Who Attacked Us on 9/11?

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“Make no mistake, the United States will hunt down and punish those responsible for these cowardly acts.”

-President Bush at 1:04pm, September 11, 2001

This year, the 9th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on our country, we appear to be a nation divided and not just along party lines.

May we never forget…

And may we always stand united when it comes to facing and recognizing the common enemy.

I ask readers: Who are we at war with?

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It wasn’t Islam because Obama says so. It wasn’t Muslims because not all Muslims were directly involved.

It was al-Qaida that attacked us. But, what is al-Qaida? Obama says it’s a “sorry band of men” which invoked in me visions of Robin Hood’s Band of Merry Men and Easy Companies Band of Brothers, and Henry V on St Crispin’s Day. Yes. It was Al-Qaida’s Band of Sorry Men.

To dismiss Islam as a primary cause is to say the American Civil War was about cotton, not slavery. Without Islam there would be no al-Qaida, no Bin Laden, no attack, no 9/11. Like it or not, the US was attacked Islam. 1860 or 2000, it’s about slavery.

Japan attacked us at Pearl Harbor; not all Japanese were surprise attackers. NAZI Germany delared war on the US, but not all Germans were NAZIs. All of Japan was the enemy. All of Germany was the enemy. All until as individuals they declared and demonstrated their opposition to the offical stance of their governments. Islam attacked America. Muslims are the enemy, until as indivuals they declare and demonstrate opposition to the actions of the Sorry Band of Men, all of whom continue to be adherents of Islam known as Muslims.

It’s disgusting that nine years after, we still cannot say who the enemy is either because we don’t know or are unwilling to say the forbidden word – Islam.

There is a clue, just can’t remember it, but the words “Allahu Akbar” seems part of it.

It’s complicated.

We’re at war with two different groups, but they both have the same agenda: To destroy the American way of life.

Terrorists and Liberals.

@ Indigo Red… Some of US that fought them know Who the enemy is and know the difference.
Others want to take the scattergun approach and will make more enemies than We need.
Choose wisely, Bud…

@ thebronze, Both groups are dangerous but the Terrorists that we can vote out of office are the ones that are the more immediate threat. I never judge anyone by the God they worship but by their actions. The Regime in DC has acted more destructive lately and they are the greater threat to the Nation right now.

OT2 – Have to differ with you on this one. Islam is the enemy and it needs to be defeated. The problem we have is a govt that is pro Islam led by a POTUS who was brought up a muslim and may still be of that faith. Therefore there is no will to grab the enemy by the balls and kick him in the ass a la Georgie Patton. Obama will not let our military gain victory over his muslim brothers. If more ragheads come out of the woodwork, so be it. Take the restraints off our troops and kill those that need to be killed. Had this war be fought in the right manner, it would have been over several years ago. This hearts and minds crap with muslims is BS. Had an instructor at the Infantry School at FT Benning that stated one of the qualities of a good combat commander is the ability to be ruthless. A lot of ruthless needs to be unleashed on the muslim world.

@Old Trooper 2: I pray you are correct. I fear you are not.

Pastor Jones has backtracked in his burning of the Islamic field manual. I’ve seen one fat ass burn one already, and the cops at Ground Zero escorted him away. And of course, Precedent Everything I Touch, Turns to Crap – does the Islamic Brotherhood solidarity political correctness spiel while American flags burn at the hands of the usual suspects. The Won should be One and Done.

It would be easy for me to condemn Islam and say we are at war with the whole religion. Unfortunately, I kept a link that Wordsmith posted quite a while back:
http://groups.colgate.edu/aarislam/response.htm
So, I can say not all Muslims are guilty of the events that occured on 9-11, I can say that Islam is responsible. As a Catholic, I’m constantly reminded of the Crusades. Not all Catholics particpated in slaughter of Jews, Muslims, and Pagans during the Crusades, but Catholicism was responsible.
Does that mean we are at war with Islam? No. But as long as Islam allows radical clerics to spread their hate, and as long as Islam makes excuses as to why seemingly “peace-loving” Muslims are so easily recruited to jihad over the smallest perceived offense against their religion, Islam will be responsible for any future attacks commited by Muslims.

OT2 – Interesting article. It is obvioust that Obama has both muslim and communist influences in his upbringing. Will concede that he is the biggest threat within our own borders at present. Having spent two tours in Vietnam fighting commies in Vietnam, I hate Communists and muslims equaly.

The irony is …

A ranking Saudi diplomat told NBC News that he has asked for political asylum in the United States, saying he fears for his life if he is forced to return to his native country.

The diplomat, Ali Ahmad Asseri, the first secretary of the Saudi consulate in Los Angeles, has informed U.S. Department of Homeland Security officials that Saudi officials have refused to renew his diplomatic passport and effectively terminated his job after discovering he was gay and was close friends with a Jewish woman.

In a recent letter that he posted on a Saudi website, Asseri angrily criticized his country’s “backwardness” as well as the role of “militant imams” in Saudi society who have “defaced the tolerance of Islam.” Perhaps most provocatively of all, he has threatened to expose what he describes as politically embarrassing information about members of the Saudi royal family living in luxury in the U.S.

… unbelievable.

I wonder if Obama was talking about a “band of manly men in a manly way.”

Obama should send him back so the Saudis can show us those “values of diversity and tolerance” he talked about today.

@ minuteman 26…the greatest Threat right now are the Domestic Enemies in Your/Our Own Government. The ones that shorted US by 30,000 Troops to fight the Foreign Enemy. The Domestic ones can be voted out of Office. The ones that failed to fund the War enough to Win it.

