Richard Wiig

Hmm. Five million internal enemies in the United States? I don't know how many internal enemies. Islam is incompatible with liberty, but that tells us nothing about individual muslims. Each only knows within him or herself whether their loyalty lies more with Islam or with Western freedoms. The one thing that is clear (and it is not bigoted to recognise and acknowledge this) is that the teachings of Muhammad are tyrannical.

Rubbish. We brought it on ourselves, stupidly and self-sacrificially. You can go over American foreign policy endlessly and argue as to how much it has or hasn't given power to particular jihadist groups, but it, American foreign policy, is not the source of the problem. All the jihad groups around the world, of which IS is just one, are built upon the ideas of Muhammad, not American foreign policy. Many jihadists use American foreign policy to rationalise their actions to Westerners (to Islamic audiences they refer to Islamic law), but it is Islam that is their motivation, not American foreign policy. Islam is a force that goes beyond what both you and I are capable of having power over.

No! That is the recognition that the conflict is being brought to us whether we asked for it or not. It is all being brought about by forces beyond your and my control.

You really must dislike me a lot to have made all that stuff up, Michael. I have never advocated wiping Islam off the face of the earth. Nor have I ever advocated rushing headlong into military action. Richard

We do know that the full force of Western military might would be no match for IS. We also know that to allow IS to expand and strengthen will be a great morale booster to the global Jihadists. We also know that it is a war that ultimately we are all eventually going to have to fight. And we know that the longer it is evaded the more tragic it will become. When may we expect you to sacrifice your own life to prevent these terrible things from happening? I hope you say goodbye before embarking on your noble crusade. And when may I borrow your crystal ball? Your Royal "we" does not include me. Ghs I don't advocate any sacrifice, especially the sacrifice of any lives. The we, btw, does include you. It isn't something you have a choice in, unless of course giving up civilisation is an option for you. You're paranoid if you think that yet another group of Muslim fanatics, who number maybe 10-15,000 fighters, is going to destroy civilization. Ghs IS are just one group in a much larger whole. This war is global, and Islamic supremacists are present, and growing, in just about every city in the world. Wherever in fact there is a mosque. I am not a bigot, btw. Even if I was a bigot, though, it would be irrelevant to any debate. Richard

We do know that the full force of Western military might would be no match for IS. We also know that to allow IS to expand and strengthen will be a great morale booster to the global Jihadists. We also know that it is a war that ultimately we are all eventually going to have to fight. And we know that the longer it is evaded the more tragic it will become. When may we expect you to sacrifice your own life to prevent these terrible things from happening? I hope you say goodbye before embarking on your noble crusade. And when may I borrow your crystal ball? Your Royal "we" does not include me. Ghs I don't advocate any sacrifice, especially the sacrifice of any lives. The we, btw, does include you. It isn't something you have a choice in, unless of course giving up civilisation is an option for you.

r We do know that the full force of Western military might would be no match for IS. We also know that to allow IS to expand and strengthen will be a great morale booster to the global Jihadists. We also know that it is a war that ultimately we are all eventually going to have to fight. And we know that the longer it is evaded the more tragic it will become.

That is about as useful as consulting a crystal ball. The fact is, no one knows where things would stand today if Saddam Hussein had not been deposed. Richard

It might be old, but it is only as deep as each new generation.

A nice article from Daniel Greenfield. http://www.frontpagemag.com/2014/dgreenfield/the-you-didnt-do-that-society/

Some people are just wired wrong. Wired wrong? If he was wired wrong then he couldn't be held responsible for his actions. I think he was programmed wrong, like too many people are. Those who believe absurdities commit atrocities.

Nature is a bitch, Adam. Even psychopaths must act on the ideas in their head. That is natural. It's no mystery as to what the collectivists will make of this. It's another vehicle to further their collectivism, plain and simple. The screeching about banning guns (which is more passing the buck) started almost immediately.

He's stepped beyond "the world owes me a living" and into "the world owes me a life", so it's only natural that he set out to hurt people when the world didn't give it to him. A collectivist monster.

