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Thursday, March 19, 2015

Cracks In The Facade

Journalist, bestselling author, and CNN national security analyst Peter Bergen makes the point that many Islamic terrorists do not come from wealthy backgrounds (hat tip to Infidel Bloggers Alliance):



ISIS, which Obama designated as "JV" not so long ago, is present here in the United States (hat tip):


Western Civilization, are you listening?

51 comments:

  1. Yet Obama will be bringing in tens of thousands more of these Middle East "refugees" into our midst. Apparently we have to wait for another major attack here at home.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bunkerville,
      Are you familiar with the site Refugee Resettlement Watch? Worth your time to look at it!

      Delete
  2. Where are the Repubes on all this?

    We voted them the Senate majority, so they now control congress. They can put a stop to this madness of importing Muslims from war-torn lands. We never should have brought in all those Somalis. At the very least, the GOOPers can hold hearings and kick up a fuss so people know what is going on.

    Read the NY Times comment section when this topic comes up. Even the leftwing NY Times readers are uneasy about all this, and rightly so. Muslims by and large are more intolerant and much more religiously conservative than the city dwellers we relocate them among. This is the equivalent of the US government setting timebombs all over the US. Some will go off, some won't, but why set the bombs in the first place?

    Yes, Ducky, there are good Muslims, but our stupid government wouldn't know a terrorist from Mother Teresa.

    These people Obama is bringing in have had hard lives and have been exposed to gruesome violence. It scars the psyche, and many have been radicalized without even knowing it. There is something about coming to the west, then seeing it on TV or the Internet that makes something snap inside such people.

    I'm not criticizing Islam, I'm talking psychology. Obama and his Foreign Policy JV team are either stupid or naive, and its up to the GOOPers in congress to stop them.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Are we allowing entry to Muslims returning from Syria or Iraq?

      I'm not so sure they can gain re-entry.

      Delete
    2. According to this (dated August 28, 2014):

      Americans who have travelled to foreign countries to train and fight with terror groups such as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS or ISIL) are not being barred from freely returning to America...

      [...]

      U.S. intelligence agencies have been tracking Americans who travel abroad to join jihadist groups, but there is no law on the books restricting travel to countries posing a substantial terror threat, according to Rep. Frank Wolf (R., Va.). ...

      Delete
    3. Also note this (dated March 15, 2015):

      How ISIS Recruiters Target U.S. Immigrants

      ...So far, only an estimated 150 Americans have actually gone to join ISIS in Syria and Iraq. According to the International Center for the Study of Radicalization and Political Violence, 450 have gone from Belgium and over 1200 from France. Even if the numbers are relatively small, the worry is that some will come home and commit acts of jihadi-inspired violence. Hence, an important question is how best to reintegrate them so that they don’t.

      One approach has been to arrest and prosecute ‘foreign fighters’ on their return, as France, Belgium, and the Netherlands have done, or even block citizens from returning at all, as a British law proposes. Under a law criminalizing the encouragement of others to aid terrorism, a mother in Britain was jailed for five years last December for urging others to go and fight jihad through postings on Facebook.

      An alternative approach is a community-based effort to reintegrate returnees; the Danish city of Aarhus has developed a program to match locals returning from Syria with mentors and provides counseling in an effort to channel their energies in a law-abiding direction.

      It’s essentially the same policy conundrum as society faces in rehabilitating criminals in general: too lenient, and there is no deterrent to others; too harsh, and you risk sending young people to prisons where their views will be hardened or they will be recruited into worse behavior....

      Delete
    4. SF,
      Every time the GOP kicks up a fuss, the Left has a fit -- no matter what the topic.

      I watched one such fit on The Kelley File last night -- over the matter of Hillary's private server. Did you happened to see that edition of The Kelley File? Quite something! The segment involved Marc Thiessen and an opponent.

      Delete
    5. I don't watch FOX News. We don't have cable.

      If the GOP doesn't stand up and fight (and I mean smartly, not the Sarah Palin smack-talking) then what good are they?

      Rather than stopping them, western governments should have a plan to recruit western jihadi wanna-bes and give them free transportation to ISIS territory, after confiscating their passports.