OT2 – Can get rid of some of our domestic enemies via the ballot box. Unfotunately there are a lot of political appointees and bureaucrats that also fall into that category. The White House, State Dept and even DOD are loaded with anti-American sentiment.

minuteman 26, Regime Change by Ballot Box is Legal. By Cartridge Box is Not!
Appointees can be sacked by the New Administration after the Old Regime is swept out.

”America counts millions of Muslims amongst our citizens, and Muslims make an incredibly valuable contribution to our country. Muslims are doctors, lawyers, law professors, members of the military, entrepreneurs, shopkeepers, moms and dads. And they need to be treated with respect. In our anger and emotion, our fellow Americans must treat each other with respect. . . . They love America just as much as I do.”

President George W. Bush, September 17, 2001.

“In America’s ideal of freedom, the public interest depends on private character — on integrity and tolerance toward others. . . . That edifice of character is built in families, supported by communities with standards, and sustained in our national life by the truths of Sinai, the Sermon on the Mount, the words of the Koran…”

President George W. Bush, in his second inaugural address, January 20, 2005.

“We come to express our appreciation for a faith that has enriched civilization for centuries. We come in celebration of America’s diversity of faith and our unity as free people. And we hold in our hearts the ancient wisdom of the great Muslim poet Rumi: The lamps are different, but the light is the same.

President George W. Bush, at the rededication of the Islamic Center in Washington, June 27, 2007.

What has changed?

Greg, GW did not apologize to those that do not wish US well and knew the difference.

:

I can say not all Muslims are guilty of the events that occurred on 9-11

Yes, but can you or the Muslims say that not all American’s are responsible for what their government does? Instead the Muslims killed innocents both in the airplanes and in the twin towers. Innocents. I guess ALL Muslims are guilty for 9/11 then.

I’ll chose to treat all Muslims as bad people because they are Islamic, but more to the point they read that nasty text called the Koran, which provides the HATE needed to drive young men and women to horrible acts of violence and terrorism.

Our innocents are far more important to me than Muslims who read the HATRED contained in the Koran.

God keep our fellow Americans that died on 9/11 close and in peace.

W is/was naive in his views on Islam and muslims. Was trying to prevent a backlash so he fed the country some BS.

@ AdrianS

I guess ALL Muslims are guilty for 9/11 then.

I kinda doubt that. My family doctor is from Pakistan. I’m sure he’s Muslim, because, well……he’s from Pakistan. I doubt seriously that he’s a hard-core practicing muslim though. Over the last 10 years or so, he and I have had some pretty interesting conversations. He likes crawfish which is a big no-no. I doubt seriously that he’s into “taco-rio” or taqiyya or whatever you call it. He’s probably a lot like me. I believe strongly in my Catholic principles, but I kinda have a problem with the Church leaders. Hell, I have a problem with pretty much all religious leaders nowdays. So I believe there are a lot of muslims that don’t attend mosques regularly for the same reason I don’t go to mass regularly. There may even be muslims that go to mosque and believe the teachings of the imam are a load of donkey pie, I know I get that feeling in mass every now and then.
And by the way, if not for the New Testament, we’d have a pretty harsh book on our hands too. God told Moses to go into the land of Og and Shion and kill every living thing, men, women, chidlren. That’s just a little example. The OT is full of some of the harshest laws known to mankind.

OT2 – Thanks for the wisdom.

I worked for many years with two Muslims, one of whom I couldn’t trust as far as I can spit (I dribble), the othes, Isaac, I would trust with my life. It’s a very individual thing. However, we all start from the general proposition and move to ever greater refinement.

I also worked with a Jain. From what I knew of Jainism, I believed him to be harmless. I didn’t realize how harmless this parts assembler was until we had rats in the factory(electronics) and he insisted that management use non-lethal traps. They did and the rats were released miles away upriver.

There also was a Baptist Christian, the fundemental literalist kind. Scared the crap out of me. But, not all baptists are scarey.

The enemy is an idea, a dangerous idea that poses an existential threat to our way of life just as it has always been in every war we’ve fought. The idea right now is Islam. Apparently there a peaceful Islam and a violent Islam. Since at first blush I cannot tell the difference, I would like some sign from the individual as to which is subscribed. Essentially, trust but verify.

Hey Old Trooper, you’re so high in the chain of command, I imagine it wouldn’t be beyond the pale to imagine that you could have a face to face with the President, or at least a hand shake. Would you tell him how you feel about him, or just smile and take the photo op? I’m very curious. You’ve said some very toxic things about the man. Could you say them to his face?

Tom, I retired as Your Humble Servant, an 0-6, with 2 months time in Grade. I did meet Dick Cheney years ago and took him hunting on my spread four times. He and His Lady have been to my place several times. I never met GWB but I have met Saudi and Kuwaiti Royals and shook hands with them but never bowed to anyone of any Pay Grade. I did punch the front teeth out of a Republican Guard General and have had tea with Afghan Tribal Chieftains.

I met with NATO Officials in AFPAK that marveled at the sight of me cleaning a pistol during an ISAF Briefing with Stan McCrystal at the podium and made State Department Pogues wait for my briefing outside Kandahar at My FOB while I took a shower after going out on a Night Mission with my teams. We caught a Karzai Ministry clown associating with some bag men that were from Waziristan and hooked him up with a flight to Kabul for some show and tell with Agency Folks.