Some Mandela quotes: 7. On the U.S. war with Iraq:“If there is a country that has committed unspeakable atrocities in the world, it is the United States of America. They don’t care for human beings.” Via cbsnews.com 6. On Israel:“Israel should withdraw from all the areas which it won from the Arabs in 1967, and in particular Israel should withdraw completely from the Golan Heights, from south Lebanon and from the West Bank.” Via jweekly.com 5. On the U.S. war with Iraq:“All that (Mr. Bush) wants is Iraqi oil.” Via cbsnews.com 4. Mandela on Castro and the Cuban revolution:“From its earliest days, the Cuban Revolution has also been a source of inspiration to all freedom-loving people. We admire the sacrifices of the Cuban people in maintaining their independence and sovereignty in the face of the vicious imperialist-orquestrated campaign to destroy the impressive gain made in the Cuban Revolution. … Long live the Cuban Revolution. Long live comrade Fidel Castro.” Via lanic.utexas.edu 3. Mandela on Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi, his longtime supporter:“It is our duty to give support to the brother leader … especially in regards to the sanctions which are not hitting just him, they are hitting the ordinary masses of the people … our African brothers and sisters.” Via finalcall.com 2. On the U.S. preparing to invade Iraq in a 2002 interview with Newsweek:“If you look at those matters, you will come to the conclusion that the attitude of the United States of America is a threat to world peace.” Via newsweek.com 1. On a Palestinian state:“The UN took a strong stand against apartheid; and over the years, an international consensus was built, which helped to bring an end to this iniquitous system. But we know too well that our freedom is incomplete without the freedom of the Palestinians.” Via cbsnews.com

From the second article: "Bitcoins are not money; dollars are money." Neither is backed by gold. Bitcoins are less plentiful than dollars. I don't see any reason why bitcoins, or perhaps a different digital currency, could not be used as a medium of exchange once the mania is over. All it would take is a widespread enough acceptance. If someone can develop a stable digital currency that can be kept out of the hands of looters, then producers will be adopt it. It's early days, so who knows where this is headed. Imagine as system of exchange open to producers at the exclusion of looters. You can bet there are many minds at work trying to crack it. Any ideas on how it could be achieved?

What Peter Schiff has to say on it makes a lot of sense. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0L7SOPDOvvI

That is a false comparison. By "a product of the USA" you're certainly not referring to Enlightenment ideas or anything approaching the Constitution. In fact, nothing specific at all. You' re meaning an amorphous collection of people all adhering to different philosophical outlooks, from hedonism to nihilism to each and every outlook there is. A bit of detective work and you certainly could identify the philosophy that underpins those gang members. When I say the MB is a product of Islam I mean they are products of the teachings of Muhammad.

"What about savers? What about politicians being pressured to reduce their profligate spending?" What about them? Are you saying that savers and responsible politicians will fix the economic problems? "This seems like another complaint about the futures market from somebody lacking understanding of it. Many people/firms who hold futures have no intention to make/take delivery. Their purpose is only a price hedge." All things being normal, there is no problem. The problem comes when there is a financial crisis and currency collapses. In such a situation they would all want to take delivery of the gold.

Well, the Muslim Brotherhood is a product of Islam. "I don't know about Islam, but I am pretty sure about the Muslim Brotherhood."

The consequences of such a rise in rates will cause the recovery to stop. What recovery?

Perhaps you are suggesting that my position on Islam and Muslims is collectivist? If so, you are dead wrong.

I'm not sure what point you're making, Selene? There is something to learn though, and that's the strength of ones convictions.

