In recent times, radical Muslims have killed thousands of people worldwide in the name of religion.

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At what point do moderate Muslims start sharing the blame for not being outspoken enough against their fanatical sects?

Big, You said that although you are atheist, you embrace and respect Islam. What is your response to my question?

"Moderate Muslims" might not be fighting alongside the more "Extreme" ones but who is to say "Moderate" Muslims don't agree with the more "Extreme" ones' views?

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In reality the problem is not how to defeat them but how to find common ground. Without changing American agenda this will not be possible.

I was half-watching Pres. Bush last night essentially telling a leader of an Asian nation, that nuclear weapons were forbidden in that nation, and I'm trying to imagine what that nation's leaders were thinking about this. Let's see: the U.S. has nuclear weapons but we cannot. How do I justify this to the people? Do I tell them the U.S. is the great moral compass of the world? I don't think they will accept this idea.

Whenever we talk about what another nation or other people (e.g., Muslims) should do, I think it's imperative that we understand and acknowledge their point of view--even if different than ours. If we insist they simply accept our point of view, I don't think it will work. I guess this is a sideways way of agreeing with Big.

Originally Posted by Big

In reality the problem is not how to defeat them but how to find common ground. Without changing American agenda this will not be possible.

How do we find common ground with those who tell us to convert to Islam or be killed?

I don't think there is common ground with the extremist.

I do think we need to show the moderates that there is value in stopping the violence and terroristic tactics that the extremists embrace.

Originally Posted by Ground&Pound

How do we find common ground with those who tell us to convert to Islam or be killed?

I don't think there is common ground with the extremist.

I do think we need to show the moderates that there is value in stopping the violence and terroristic tactics that the extremists embrace.

Finding common ground is not a one-way street, hence the term "common." I think that Ground is right that we can't find common ground with a faction that does not want to budge. It is not solely our responsibility to let them live as they wish (which includes killing Americans). We can respect their way of life if they respect our way of life.

But, they have proven that they don't care if we allow them to live as they wish or not. It seems they have other motives. Hundreds of muslims were killed in the WTC on 9/11 by terrorist muslims. They didn't care that they were killing other muslims, so we can't say that it was an entire religiously motivated incident. There had to be some reason that justified to these people that killing those of their own faith was OK. Perhaps this bit of informatin would help us understand how to help end the problems.

In any case, we certainly gave the muslim community the opportunity to find common ground -- turn over those who killed thousands of civilians (just as you would ask of us) and everything will be fine. It seems to me that the radical muslims want to have everything without negotiating. But, this street travels both ways.

Originally Posted by Ground&Pound

How do we find common ground with those who tell us to convert to Islam or be killed?

I don't think there is common ground with the extremist.

I do think we need to show the moderates that there is value in stopping the violence and terroristic tactics that the extremists embrace.

Ground,

Its impossible to debate with you. You simply repeat what George Bush has told you. The fact is Bin Laden can't care less who follows what in America as long as his beloved Middle East is left to pray and worship that dear Islam. What he wants is Americans to praise Islam and allow it to establish its own rules in the countries where Islam is worshipped.

You can praise Islam and be an atheist. Its called diplomacy. Reagan did it when he called future Taliban freedom fighters.

No skipster,

Common ground is when there is no American soldier on Middle Eastern soil and no sanctions against Middle Eastern countries and in return for that there are no terrorist attacks against America.

America has long made its presence known in the Middle East by meddling in Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq and in Afghanistan either financially, militarily or politically.

America is not a saint and its a lousy world policeman and that is the consequence.

I'm not repeating what George Bush told me, I'm repeating what Osama bi Laden told me.

"Convert or be killed".

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By the way, I never voted for Bush. I think he was the wrong man for the job.

Any decisions he makes will be looked upon with suspicion because of his father's history, his ties with the oil industry and his vice presidents business ventures.

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I actually agree with the democrats most of the time.

However, I recognize the extreme threat that Islamic extremist pose to the rest of the world.

So, what would have been you solution for a muslim attack on American soil, including muslims on American soil. Would removing ALL American soldiers from the region been better? Would allowing terrorist organizations to flourish that want to kill Americans be better? What is that factor that caused the terrorosts to want to kill muslims that lived in the US? Would you still complain if the US withdrew completely from the Middle East and the terrorsist obliterated Isreal, stopped the flow of oil from the Middle Wast, and imprisoned or killed anyone they simply did not like? What would be your recommendation for that potential problem?

No one is saying that the US is a saint, but the US did not kill anyone in cold blood before 9/11 to provoke the attack. The US is also not trying to be a policeman. Often, the US acts a part of the UN or at the behest of other nations, like France and Russia. The US is certainly not alone here.

As for your praise of Islam, I don't think the US should blindly "praise" anything. I think only things that have merit should be praised. If the terrorists do not respect our value judgment, they have no right for us to respect their value judgments, though we have respected ALL of their value judgments except for their right to kill anyone they don't like. I thought you liked to stand up for the little guy. Why aren't you standing up for the litle people that the terrorists have killed, including Americans, muslims, and their own people?