The Pretender in Chief and his Vice Pretender do not want to see me nose to nose as I have a reputation that is known around DOD and did not vote for either of those Weasels. I was recalled from retirement by SOCOM as they were in a bind and needed experienced help. The SOCOM Mafia needed competent leaders and I went. My Group is still there.

I don’t play golf so I did not meet the PIC, nor did I attend an Ivy League School or be admitted to any school because I am 1/4 blood Sioux Indian. I am just a Soldier with a Masters Degree in International Relations from the University of Maryland, A War College Graduate and have a PHD in Deploying to dangerous places when US Foreign Policy fell on it’s ass. Under several Administrations.

I am retired now, running the third largest cattle spread in Montana, was not political on Active Duty ever but can speak my mind now. I am sending this message from the high country in Montana from a bunkhouse on my place. I have zero tolerance for pretenders and those that can’t Win any War besides a shameless attempt to redistribute my wealth or wipe their backside on the Constitution that I swore an Oath to Defend.

How do you like them apples, Tom? No offense but I Served Honorably and Capably for about 30 years in Boots and I do not need my Community organized by some pretender that has failed at both Foreign and Domestic Policy so far. By the Way, I will say that to anyone’s face
today, tomorrow and forever. I will not send you my Resume as I am self employed and work for me now. But thanks for asking. I saddle broke a horse today that no one could ride at the ripe age of 60 years, have Campaign Medals that predate Obama’s conception and don’t give a damn about shaking paws with him.

OK? I inherited my spread from my Father that jumped into Normandy to Liberate France and Germany and my Daughter is a Second Year Cadet at the US Air Force Academy. Anything else on your mind Tom?

old trooper, thanks for your response.

Uncle. You have an amazing story, Old Trooper. Thank you for detailing it and good luck in your endevors.

stodghie, No problem with me here on the High Ground of Montana on a working cattle ranch.

Honesty is the Only Policy that I adhere to.

Vote the Current Regime of Thieves and Rascals out soon or put on a Tin Beak and peck Shit with the Chickens…

Taxation under Marxist Representation leaves you a KULAK destination. Lenin and Stalin killed them off.

I’m sure that you can Wiki that.

I AM a Kulak by Obama’s agenda.

That is Current events, No Shit Pardner.

I Own Land, Cattle, sell Beef and am not receiving Fed cash but paying taxes beyond the Pretender in Chief does… Go Figure that Bud.

I am not an Author here but am not at that place where I can offer anything other than the Final Frontier of Capitalism becaues the wealthy eat steak and the rest get Hamburger Helper and wait for their “pink slip next Friday”

Kulaks Unite or Obama will destroy America.
No vacation for me in Spain for me.
No golf games.

Just what I do best and 99.8 % of America can’t do anymore, make an honest living and not have an ass to kiss or a Jackass to bow down to…

Hey Curt, ban me now or have a good chuckle!

I don’t care if the message here carries logic or good sense. It is just a place where my Deployed Folks come for the feel of the pulse from an America that is Honest and up front.

Time for a coffee and a cigar from the Montana High Ground.

Thanks for the Forum and keep this site up, Please!

Tom,my Dad insisted in wearing condoms so I am not your Uncle…However If You voted for Obama, ANYONE is Your Uncle!

How BOUT THAT?

#20:

That’s the point. Those who separate themselves from the teachings and HATRED in the Koran may understand our concerns — and seem to be OK. That, I believe, tends to allow for an Islamic persons to be tolerant.

You should mention that although our Old Testament seems to have a lot of the same kind of questionable text that we find in the Koran, for whatever reason, the readers of the Old Testament do not, somehow, turn into fanatical maniacal terrorists. They don’t go around with bombs around their bellies killing innocent members of their own religion, as radical Muslims do.
Perhaps it is because it does not have so many directive to KILL Jews and Infidels.

I am however convinced that Islam is NOT a religion, but rather a political arm of religious intolerance that attempts the submission of others. This is contrary to the civilized world’s view of religious freedom and individual’s rights.

Someone on this blog said correctly, tolerance is a two way street. And Mexico’s late past president, Benito Juarez said, I’m paraphrasing, that respect of another persons rights is peace.

Currently, there are radicalized elements of Islam that seek to stir up HATRED for America and Europeans because of what they learn from the Koran. This is evident in the HATE they have managed to foment without even one copy of a Koran being burned. Yet radical Muslims are burning American flags, burning American’s in effigy, and have killed innocents in the twin towers and on airplanes on 9/11/2002.

As for me, if I learn that a person likely a Muslim and is reading and worshiping the Koran, there ends any association and there ends any trade, visitation or respect. I will work with the majority of Americans to fight the introduction or even suggestion of Sharia Law in America. There are less than 1% Muslims in the United States. The U.S. Constitution forbids the type of policies that Sharia Law represents. Sharia Law is unAmerican and unconstitutional in America.

Also, the imam attempting unsuccessfully to build a mosque near ground zero has said that eventually Israel will be just another Arab country with a Jewish minority. To him I would say that perhaps the imam would like to have a fist-full of superpower up his ass until it cracks his skull to shake that pipe-dream. If anything, I believe, and pray, that Israel will continue to be a part of a growing number of middle east countries that are democratic, free and independent of Muslim control or influence.

America is on notice to be aware, very aware, of the movement of radical Muslims in America.

