Islam "the religion of peace"? Politically correct madness!

ISIS (or ISIL, as Obama and his government call it) has beheaded two Americans and one Brit, and published videos of the barbaric acts as a warning to the USA and its allies. At the end of the latest video there is said to be a warning that another British captive will be next. Today's Independent names him as Alan Henning, a "kind and funny" aid worker from Salford, taken captive in Syria. Such, we are meant to believe, will be the fate of all "infidels" who dare oppose the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant.

"Infidels". That's what ISIS calls us "Christians", which Walt puts in quotes because they mean people who come from so-called "Christian" countries, although the majority of "Christians" aren't really believers in the True Faith. Whatever they believe, they're not believers in Islam, therefore "infidels". ISIS wants to kill all the infidels -- Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians, Buddhists, Hindus, atheists -- and even those Muslims who don't belong to their own (Sunni) branch of "the religion of peace".

And yet the leaders of the free world [? Ed.] or the Christian world [??? Ed.] keep telling us that the Islamic fundamentalists don't really mean it. They want to co-exist peacefully with us because their religion is really a "religion of peace". Killing infidels really isn't part of it. They just do that because... because... well... errr...

Anyway, not all Muslims are like that. That's what President Obama and British Prime Minister Cameron are saying, even as they watch the horrifying videos. Mr. Cameron was quoted as saying, "They [ISIS] are not Muslims! They're monsters!" The Prez said ISIS "is not Islamic". [But if he's not a Muslim himself, how would he know? Ed.]

To Walt's way of thinking, to deny that ISIS is not an organization of Muslim fanatics, waging a jihad -- "holy war" -- on the rest of the world, is pure, unmitigated, politically correct bullshit! See "Quit making apologies for ISIS terrorists! They're Muslim fanatics!", posted here a few days ago.

Someone who agrees is a self-proclaimed atheist named Sam Harris, who writes "As an atheist, I cannot help wondering when this scrim of pretense and delusion will be finally burned away — either by the clear light of reason or by a surfeit of horror meted out to innocents by the parties of God.... Which will come first, flying cars and vacations to Mars, or a simple acknowledgment that beliefs guide behavior and that certain religious ideas — jihad, martyrdom, blasphemy, apostasy — reliably lead to oppression and murder?"

"Understanding and criticizing the doctrine of Islam — and finding some way to inspire Muslims to reform it — is one of the most important challenges the civilized world now faces. But the task isn't as simple as discrediting the false doctrines of Muslim 'extremists,' because most of their views are not false by the light of scripture. A hatred of infidels is arguably the central message of the Koran."

Those quotes are taken from a post on Mr. Harris's blog titled "Sleepwalking Toward Armageddon". Oh yeah... Armageddon! Didn't Walt mention that not so long ago? Indeed I did! See "3 portents of the coming Armageddon", posted here August 26th. If even an atheist can see it coming, I'd suggest our religious and political leaders ought to govern themselves (and us) accordingly.

"You're next!", Chaldean Archbishop of Mosul warns West

This is the Most Reverend Amel Nona, Chaldean Catholic Archbishop of Mosul, Iraq. Behind him is what remains of St. Paul's Cathedral, destroyed in July by the jihadists of ISIS. These are the Islamic extremists the Vatican was telling us we must "dialogue" with, until recent events proved that there can be no dialogue with the devil.

The ISIS forces -- much more powerful than Al-Qaeda at its peak -- have forced a million Christians in Syria and Iraq to either convert to Islam or be killed. Until the very public beheading of James Foley this week, the Prez and other western "leaders" thought the war in the Fertile Crescent was little more than "a spot of local trouble" which could be handled with a few well-placed air strikes. This week it finally dawned on Messrs Obama, Cameron et al. that we could be next. See "'We’re coming for you, Barack Obama': Top U.S. official discloses threat from ISIL", from the Washington Times.

In an August 18th interview with Corriere della Sera, Archbishop Nona describes the danger as being not in the future, but clear and present. The fanatics are not coming, he says. They are already here! Speaking of our insane immigration policies which welcome increasing numbers of Muslims into our countries, the prelate said, "Our sufferings today are the prelude of those you, Europeans and Western Christians, will also suffer in the near future.... "I lost my diocese. The physical setting of my apostolate has been occupied by Islamic radicals who want us converted or dead.... You will become the victims of the enemy you have welcomed into your home."

Further reading: "ISIS Leader Says Christians Must Convert to Stay", from the English edition of Corriere della Sera.

Mission accomplished... NOT! Iraq explodes again

Looks like the cradle of civilization is becoming even less civilized -- or more uncivilized -- this week, as the world lurches ever close to the Armageddon.

Walt refers to the looming disaster in Iraq, and suggests you have a look at the map of the "cradle" in "The Coffin of Civilization", posted here back in September of 2012. See the part of the "Fertile Crescent" labelled "Assyria"? That's modern-day Syria. "Akkad" roughly corresponds to Iraq. Here's a modern map, showing today's porous borders. Consult your programme while Walt explains who's killing whom.

The yellow stain of violent Islamic extremism starts in north-eastern Syria where jihadist rebels are fighting the forces of "Basher" Assad's government, then spreads east into northern Iraq, where the majority Kurds -- also Muslims -- have been agitating for ages to establish an independent state. In fact they already have a government of sorts in the three Iraqi states shown in olive grey.

The insurgents coming in from Syria represent a new "organization", even worse than al-Qaeda, which they call "the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant". The abbreviation would seem to be "ISIL", but they have taken to using "ISIS", maybe because... well, who knows... Islam is not the monolithic religion many westerners think it is. Muslims like fighting with each other even better than waging war on infidels. [Maybe it's because we infidels are better fighters? Ed.] The ISIS jihadists are Sunni Muslims, and regard the Shia Muslims (the majority in Iraq) as, errr, also infidels.

The Kurds, as you can imagine, are encouraging the Sunni thugs to make their whey [Geddit? Kurds and whey? Ed.] quickly south to Tikrit and Baghdad, where the Shites [Ed., please check spelling] are, and leave "Kurdistan" to the Kurds. As of today, ISIS are in control of Mosul and Tikrit and are moving closer to Baghdad. Iraqi government troops are stripping off their uniforms and laying down their arms as fast as Egyptians fleeing from advancing Israelis.

Cue the inevitable "Something must be done!" from Western leaders, the Disunited Nations, etc etc. But what?! How about sending US troops in to restore order. Considering what a great job the American-led "coalition" did last time, maybe not! Even President Hussein Obama has learned (Walt thinks) that going in is one thing, getting out quite another. Won't be doing that again!

But cheer up. Iran is ready to step into the breach! President Hassan Rouhani has denied reports that three units of Iran's crack Presidential Guards have already been sent to Baghdad to bolster Iraqi government forces' defences. But, he said, Iran stands ready to intervene if things get worse. And they are sending a dozen tanks fitted with special transmissions -- four speeds in reverse and one forward... in case the Sunnis attack from the rear.

Iran has close ties with the Shia-dominated Iraqi leadership which came to power after the Americans toppled of President Saddam Hussein, whose power base was the country's Sunni minority. That little exercise cost over $1,000,000,000,000 -- that's a trillion -- and over 4000 American lives. But it was worth it, right? Errr, maybe not.

Note from Ed.: I'm reminded of the old Iraqi lovesong: I Want a Gal Just Like the Old Bag Dad Had.