      Jihadis returning from the fight should be shot to rags at their attempted port of entry.

      Delete
  3. DIDADIN

    Detain
    Intern
    Disempower
    And
    Deport
    Islamaniacs
    Now

    D-I-D-A-D-I-N!

    Those who would be kind to the cruel are sure to be cruel to the kind."


    "Those who expect to reap the blessing of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it."

    ~ Thomas Paine (1737-1809)

    DIDADIN!

    ReplyDelete
  4. We need more than cracks in the facade. We need FISSURES!

    ReplyDelete
  5. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Not as much as your side needs to stop drinking the Kool-Aid.

      Delete
    2. And your side needs to put down the hopium bong and face reality

      Delete
    3. what a typical response to dismiss reality. Everything is just grand,it's those right wing nuts making up this stuff.
      The world is safer now than it's ever been. Just ask Obama and the history rewriters.

      Delete
  6. Odie,
    Some people believe in unicorns and the tooth fairy, too.

    ReplyDelete
  7. FN,
    OBL may be dead, but what he set in motion continues on -- even if the names differ (ISIS as opposed to Al Qaeda, for example).

    Wahhabist and Salafist Islam is a hydra.

    ReplyDelete
  8. FT,
    As long as Islam is deemed by the West as a faith as opposed to a geopolitical ideology -- one which is antithetical to Western values -- none of the steps which you often mention will happen.

    Indeed, criticism of Islam may be forbidden because nothing offending Muslims must be uttered, written, thought, etc.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Facing reality: Department of Justice Seminar on Keeping Kids Safe: Preventing Female Genital Mutilation/Clitoris Cutting in the United States.

    Excerpt:

    The number of women and girls at risk for female genital mutilation (FGM) in the United States has more than doubled in the past 10 years, according to new figures released on Friday. The data, the first on FGM in the U.S. for a decade, is being published to coincide with the United Nations’ International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM.

    More than half a million women and girls in the U.S. are at risk of undergoing FGM in the U.S. or abroad, or have already undergone the procedure, including 166,173 under the age of 18, according to the Population Reference Bureau (PRB). Immigration to the U.S. from African and Middle Eastern countries—where the practice of FGM is a deeply entrenched cultural tradition—is the sole factor for the rise in numbers, says Mark Mather, a demographer at PRB who led the data analysis. (Newsweek)....


    More information at the above link.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Meanwhile:

    "One nation under Allah,” the student body president announced over the intercom system on Wednesday.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anything from Todd Starnes should be taken with a truckload of salt. His agenda is no less than that of those he makes his living writing about. The pledge was recited as part of foreign language week, but most certainly highlights the problem with trying to inject religion into government schools.

      Delete
    2. CI,
      I'm aware of Todd Starnes's agenda.

      But are the facts correct?

      If atheists aren't forced to recite the "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance, why should non-Muslims recite "under Allah" -- foreign language class, or not?

      Delete
    3. "If atheists aren't forced to recite the "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance, why should non-Muslims recite "under Allah" -- foreign language class, or not?"

      They can opt out of saying those words in a foreign language, just as they can opt out of the English version. Do you take issue when they recited with 'Dios'?

      This is the divisiveness we get, when we attempt to equate religious belief with patriotism. We should drop the pledge from government schools altogether and be done with the petty squabbling.

      Delete
    4. Todd Starnes' article is pretty much all quotes....not sure why anybody'd disparage him for his 'agenda' except he's ultra conservative and a strong Christian.
      When's that become something to avoid?

      Delete
    5. His agenda is propagating false stories of victimization. Why would you want a charlatan speaking for your faith?

      Delete
    6. CI,
      He may or may not be a charlatan -- for all I know. I don't "follow" him.

      What I want to know is if he had the facts correct about this particular incident.

      There is something creepy about saying that America is "one nation under Allah."

      You may object to saying "one nation under God." But do you find those words creepy?

      Delete
    7. PS to CI: He doesn't speak for my faith. I can't say that any one man speaks for my faith. We Protestants don't have a pope, as I'm sure you know.

      Delete
    8. CI,
      Do you take issue when they recited with 'Dios'?