Sir, I’m surprised a man of your stature has the time and inclanation to debate me, and even solicit my opinion, so I feel compelled to answer your question honestly … Yes, I did vote for Obama. I thought then, and to a certain degree still do, that he was the more deserving candidate. But a part of that vote was no doubt a protest vote against the party bought, sold and owned by religious fanatics of a different stripe.

Thank you for your service.

I wonder what religion all those dancing hoards in the middle east were practicing?

@Tom

As the folks are asking now

“Hows that hopey changy thing working out fer ya?”

A person shows their intent with their actions. Not their words. Mr. Obama is a con artist, a sweet talker. He pulled the great con. He conned enough people out of their senses to vote for someone so completely inexperienced, and generally incapable of leading, in a hopey-changy feel-good moment.

I am not a huge fan of republicans, but the democrats stepped over an important red line here. They put forth as their candidate, a lightweight, someone completely unable to rise to the task. And for the last 20 or so months, he has failed to rise to the task. He blames an administration gone nearly 2 years for his present day predicament, rather than getting down to business working on fixing the predicament. He goes on many vacations in a year, during crises, plays golf. He bows to dictators. He scolds and rebuffs friends. His ineptitude is causing a global realignment of power that will not only be not in our interests, but in many cases, actively acting against our interests.

And the democrats still support the guy.

Ask yourself something this november. Are you voting for a party or a person, or voting against a party or person? Has a particular party done something so bad … so over the top, that they need to be reigned in, their power and their wings clipped, until sensible balance can be restored?

There may be a few competent democrats in office. Not sure who they are. Most are not. The republicans aren’t much better, but its better to have a balance of power than a monopoly of power. So we need to balance out Mr. Obama with control of the house and senate in republican hands. This will force the president to engage and work with the congress as a co-equal partner, or become effectively an irrelevant extra in a relationship.

We do need more party choices. While democrats rant terribly about tea bagging, they completely misunderstand the grass roots nature, the diverse and inclusive nature, of this group. We haven’t seen or heard the last of them, in fact I anticipate that they will be growing in strength going forward. Republicans haven’t heeded them, and for the tea party candidates that have taken down the mainstream republican candidates, this blindness has been a godsend.

But Tom, you have to ask, will your country be better served by more of the same democrats voting for things that will kill the economy, and injure our stature in the world, or will it be better served by alternatives who will try to jumpstart the economy?

As a small business owner, I shake my head in agreement when I hear reports of other small business owners holding off on new investment in gear and people. We are holding off hiring until we can see what new burdens Obamacare is putting on us. Quite a few as it turns out … the money I would have spent for another persons salary is going to go now to the government. The higher taxes, you know, those “wealthy tax cuts” that won’t be extended? This means I won’t be allocating more money for hiring, as I have to send that money to Uncle Sam. You know all the nice new rules that the democrats added … especially about the W9’s and 1099 forms? No? Its a fucking avalanche of new paperwork, which enables them to more accurately compute whether I’ve paid enough tax. Which means, I have to spend more on compliance, which are more on accountants, than I do on hiring people.

Do you notice a trend here Tom? I am not alone.

We need the government to get the fuck out of the way of small companies like mine, stop taxing us to death, and let us grow. We need to stop being told that we must fund other peoples healthcare, which bumps our costs up 40+% per subscriber per year, and penalizes me if I pay less than 90% of this. We need to lower the overall taxes on small companies, by a significant degree, massively simplify the tax code, so that we can hire high wage high value people, and stop giving money to the government so it can send it to Palestinians who cheer when they see us killed.

So Tom, you see why its important you reassess carefully, who you plan to vote for? Are you gonna vote more “hopey changy” bullshit, or vote for the people with a clue, who opposed all that crap because they knew people like me, who are the damned growth engines of this fucking economy, would hold back on making new “investments” as we see no end to the vacuum cleaner sucking the money out of our wallets … ?

The democrats paint the republicans as obstructionist. The reality is, while they aren’t saints, they do a far better job enabling the small guy to grow his company and hire more people.

Think about this fact, and it is a fact, when you are in the voting booth this november.

@AdrianS:

You pretty much made my point. Even you admit you can’t blame all Muslims, just the ones that take an extreme view of the Koran and practice radical Islam. Just as there are many that read the OT yet live in peace, there are those that can read the Koran and do likewise.
I said:

So, I can say not all Muslims are guilty of the events that occured on 9-11, I can say that Islam is responsible.

I stand by that. If Catholics all of a sudden started walking into mosques and started blowing themselves up, I couldn’t blame all Catholics, but I could blame Catholicism.

Read this interview of Dr. Jasser, it will take you maybe 5 minutes. I think you’ll come to the same conclusion.
http://dailycaller.com/2010/09/08/8-questions-with-dr-zuhdi-jasser-of-the-american-islamic-forum-for-democracy/

Mr. Gualt,

You write, “Are you voting for a party or a person, or voting against a party or person?” . The most accurate answer I can give to that question is that, currently, I find myself voting against Republicans, but perhaps not for the reasons you might assume (more on that in a moment). Regarding my specific interest in Obama in the comments section of this site, it’s centered on what I personally feel are unsubstantiated personal attacks against the man. I am not arguing that a public figure’s character and background should not be open to scrutiny, and I understand politics is a dirty game, and certainly many people on the left mocked GWB for his alleged lack of intellectual heft and his verbal foibles. But I don’t think that compares to the type of things written about Obama, particularly the insinuations about his religion, his citizenship, his patriotism, and his family, much of which has been outright refuted. So I am very curious about the people who feel this way about the President and where it all comes from. I do, regretfully, lose my cool once in a while when I read some of the things written about him. You call him a con artist. Are you saying he ran a deceptive campaign, because I seem to recall that he ran as a progressive Democrat. Was anyone surprised when he championed a health care bill? I’m questioning the accuracy of the labeling. And certainly, others have said much worse.

