PDT by sheik yerbouty ( Make America and the world a jihad free zone!)
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To: gesully

Outstanding! Allahu fubar!


36 posted on 04/25/2008 11:04:11 AM PDT by sheik yerbouty ( Make America and the world a jihad free zone!)
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