One thing her story makes eminently clear is the NON-negotiable nature of Islam. They have a “take no prisoners” view of the Infidel, and the Infidel is us.

There is not the slightest chance of discussion to achieve a rights respecting government in which Muslims can live peacefully among other religions and atheists. It just cannot be, except for those lapsed Muslims who are also viewed as kafir by the greater Ummah (Islamic society) and its leaders.

“When opposite basic principles are clearly and openly defined, it works to the advantage of the rational side; when they are not clearly defined, but are hidden or evaded, it works to the advantage of the irrational side.”

Zawahiri seeks to capitalize on this American lack of moral certainty, by a completely explicit Argument from Intimidation.

Ayn Rand further points out (4th quote down) that,
“When opposite basic principles are clearly and openly defined, it works to the advantage of the rational side; when they are not clearly defined, but are hidden or evaded, it works to the advantage of the irrational side.”

No wonder Zawahiri thinks they are winning. I see no chance that Obama (or McCain, or Gingrich in 2012) will change the situation. It will require a Renaissance in the thinking of the average American. The only hope for that Renaissance lies with the Ayn Rand Institute.

I believe Hillary clearly proved she is not an enemy when she and President Clinton campaigned all over the country for him.

I believe a political campaign is like a football game. The two teams go out and try to brutalize one another for three hours. Most of the time, there are dirty tackles and blocks. And rarely do we see a game that a fist fight doesn’t break out. But when the game is over, they not only shake hands but hug each other. And we are speaking about professional athletes consumed with bullshit macho bravado and with much larger egos than politicians, who rarely believe they are indestructible and beyond reproach — Richard Nixon and Dick Cheney notwithstanding.

As a Navy veteran of the Vietnam era, I think it’s wonderful you would like to enlist in the Army, especially special forces.

I wish you all the luck in the world.

With all due respect, I have to completely disagree with you. The death penalty is not solely a liberal thing. I know plenty of Conservatives who oppose it (mostly on religious grounds) and some Liberals who favor it.

I see you are an Irishman. So were many of my friends from my native Brooklyn. They, I’m sure like you, are Catholic and agree with the Vatican’s rejection of executions. Not one of them is liberal, only myself.

Please read this hyperlink. It is the perspective of a former San Quentin warden. I put it on my website.

http://liberalperspectives.wordpress.com/2008/11/19/former-san-quentin-warden-capital-punishment-dead-wrong/

Legal slavery ended in Islamic countries, but it still continues today, as you said. An example of this is the treatment foreign workers receive. To use Saudi Arabia as an easy example, maids (from the Philippines for instance) are often abused by the WIVES of Muslim men, because of polygamy. The wife doesn’t want to run the risk of being replaced, so he attacks (physically and mentally) anyone she perceives as a threat to her status.

But this really is a whole other topic in and of itself. “Now They Call Me Infidel” by Nonie Darwish was an excellent book which covered this issue, among many other problems with Islamic society.