To another of your specific points, why, I wonder, shouldn’t Obama blame the economy’s collapse on the previous administration if that’s the truth? In temporal terms, the economy collapsed under his predecessor – is he supposed to accept the entire responsibility out of some misplaced sense of politeness? I have never understood the argument that Obama now owns the failure because he’s the person currently in office. All he can own is the success or failure of his own policies is reaction to the reality he inherited. On that, I agree, he can be judged. But the judgment has to be relative to the challenge. This isn’t something that can be fixed by flipping a switch. Don’t forget, he gets a lot of flack from the Left for not spending more recovery funds, so it’s not like this is a simple binary decision, a left fix or a right fix. People will be arguing about this depression, its causes and government’s reaction, for decades, so I find it dubious that anyone can accurately assign credit or blame to Obama’s policies at this juncture. But you are obviously free to draw your own conclusions, which you lay out in a compelling fashion.

I imagine you might have much reverence for Sarah Palin, considering your choice of quote. This is interesting to me, since you stated you have an aversion for politicians without experience. And, honestly, my reaction to that quote is that its juvenile nature imparts more about her lack of gravity than it does anyting about Obama’s policies. Obviously, her appeal escapes me, but I am curious about it. I understand there is a large anti-elitism and anti-intellectualism element. I don’t really understand that personally. For example, I am not a doctor and I would not want a person just like me operating on me. Yet, that seems to be what some people look for in their leaders, a person just like them, a “hockey mom”, regardless of their own personal qualifications. Is this a manifestation of insecurity, I wonder? It doesn’t make a lot of sense to me. If you want to argue that Obama wasn’t qualified to be President, that’s fine, but that’s a different argument than arguing that someone unqualified is the preferred choice because she’s inexperienced, which seems to be the argument for Palin. People need to stop trying to identify so much with their politicians on a personal level. The whole “who would you rather have a beer with” is a dangerously niave litmus test.

With all the talk on this blog about religious intolerance, I think it’s important to stress that while we should protect every individual’s right to practice their faith, religion plays no part in government. And this is my biggest issue with the Republican Party. They went looking to buy evangelical votes and somewhere along the line ended up selling the whole store. I find it quite alarming that Republicans and some on the Right like Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin do not see religion as a personal experience, but as a monolithic revelation that should inform public policy. When Beck announces that America must, “turn back to God”, what exactly is he saying? Is this merely a cynical appeal to a tribal mentality, code for you’re with us (god-fearing Christians) or with ‘them’? Or is more? I find it alarming that leaders on the Right and within the Republican Party are using religion as a selling point for Republican candidates. Is the next step that it becomes a qualification for being a ‘real American’? Could this take-a-side mentality not be a contributing factor to the wave of anti-Muslim sentiment in this country? As a person who does not practice religion, where do I fit into Beck’s America? Where do atheists, Hindus, Muslims, agnostics, and even moderate Christians fit? Where do gays fit into an America ruled by people who are morally opposed to their lifestyles, their personal rights, perhaps their existence? Have we not seen too much evidence of how religion and government work hand in hand in Iran, in Saudi Arabia? I find it remarkable that so much is made of Obama’s perceived lack of religious (i.e. Christian) fervor compared to his predecessor, when honestly, that’s one of the things that most recommends him for the job.

@ Wordsmith,

“I ask readers: Who are we at war with?”

The quandary with no solution, which America is now pushed to confront, is that If one is a practicing Muslim, one cannot by definition and decree swear to uphold the Constitution.

The First Amendment to the United States Constitution includes: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.

Many countries recognize a “state” religion, but not America or Canada where the social contract has provided for religious plurality.

Islam provides its followers a unique combination of leadership in “church and state.”

While the Constitution intends Neutrality, there is a reality which is being ignored or shied from when it comes to Islam. While there isn’t a single “church” in Islam, the vast majority of Muslims choose to follow religious scholars who in turn claim the final authority in all things, including the State, to be the Qur’an.

It is also difficult to reconcile the Constitutional elements of equality, with the Islamic decrees that distinguish between people.

Ironic how we sent our soldiers to Iraq to fight terrorism and tyranny, celebrating the freedom Democracy brings to its MUSLIM citizens. Yet so many are against giving Muslims the same rights here within our own boarders.

Shameful.

Who exactly is denying any U.S. citizen who practices the Muslim faith thier full and complete rights as U.S. citizens? Exactly when did this occur? Where has it been documented that any U.S. citizen who’s religion is Islam was denied any of the rights outlined in our Bill of Rights? Who, When, Where?

Who are we at war with? The question is answered when you first identify those who are at war with us. This ‘War on Terror’ was brought to us, we did not start it… there is a web site called the Gates of Vienna and on its home page it states who is at war with us….

“At the siege of Vienna in 1683 Islam seemed poised to overrun Christian Europe. We are in a new phase of a very old war.”