      No, because "Dios" is the Christian God.

      Allah is not the same as the Christian God. For one things, Allah's attributes are much different -- including but not limited to the concept of the Trinity.

      We should drop the pledge from government schools altogether

      I don't see why we should. Is it wrong for children to develop a sense of patriotism?

      Delete
    9. Z,
      Todd Starnes' article is pretty much all quotes

      Good point. I should have mentioned that when I said that I want to know if he has the facts correct.

      Delete
    10. We can't discount all of anybody's writings because some people don't like what's written. I agree, AOW, I don't know a lot about STarnes but I'm smart enough not to write anybody off because of some of what they write.
      When I googled, I saw he's alerting a lot of people to threats against Christianity. I'm all for that. We can see where our country's going since that's been happening, too.

      Delete
    11. http://townhall.com/columnists/toddstarnes/
      AOW, you can see he's a strong fighter for Christianity and that's a tough one for some to swallow. I wish the leftwing nonsense we all have to stomach was as belittled and mocked as most on the Right is.

      Delete
    12. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    13. "Allah is not the same as the Christian God."

      Allah is 'God' in arabic. And most religious scholars will disagree with you on your assertion regarding the God of the Abrahamic faiths. I don't find the Arabic language 'creepy', but I do find rote chanting and unthinking indoctrination to be.

      "Threats" against the dominant and privileged religious faith? Please. Starnes is part of a thriving grievance industry, and that pays his bills. The vast majority of his 'threats' have proven false, and when he writes, you're getting advertising for his agenda. His narrative has nothing to do with the validity of Christianity or its positive merits, and everything to do with special privilege and feigned offense.If one is going to support someone and attempt to decry those who speak against them...it's usually advisable to be informed, rather than a mere Google search...but to each their own.

      Delete
    14. CI,
      I'm not talking about the Arabic language, nor am I talking about the transliteration of the word "Allah."

      I'm talking about attributes of the Supreme Beings of Christianity and Islam. The words used to refer to any god are a matter of semantics. What matters, IMO, is the attributes of these gods. Therefore, calling upon a particular god is affirmation of those attributes.

      Think of it this way. If one calls upon a particular Greek mythological god, isn't one calling upon the attribute of that god?

      Inserting Allah into the Pledge of Allegiance is, in effect, dedicating the Pledge to Allah -- and to shari'a law. Shari'a clearly isn't all about "justice for all"; "justice" in Islam is reserved only for the followers of Allah, with the corollary of calling Muslims to persecute non-Muslims.

      Delete
    15. CI,
      I am a Christian. You are not. But I do not believe that it is my God-given duty to kill you for your lack of faith. Instead, I insist that you have the freedom to state your lack of faith. Also, I believe that I can be friends with you even though we differ on the matter of faith. Big difference there between Christianity and Islam.

      Delete
    16. Z,
      Thanks for that link to Townhall, which I rarely read because of all the ads that pop up and the cookies crammed into my hard drive.

      Delete
    17. Z,
      We can't discount all of anybody's writings because some people don't like what's written.

      Agreed.

      I read Sam Harris, for example. I also watch Pat Condell's videos.

      "Whatsoever things are true...think on these things."

      Delete
    18. Again, we'll simply have to disagree on the supreme being who revealed himself to Abraham. How about we remove the fairly recent addition of "under God" from the Pledge of Allegiance...if not the pledge itself? Surely reasonable minds can find compromise?

      Delete
    19. "Thanks for that link to Townhall"

      It's quite easy to see where a cursory reading of Starnes self generated titles would lead on to believe that Christianity is under dire attack....until one learns all facets of the events. I've been reading his entertaining rhetoric for some time now, and it's a shame that some people make their living this way.

      Delete
    20. Better yet, let's scrap the entire Pledge of Allegiance. Some would consider it a creepy relic of the socialist, proto-progressive era here in America.

      Delete
    21. AOW, I don't read TownHall.. I Googled Starnes and found that he makes excellent points.
      Obviously, nobody should ever consider Starnes an expert on Christianity'; why they would, I'm not sure...But I hope Starnes' work continues... he's absolutely bringing important situations to the fore; we'd otherwise NEVER KNOW THEM. And our Christian soldiers DO need their chaplains, and our school children do thrive knowing they have a country worth pledging allegiance to, and our country's succeeded with people who look to a higher power for conscience and direction.

