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3/7/2002 (7:09) |
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Pat Buchanan tells it like it is.
Why does Islam hate America?
Posted: March 5, 2002
1:00 a.m. Eastern
Editor's note: Buchanan's latest book is here! 'The Death of the
West' is an eye-opening exposé of how immigration invasions are
endangering America. Both autographed and unautographed copies
are now available at WorldNetDaily's online store.
© 2002 Creators Syndicate, Inc.
Despite Sen. Trent Lott's demand that we all fall in behind the
commander in chief, the Senate has a constitutional duty to
debate the wider war the president has begun to pursue.
Far from being unpatriotic, such a debate is the quintessence of
patriotism. In World War II, patriots argued the wisdom of
FDR's 'Europe-First' policy that left our men on Corregidor to
the mercy of the butchers of Bataan. And U.S. generals wrangled
ferociously with Churchill over where and when to invade
Hitler's 'Fortress Europe.'
We are a republic – not an empire – and republics do not go to
war until all the elected leaders of the people, not just one, have
decided on war. Moreover, since the 'Axis of Evil' speech, the
White House has moved far beyond the mandate of Congress
to destroy the 'evil-doers' of Sept. 11 and their accomplices.
In that speech, the president threatened war on Iran, Iraq and
North Korea if they did not renounce weapons of mass
destruction. Since that speech has come word the United States is
building bases in four ex-Soviet republics in Central Asia and
deploying 200 military advisers in Georgia. Last week, we
learned NATO will be expanded to include three Baltic states. If
Russian nationalists are going berserk, who can blame them?
How would we react if Russian military advisers began turning
up in Tijuana?
Why are we humiliating Russia when a first priority of U.S.
foreign policy is to keep Russian atomic weapons out of the
hands of terrorists and Mother Russia out of an embrace with
China? What is there in President Shevardnadze's Georgia that
is worth the risk of antagonizing a nuclear superpower like
Russia? Congress cannot ignore these issues.
And now, even as our War Party is cawing for Phase II attacks
on Baghdad, we learn that Phase I is not over. U.S. troops even
now are clashing with Taliban and al-Qaida forces in the largest
land battle yet. And before we begin the March to Baghdad,
second thoughts may be in order in light of the latest Gallup Poll
of the Arab and Islamic world. Apparently, America – once seen
as a benefactor and friend – is despised from Morocco to
Indonesia.
By 61 percent to18 percent, Pakistanis, Lebanese, Kuwaitis,
Iranians and Turks do not believe our word that Arabs were
responsible for Sept. 11. Only 9 percent of the Arab and Islamic
world believes the U.S. war in Afghanistan is morally justified.
Only 11 percent likes President Bush. By 55 percent to 22
percent, the world's 1 billion Muslims hold unfavorable opinions
of the United States. The most negative views are held by
Pakistanis (68 percent to 9 percent) and Jordanians (62 percent to
22 percent). Among Saudis, 16 percent has a favorable opinion
of America, but 64 percent views us negatively, which is almost
identical to the unfavorable opinion of America held by Iranians.
Who are we defending over there? Who are we fighting for?
And why do hundreds of millions of Arabs and Muslims dislike
and even detest us?
According to Gallup Poll editor Frank Newport, 'These
respondents have a deep-seated disrespect for what they see as
the undisciplined and immoral lifestyles of people in Western
nations.' They see America as 'ruthless, aggressive, conceited,
arrogant, easily provoked, biased.' In short, Arabs and Muslims
see us as the new Rome – a ruthless and godless empire – not as
a Godly republic or a shining city on a hill.
Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak is now warning that if we
attack Iraq, and the Arab world sees Arab civilians again dying
under American bombs, the entire Middle East could explode.
And Mubarak is a friend who backed President Bush's father in
Desert Storm.
In the hubris and triumphalism of this war capital, in the wake of
our victory in Afghanistan and coming 'cakewalk' over Iraq,
many will ignore these polls. After all, who cares what Arabs
think? But if we are going to war, we need to know the mind of
those we expect to conquer and convert, lest we find U.S. troops
receiving the same reception in Baghdad as Israeli troops get in
Ramallah.
There is another reason Congress must say 'yea' or 'nay' to a
wider war. This weekend, the press reported on the failed
efforts of al-Qaida to acquire an atomic bomb – for possible use
in New York City. As America is the probable target of
terrorists anxious to acquire such weapons, Congress must
answer two questions:
What is there in the Islamic world worth risking having such a
bomb exploded in our capital? And is the better way to avoid
that horror plunging in ever more deeply into that world that
hates us – or getting out altogether?
If Islamic peoples detest America, why not let them discover
democracy in their own time, rather than trying to convert them
with thermobaric bombs and cruise missiles?
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