Go to this link, if you are interested and learn about September 11, 1683… when the Ottoman Empire’s conquest of Europe was stopped…

http://gatesofvienna.blogspot.com/2006/09/other-september-11th.html

@Tom

If you want to lay the blame for the economic downturn, look at who held congresses purse strings during the downturn, from 2006 onwards. They spent and spent, did not try to reign in the housing bubble. If you dig deeper into that bubble, you’ll discover that this was the relaxtion of the mortgage rules to make sure anyone could buy a home. And again, who did this? Wasn’t republicans for the most part. In both cases, it was democrats, with Bill Clinton signing that bill into law in the 90s.

This noted, you stated

People will be arguing about this depression, its causes and government’s reaction, for decades, so I find it dubious that anyone can accurately assign credit or blame to Obama’s policies at this juncture.

So let me get this straight, and I’ll say it simply. Its ok, to blame Bush, but not ok to blame Obama?

Yeah, thats right, sounds an aweful lot like a double standard.

Mr. Obama’s economic policies are driving the small business guys out of business. How can I say this? Given where we live and work, we have an alltogether too close a view at the collateral damage from his actions. Let me give you a specific set of instances.

His prepackaged bankruptcies for the auto companies … saved lots of jobs, right? Union jobs, right? Gave control of the companies, not to their senior creditors, but to unions and their pension funds … right? So what happened to all the smaller creditors, the real senior creditors, with outstanding senior bond debt, and the smaller suppliers with Net-terms for products shipped to the autos?

You haven’t heard anything about that very last bit in the media, have you Tom.

Well, we see the after effects of small companies being told to pound sand over their $100k to $50M+ in outstanding invoices that were canceled by the bankruptcy court. Let me ask you Tom, what do you think happened here, in southeast Michigan, when that happened? All these nice smaller companies, making parts, shipping them to the autos, and now, they aren’t going to get paid.

Lets see if you can put 2 and 2 together here.

And no, the media, the self-acknowledged liberal media, hasn’t reported on this.

I wonder why not.

Unemployment spiked when lots of these little guys went chapter 7. They couldn’t meet payroll. They couldn’t pay suppliers. Game over.

And, there is nothing to replace them. Thanks to the fact that this is a high labor cost market, courtesy of the unions, who’ve defeated the right to work legislation every time its come up. No one wants to build factories here, and with good reason. It costs too much.

What is Mr Obama responsible for? How about that collateral damage that you never heard of, and if the liberal media has their way, you never will hear of it. Had he stayed out of the picture, and let the autos go into chapter 11, the smaller companies could be assured at least a partial payment on outstanding balances. Many took it in the shorts. Some of those shots were fatal, a bunch of suppliers went belly up within 30 days of each filing.

What else has Mr. Obama wrought? Because he spent so much money on propping up failed institutions like fannie and freddie, which are still failing, he depleted the supply of capital from the market, which drove the sole remaining lender for smaller businesses into chapter 11. They could not get capital at any cost, which meant they couldn’t lend. Then Mr. Obama drove up the capitalization requirements of the banks, you know, to shore them up. Which meant that the banks are not far less willing to lend money. This froze capital tight. Small business couldn’t get capital to do squat with. Didn’t matter how good your credit was. Capital is off limits if you are small.

Yeah, we can blame that one on him too.

And you know what … thats the biggie.

Now, lets add the new W-9 and 1099 rules. We spend more than $600 with a single company, we have to issue a 1099 and file it, and get their W-9 on file. Or face really stiff penalties.

Now lets add the Obamacare crap. He did away with HSA/FSA bits, severely limiting what you can do with the rest. So things our insurance won’t cover, we can put away for on an HSA/FSA. Then he mandated company sponsored health care or else … if we fail to abide by his rules, we will be fined. You can call that a tax, or a fine. Its the same thing. So the first 6 years of our existence while we were growing and had very little extra capital for extras like this … we would be in a world of hurt with the extra taxes. Startups don’t need this pain, extra costs and higher burn rates kill them. And to make matters even worse, he decided if you have “Caddy” coverage, that is, if your employer signs you up for the top of the line stuff, and pays for it, you get an extra tax. And if we pay less than 90% of the value, we get a tax/fine/whatever.

This is insane. Absolutely, ridiculously insane. And it is now law. Courtesy of Mr. Obama.

This is going to remove capital from business who might want to invest that in hiring. Many businesses, the ones that aren’t going under, are taking a wait and see approach to the rules to try to figure out how badly all this compliance is going to hurt them and what it will cost them. The W-9 is ridiculous … I have to issue W-9’s for airlines? And gas stations? And restaurants when I take customers out ?

And it gets worse.

According to Mr Obama, I am rich. According to my wife and daughter, who go to second hand clothes shops, well, no, we aren’t. We don’t go on 7 vacations per year. We avoid flying because we can’t afford it, though I do it for work when I need to. We leverage coupons and discount programs to provide everything from entertainment through food, through office supplies. We buy used things whenever possible. We don’t have a nice 50 inch plasma or LED TV, we have an old dying 27 inch color TV from 1998 or so.

No, I am not rich. But according to Mr. Obama, I am. So I get to pay more taxes … to … you know … spread my wealth that I bled for, worked many long hours to obtain, in a difficult market … to people who did not do this. And my increase in taxes get to pay for his programs to help his friends who want to see my co-religionists die, and hurry the process along.

No Tom, Mr. Obamas first 20 months have been, at best, an Epic Fail, in all aspects.

