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Fwd: Re: [ba-unrev-talk] War protests



 >At 09:38 AM 3/21/2003 -0500, you wrote:
 >I live in NYC. Booing of the tribal anthem is the least of my worries. 
And I don't regard my family's safety as anything other than endangered by 
this crusade.    (01)


I find it amusing how those opposing the current action have latched onto 
this "crusade" term.  I suppose this is a labored attempt to connotatively 
connect the current operation in Iraq with the middle ages crusades by the 
roman church-- as if the current operations are religiously motivated and 
specifically anti-islam.  Well, they may be motivated by WMD and 
possibilities of supporting terrorism,  and they may be motivated by oil 
concerns and dollar imperialism, but to propagate this terminology 
suggesting religious motivation seems highly irresponsible, and even laughable.    (02)

Who is it that views conflict between the islamic world and the non-islamic 
world as a crusade?  Just look at Saddam's speech:    (03)

"Oh Iraqis and brave men in our nation. For your sake, the sake of our 
glorious nation, the sake of the banners of jihad and its (nation) 
religion, precious values, family and children."    (04)

"what must be done to defend the dear nation and everything that is sacred"    (05)

"these days will add to earning you the glory you deserve before God"    (06)

"May the infidels, the enemies of God and humanity be shamed."    (07)

"By God's will your will be victorious and your enemies will be ashamed and 
dishonored, God willing."    (08)

"Iraq will carry out jihad..."    (09)

"Allahu Akbarm Allahu Akbar (God is great). ... Long live jihad"    (010)

------------------------------------------------    (011)

Now, lets compare how many references Bush makes to any religious concern 
in his speech:    (012)

"Good night, and may God continue to bless America."    (013)

------------------------------------------------    (014)

Hmmm. Quite a difference.  To saddam and most of the Islamic world, we are 
'enemies of God', infidels, and the conflict is a holy war, a jihad.  There 
is no such rhetoric coming from the US side. If anybody is undertaking a 
'CRUSADE' to exalt their religion above the other it is those in the 
islamic community who see it as the mission of islam to establish a great 
islamic empire over every territory of the world with no religious freedom 
and to eliminate all the 'infidels' who oppose it.  Make no mistake, there 
are plenty who are willing to endeavor to make it happen if they have the 
strength to do so.    (015)

You can say what you will about the questionable motivations of Bush, 
Cheney, Blair, et al-- but to associate this action with the loaded term 
'crusade' is completely skewed, and is absolutely the OPPOSITE of the truth 
of the situation.  Just because one strongly opposes the action doesn't 
justify skewing truth in such a reckless fashion.    (016)