Military vows to rebuild Coptic Churches. http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/08/16/egyptian-military-chief-vows-to-rebuild-coptic-churches/ Here's a list of what the Islamic supremacists have burnt down. Until 7pm this afternoon, the following churches and Coptic-owned institutions in Egypt had been burned at the hands of Islamists. Watani lists them here chronologically: Three churches and six buildings at the monastery of the Holy Virgin and Anba Abra’am in Dalga, Minya, Upper Egypt The church of Mar-Mina in the district of Abu-Hilal in the town of Minya The bishopric church of Mar-Girgis (St George) in Sohag, Upper Egypt The church of the Holy Virgin in Nazla, Fayoum, Lower Egypt The Baptist church in Beni-Mazar, Minya Coptic-owned shops in Gumhouriya Street in Assiut, Upper Egypt The Good Shepherd School in Suez The Fransiscan School in Suez The Holy Bible Society in Fayoum The church of al-Amir Tawadros (St Theodore) in Fayoum The church of the Holy Virgin in the district of Abu-Hilal in the town of Minya The Catholic church of St Mark, Minya The Jesuit church in Abu-Hilal, Minya The church of Mar-Morqos (St Mark) and its community centre, Sohag 18 houses of Coptic families in Dalga, Minya, including the home of Father Angaelus Melek of the Holy Virgin and Anba Abra’am’s The Evangelical church on Nassara Street in Abu-Hilal, Minya The church of Anba Moussa al-Aswad in Minya Coptic-owned shops, pharmacies, and a doctor’s clinic in Minya The Jesuit church in Minya (attacked, not burned) The St Fatima Basilica in Cairo (attacked, not burned) St Joseph’s School in Minya (attacked, not burned) The Nile boat al-Dahabiya, owned by the Evangelical Church in Minya Coptic-owned shops, pharmacy, and hotels on Karnak Street and Cleopatra Street in Luxor (attacked and looted) The church of Mar-Girgis (St George) in Wasta (attacked) The church of St Michael on Nemeis Street in Assiut, Upper Egypt The Adventist church in Assiut; the pastor and his wife were both kidnapped The Greek church in Suez The church of Mar-Girgis in Assiut Coptic houses on Qulta Street in Assiut attacked The church of Mar-Girgis (St George) in Arish, North Sinai The church of St Dimiana and the Evangelical church in the village of Zerbi in Fayoum The offices of the Evangelical foundation in Minya, and those of Umm al-Nour in Beni-Mazar, Minya The church of Anba Antonius in Kerdassa, Giza The bishopric church in Etfeeh, Giza In addition to the attacks against the Copts, their churches, businesses, and property; Egyptians were aghast at attempts by the Islamists to break into the Bibliotheca Alexandrina (BA) in Alexandria and set it on fire. The BA security and staff confronted the assailants in the courtyard, and there was an exchange of gunfire. According to Khaled Azab, the BA’s media manager, the conference hall was plundered, and a number of acquisitions went missing. The glass façade was shattered. In Deir Muwass, Minya, the locals called Watani in horror to report that 30 armed Islamists broke into the local water treatment station and cut off the water supply to the nearby villages and towns, meaning that should a fire erupt there would be no water to put it off. Coptic youth organisations—including the Maspero Youth Union, Copts Without Chains, The Coptic Consultant Council, and the Coptic Coalition—have all condemned the attacks against the Copts and the inadequate protection they were offered. The demanded security protection, and called upon Egypt’s Muslims to join in their defence. Father Rafiq Greiche, spokesman of the Catholic Church in Egypt, strongly condemned the attacks against churches and Christians, saying that the Copts were made to pay the price for their participation in the revolution against the Islamist regime on 30 June. He demanded that the State should take a firm stance against the assailants. Fr Rafiq announced that the Catholic Church has called off the celebrations of the feast of the Assumption of the Holy Virgin tomorrow. The Coptic Orthodox Church issued a statement in which it said it was closely following on the “lamentable situation” in Egypt today. The statement strongly condemned the “successive attacks against Egypt’s Christians, their churches, property and livelihoods,” and also the attacks against the Egyptian police and civilians. It called upon the Egyptian government and armed forces to defend Egyptians and maintain the unity of Egypt. It also called upon “our Muslim fellow Egyptians to stand against the vicious attack of places of worship which should never be part of any struggle. “We pray to the One God we all worship for every Egyptian to be a shield to defend the homeland against terrorism and violence. We pray for peace and calm to reign over Egypt.” Reported by Nader Shukry, Tereza Kamal, Basma William, Michael Victor, Samira Mazahy, Ra’fat Edward, Girgis Waheeb WATANI International 14 August 2013

Baal, how about showing me just how the (much overstated) tolerance of the so-called "golden age" was actually grounded in Islam itself, as opposed to being in spite of Islam? That there have been periods where Islamic observance has waned, or that there are many millions of Muslims today who are tolerant of the un-Islamic, doesn't alter the fact that Islam is an inherently violent anti-freedom system that subjugates non-Muslims. My question hasn't been answered. Should my estimation of Islam as a thoroughly evil scourge upon mankind that ought to be resisted till mankind is rid of it be softened somehow because of the existence of the so-called "golden age"? Selene puts forth the golden age for a reason. That reason seems to be to mitigate your harsh judgement. I don't see any good reason as to why your harsh judgement needs mitigating. So far as I can tell, it only serves to perpetuate evil.

To what degree should it figure within ones estimation of Islam? Does the so-called golden age mean that Islam is somehow not evil? Somehow not militant? Somehow not 100% antithetical to freedom?