He has alienated our friends, has emboldened our enemies. His offputting manner has caused Europe to start pursuing accomodationist policies vis a vis terror states such as Iran, and their proxies in Hamas and Hezballah. His abandonment of Lebanon’s March 14th movement has lead to its complete collapse, and now they are renegotiating their re-integration into Syria’s orbit. His more-palestinian than Abbas approach has resulted in Abbas deciding he doesn’t have to negotiate, and simply let Obama pressure our close ally into ever more dangerous concessions. His failure to strongly support the British in their Falklands claim have emboldened the Argentinians to try their hands at some further misadventures. His failed central American policies have had his administration support a socialist leaning dictator wannabe, with warehouses full of rigged ballets prior to an illegal election, as compared to the legitimate law of the land. His failed anti-terror policies have us treating irregulars and war-criminals as common criminals, allowing them to lawyer up before answering questions, questions Tom, answers to which may likely save you or your families life/lives one day. His failed science policies have him promoting a radical Malthusian, directing NASA to undertake a mission wholly inappropriate for it, and decimating an important set of missions going forward, thus doing irreparable harm to our ability to go into space.

Tom, the guy and his administration is a slow motion train wreck. There is literally no good news, no positive that you can spin in any realistic sense, to describe this guy and his administration.

If you can’t bring yourself to vote republican in November, please, find a throw away party like the greens, and vote for them rather than casting a ballot for someone espousing support or of the same party as Mr. Obama. The only way we are going to stop ourselves from plummeting further is to get an active set of checks and balances going, and there is no way thats going to happen with one party rule.

@Mer:

Nobody is succeeding in denying them their rights, and I never said they were. However, if many here had their way, it would be the case. If you want documentation of it, just scroll around and read.

@John Galt

Nice to see another well-named contributor enter the fray.

I debated last nite on responding to Tom, but figured I’d let someone with more time do it. Excellent post on laying out the specifics for Tom.

Anyone like Tom, who claims to have innocently voted for the man, is nothing short of ignorant on issues, and most likely, tends to believe the rhetoric espoused by the liberal loonies.

@Tom

You need to listen more to those of us say who know about the economic conditions Obama has set for our country, and how they have failed not only the small-businessman, but everyone who legally resides in our country. Our knowledge is not those of the evil industry of the day, like the oil companies were not too long ago. Our knowledge is that of the mom-n-pops, the startups, and the mildly successful middling companies whose success does not ride on government benevolence, but can certainly be destroyed by governmental tyranny, especially that displayed during Obama’s first 20 or so months.

OT2 – Ref 15 – Agree the ballot box is the preferred way to change. However, we both know contingency plans are needed in case things don’t turn out so well. Should our side win the elections and throw the bums out, that still leaves that loon Obama to cause mischief and mayhem of his own choosing. Can see a lot of executive orders and decrees from agencies such as the EPA and FCC. To quote Jefferson – ” The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is as a last resort to protect themselves against tyranny in government.” Also; “The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.” Can see the 1st and 2nd ammendments coming under full scale assault during the remainder of Obama’s tenure. Just thinking out loud.

The results of 9/11/01:

The muslims won in their fight against the bastion of the West, the US;

they have made it so that an arab kenyan muslim is now occupying the WH;

islam and sharia law is now taking over the West (in Europe, the Americas and Australia/New Zealand);

the radical left (and all their socially deviant subgroups), acting as the islamists’ agent, has made these events possible;

in effect, the new United Soviet Islamist States of America are upon us;

the conservative movement is virtually dead – the islamists have bought it off with the middle-eastern petrodollars; Beck and Palin, putting islam at par with Christianity and Judaism, is serving their goal of selling “islam” here, by shoving it down the conservatives’ throat.

Get ready for a New Dark Age – the likes of which the World has never known.

DKL: HI, I must say that YOU have TALENT, to put that together, but there is a flaw in there
THAT we must CORRECT right now: IS to say the CONSERVATIVES are
VERY much alive and well, AND WE are all PRAYING for their succesful effort
to clean up the mess, and restore THIS BEAUTIFULL AMERICA, AND bring again
THE HOPE and SMILES to the people, YES BY GOD they WILL.
JUST keep hoping, will you?.

I L B W Z:

Thank you for your nice words of encouragement. Unfortunately, I don’t see how – short of a “Deus ex machina” taking place. My beautiful America died, I feel, on November 4, 2008 although she was sick long before then.

I do envy your “hope springs eternal, as it always dies last” motto though. Oh, how much would I like to find such a spring.

DKL: CONSERVATIVES stick together, specialy at this crucial time, all energy must be high,
we must beleive in the responsability we have to be in front, pushing for AMERICAs needs
WE cannot let her down. WE all need you to be there, bye

The anger and frustration felt across America has been accentuated by the palpable sense that the Nation was seduced, and betrayed by a politically adept individual, whom it knew absolutely nothing about and who had accomplished nothing. Even Obama’s short stint in the Senate was a non-committing sequence of “Present.” Some of us predicted it, but millions who fell for the bluff and have woken up, are now justifiably embittered.

Nothing can be done about those who stand in the line-up under the poring rain, anesthetized and numbed by “tingly legs.”

America remains America. The vast majority of the immigrants of the past 20 years entered America because they sought to enjoy independence and freedom as well as the fruits of their own entrepreneurship and hard work. Most Americans and most recent immigrants aren’t interested in living on living off the sweat of others, . . . unlike this President and some of his sycophants.

In confusion and disarray, there is always Opportunity. This is an exciting time for all those heading out colleges and universities, and into careers. The coming decade will find a blossoming of the creative and entrepreneurial spirit that is still alive and well in America. The likes of Obama can’t destroy it.