      Silverfiddle....you're so right; That will be next. I often say the Leftists started their purge just a tad too early; while people our age are still around to at least try to fight.

      Delete
    22. AOW, I don't read TownHall.. I Googled Starnes and found that he makes excellent points.
      Obviously, nobody should ever consider Starnes an expert on Christianity'; why they would, I'm not sure...But I hope Starnes' work continues... he's absolutely bringing important situations to the fore; we'd otherwise NEVER KNOW THEM. And our Christian soldiers DO need their chaplains, and our school children do thrive knowing they have a country worth pledging allegiance to, and our country's succeeded with people who look to a higher power for conscience and direction.

      Silverfiddle....you're so right; That will be next. I often say the Leftists started their purge just a tad too early; while people our age are still around to at least try to fight.

      Delete
    23. Z - Who considers Starnes an "expert on Christianity"?

      Delete
    24. And of course, you DO educate yourself on the alleged events Starnes writes about....as opposed to merely reading HIS narrative on these "important stories", right?

      Delete
    25. Sorry to disappoint; I said above I don't read Starnes...

      And yes, as I've said at least thirty dozens of times before, I DO educate myself by reading all sides of everything....
      And yes, some of us DO think they are important stories.
      And, of course, they're anything but 'alleged.' Perhaps it would behoove you to read some of the stories?

      Delete
    26. What an odd comment, given that I've admitted to reading Starnes 'stories' for quite some time.....and you've admitting to not reading them? I realize that his headlines are comfortable bumper stickers for you, but most of his 'important stories' have been proven false or obnoxiously skewed to support his grievance industry.

      Starnes should read [and write] 'all sides of everything'. Or just be a hack like his liberal counterparts.

      Delete
  11. DIDADIN!

    I know not what course others may take, buy as for me, GIVE ME an ISLAM-FREE COUNTRY or GIVE ME DEATH.

    Drum it. Strum it. Eat it. Bleat it. Pray it. Say it. Chant it. Rant it.

    DIDADIN! DIDADIN! DIDADIN! DIDADIN!
    DIDADIN! DIDADIN! DIDADIN! DIDADIN!
    DIDADIN! DIDADIN! DIDADIN! DIDADIN!
    DIDADIN! DIDADIN! DIDADIN! DIDADIN!
    DIDADIN! DIDADIN! DIDADIN! DIDADIN!
    DIDADIN! DIDADIN! DIDADIN! DIDADIN!
    DIDADIN! DIDADIN! DIDADIN! DIDADIN!
    DIDADIN! DIDADIN! DIDADIN! DIDADIN!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tell us how you really feel, young man!

      Delete
  12. In the case of "Allah knows best", which translates best as "I don't know how the hell I can explain this one away...."

    http://www.onislam.net/english/ask-the-scholar/acts-of-worship/purification/acts-akin-to-human-nature/174678-islamic-ruling-on-female-circumcision.html

    I have physically seen the full FGM: labia majora, labia minora and clitoris removed. Nurses, see everything. The woman in question, was Egyptian. I nearly passed out. The woman was so botched that a urologist had to be called in to insert a special urethral catheter.

    Little girls who are attacked with FGM? The pee sideways sometimes. Incontinence is also an issue.

    Don't say I didn't tell ya.

    Tammy

    ReplyDelete
  13. and they continue to carry water for the most heinous ideology that was ever contrived..sigh...............

    ReplyDelete
  14. No Christian God would urge Jihad 
    Upon His son or daughter.

    Islamists odd would take a rod
    And urge its use for slaughter.

    Although 'tis writ the Christian Lord
    Brought us no peace, instead a sword. 

    The ironies about Belief 
    Should generate mad laughter.
    Instead vile hatred sans relief
    Obtains from floor to rafter.

    There is one God. 
    From sod and sky 
    And deep within He sees us.
    But all we see is a facade,
    That blinds us to Lord Jesus.


    ~ FreeThinke

    ReplyDelete

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