MER: hi, I just read on your link on your 36, and I am very impress by JAN SOBIESKI
SHOWING thoses leadership qualitys in winning the war over the hordes of MUSLIMS that attack twice and where push back, I also found very strange, THE DATE of SEPTEMBER 11 year 1683,
I also like the mention made of the presence in the front of the charge, demonstrate
dauntless nature and absolute determination leadership, character that cannot be fake,
and men recognize this kind of character in their leader will follow him to the gates of hell.
very interesting war epic. thank you

James,

“America remains America” you say – but the evidence points otherwise. Let’s very briefly review it.

The demographics have changed dramatically over the past generation, and no wishful thinking can alter them. I’ll spare you the citations, but I’m sure you know them quite well. They simply are what they are now, and they were not what they currently are.

But maybe most important of all, the collective psyche of this land (I can’t force myself any longer to call it America) is vastly different than say even 30 or 40 years ago. A president by the name of Barack Hussein Obama HAS been elected, and that’s a fact. Could anyone think such a thing, back then? But that’s a symptom obviously, the underlying forces are of the essence.

Capitalism, that of Max Weber’s “Protestant Ethic” type, has long been dead. Atheist capitalism that succeeded it has died from the genetic deseases it was born with in the 1930s, call them the Keynes and Samuelson cancers.

The relentless attacks by atheist and islamists on Christianity, while Christianity turned the other chick, did finally Christianity in. But, these attacks were not the sole contributing factors; its inability to alter the religious message to fit the realities of the 20th century, also assisted in its demise. 21st century theism hasn’t made a dent.

A destabilizing social condition has thus emerged to pick up the vacuums generated by these dying entities. A vast diversity of socio-cultural groups have appeared, and been asked to share lands that simply can no longer support such diversity. Globalized integration has torn apart almost all up till now stable societies – certainly that of the US. “Multi-cultural” societies in what we used to call “The West” no longer share a common national heritage or “social conscience;” spiget-like, borderless frontiers have taken care of that. The delicate, optimum if you wish, size of a balanced ecological diversity is irrevocably gone, lost for ever in “political correctness.” Socially extremist and deviant groups have attained a critical mass that collectively have ushered an era of social chaos and disorientation.

In the midst of this socio-cultural turbulence, there are two seemingly expanding and vibrant forces in play, none of them good news for Conservatives, and none native to American soil, but instead both imported: the neo-communism of the Chinese variety and islam: the former a variant of 19th century Mordechai’s theory (I refuse to use the Germanic and more macho version of this idiot’s name), the other still rooted in the 7th century AD mecca of a paedophile “prophet.” I have no clue how the internal contradictions of these two seemingly opposing, but in effect glued by a holy alliance at present, forces will resolve – but I wouldn’t bet on neo-communism.

And in short, this game is shaping to be the future of this land as well. I called it the New Dark Ages – a horror movie.

This is a little more extensive elaboration of my earlier entry, and a reason for my disillusionment. So, if you see room for “entrepreneurial” behavior, I’m afraid it must be on their side: they certainly pulled one on us, on that fateful day in November, two years ago.

Where am I wrong? If there is a silver lining, I need someone to show it to me.

DKL: HI again, I see that It’s impossible to contradict what you wrote,
THE only thing come to my mind is to beleive in the CONSERVATIVE PARTY,
WHO are aware of the fatality, and will play a role in correcting such errors done,
for the sake of staying in power.
THOSE CONSERVATIVES are so important and the only one who can undo it, because of
THEIR VALUES kept untouch and , by time,
issued directly from the FRAIMERS, who influence primarely the first AMERICANS ,
who carried the CONSTITUTION’S LAWS of the LAND through the generations,
the soldiers who hurt and died for this AMERICA”S FREEDOM, and still do
for the same FREEDOM, FAIGHT in them will carry AMERICA to A new clean cut REBURBISH endeover to return the people’s hope for a new future,
I saw that light the first time I came here, and was so impress bye the will so strong to get where they must. bye

I L B W Z:

Let me break the news to you – no matter how disheartening it might be:

The Constitution is dead de facto and de jure, assaulted and abolished by the very presence of this Barack Hussein Obama in the WH. It has been replaced by an assortment of socio-political edicts, emanating from the present day “Colleges” and “Universities” of this land – from both “faculty” and “students,” or the remnants and shadows of what resembles these generic and noble entities of the past.

If you ever cared to look at and talk to these “multi-cultural” entities now (in effect a euphemism for “lack of culture”), and if you’re able to understand their lingo and their accents, you shall see the new societal order in full display: two polar extremes, precariously co-existing vying for attention: one is the VH1, MTV, LOGO, OXYGEN, MSNBC, CNN et all bundle, sporting a public display of violent sexuality, homosexuality and any type of sexuality imaginable mixed with “to be conservative is retard” type politics in Che shirts; the second one is islam and the burqa.

These two fountains of “inspiration” are now guiding the minds and actions of today’s youth. The Founding Fathers seem to reside in an alien Universe, light years away in their brains and totally divorced from their daily concerns.

And this is reality (TV and Life as we know it – or rather, don’t know it).

DKL: we must not accept defeat as long as there is CONSERVATIVES, being in the fight to return the AMERICANS VALUES, and they are working at it but they need all our 2bits of SUPPORT,
as they are as human as you and me, but they will keep the push to get there where they diserve to be, IN COMMAND OF THIS SUPERPOWER THAT IS AMERICA WHO WILL PREVAILE,
AND RISE AGAIN, LIKE A GIANT IT IS.