JERUSALEM - Israel on Thursday temporarily grounded reserve air force pilots who — in an unprecedented protest — condemned airstrikes in the West Bank and Gaza Strip as "immoral" and refused to fly such sorties. ==========

The declaration by 27 pilots, including nine on active duty, was widely criticized in Israel as subversive at a time of war, but it also revived a flagging debate on the ethics of Israel's three-year war on Palestinian militants.

The protest struck a nerve because many Israelis believe their military has higher moral standards than that of their neighbors, and that other countries would have been much more ruthless.

The military is also seen as an institution that binds the fractious nation; Israelis get jittery at signs of cracks in the ranks. The air force in particular is considered key to Israel's survival, and pilots are held in the highest regard. Critics also say such talk gives ammunition to Israel's enemies.

The air force quickly tried to contain the damage. Commander Maj. Gen. Dan Halutz said the nine active pilots, grounded for now, could face suspension and perhaps military jail if they don't retract.

He said the rebels are a tiny minority among thousands of pilots. Hundreds of pilots began circulating declarations Thursday that expressed support for their commanders.

The protesters came under fire for mixing their moral dilemma with political opinion — their declaration said the continued occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip corrupts society.

Even moderate Israelis said this is a mistake, because it could set a precedent. "When the time comes, say, to remove settlers from their homes, other people in the army or in the air force will say they don't want to obey these orders in the same way," said Col. Uri Dromi, an air force reservist.

Veteran journalist Dan Margalit wrote in a front-page commentary in the Maariv daily that the pilots abused their exalted standing.

"If their idea is accepted, Ahmed Yassin and his compatriots in the Hamas leadership will be able to plan the next murder of Jewish children on a Jerusalem bus without interference," Margalit wrote, referring to an August bus bombing that killed 23 people, six of them children.

Only veteran leaders of Israel's dovish left, including Yossi Sarid and Shulamit Aloni of the Meretz party, defended the pilots.

Several hundred Israelis have refused to serve in the West Bank and Gaza. There have been protests such as last weekend's Tel Aviv rally in which several thousand called for ending the occupation. But no major anti-war movement has emerged during the current fighting with the Palestinians, and most Israelis support the military's actions.

The group of 27 is informally led by Brig. Gen. Yiftah Spector, a highly decorated retired pilot who, according to Israeli media, took part in the bombing of an Iraqi nuclear reactor in 1981.


In their petition, the pilots said airstrikes on crowded Palestinian areas are "illegal and immoral."

In three years of fighting, Israeli pilots have carried out hundreds of airstrikes, targeting Palestinian police installations and weapons workshops of militants. The most controversial involve targeted killings in which helicopters — and sometimes warplanes — fire rockets and bombs at cars and homes of Palestinian militants.

 Some 140 wanted Palestinians have died in targeted raids, according to Palestinian medical officials, though the figure also includes those killed resisting arrest. More than 100 bystanders have also died, they said.

The Israeli public, traumatized by a Palestinian suicide bombing campaign that has killed hundreds since September 2000, largely supports the targeted killings.

A watershed for some pilots was last year's attack on Salah Shehadeh, leader of the Hamas military wing. A one-ton bomb killed Shehadeh, an assistant and 14 civilians, nine of them children. Halutz, the air force commander, had said he felt the bombing was morally correct.

In response to last month's Jerusalem bombing, Israel accelerated targeted attacks, killing 13 Hamas members and six bystanders in nearly a dozen airstrikes in Gaza City.


One of the 27 pilots, identified only as Capt. Alon, told the Yediot Ahronot daily he was now ashamed to be a member of the air force. "It's an organization that has no qualms about dropping bombs ... on the densest neighborhoods in the world ...," he was quoted as saying.

It was the first time pilots have come out openly against air force policy. In the 1982 invasion of Lebanon, some expressed reservations about bombing cities and refugee camps but did not go public.

some people that are free thinkers..

I wish there were more troops that acted like this
when the Nazis were committing atrocites during world war 2.
If the Nazis running the concentration camps refused to work, the oppression would have ended sooner.

Even in the American military you are allowed to refuse orders if they are in violation of the geneva convention....

Just like the soldiers in the Me lai massacre in vietnam should have stood up and refused to take part.

the Israeli pilots are anti semites for not supporting Israel./?????

Anyone that does not do the will of Ariel Sharon, Fuehrer of the Zionist State, must be an anti-Semite. The JDL and the ADL say so, so it must be true.

There are a lot of Jews who hate their own race. You never heard of anti-sematic Jews?

There are also lots of Americans who are Anto-American. Most of them hang out here although they (and we) wish they were in a worker's paradise like North Korea. The grass is very tasty out there I hear.

how the right wing "conservatives"

dont even know how to spell
when enraged in their hatred
for human rights.

get a speak and spell if the words get too difficult.
or are you just a bunch of short bus riders?

you morons spelled "anti-american" and "anti-semite"
incorrectly.

If your gonna be a hater, at least dont be an ignorant hater........
It just makes you look stupid

ROFL!!!!!

Israel has traitors just like we do here.

Sounds like the start of the Israel Green Party.

...when was the last time you wiped your stinkhole with the Bill of Rights?

But that is just a constant with you pro-gulag nuts isn't it? Go back into your compound and light another candle for fascism and your owners.

I love it when a simple statement of fact flusters the jackasses around here so deeply.

Sorry about that Black Cat.

Didn't mean to step on your Jew Hating ,Brownshirt wearing toes.

Hey Blackie, I realize that you are an overly emotional, bandwagon jumping ass, but where the hell did the Bill of Rights comment come from.
Perhaps you were responding to another post.

You guys need to stand behind the President
and to understand that you need to be on OUR
bandwagon.
You liberals are so stupid to complain about
Mr Bush.
Everyone knows he is doing a fine job.
Anyone here that disagrees with this is simply an
anti-american LIAR

this war is bullshit and the israelis
are just a bunch of illegal immigrants
that just took over the land of palestine.

Shit, they didnt even help the Brits and the Arab muslims kick out the Ottoman Turks inthe 1920's.

Now they claim it is their land

Fresca: "I love it when a simple statement of fact flusters the jackasses around here so deeply. "

Well, this is what you actually posted: "Israel has traitors just like we do here."
Simple enough...OK as a general suspicion, but certainly not a "statement of fact".

Then this: "Sounds like the start of the Israel Green Party."

Did you mean to imply that the Green Party is traitorous? If so...opinion, and unsubstantiated by reality...but cetainly not a "Statement of Fact"...

So when you get around to making a statement of fact...maybe you won't experience so much deep flustration...

I would be much more impressed if 27 Hamas members pledged not to blow up Isreali civilians.

That fact that it is Isreali soldiers taking this position is a testament to the basic civility of the Isreali people.

I imagine is 27 Hamas members made a similar pledge they would be accused of collaberation with Isreal, confessions would be tortured out of them, and they would be shot. It's happened before....

Anyone care to comment?

these are 27 exceptional israelis that have my utmost respect.

not like the other 6 million who approve of bombing the occupied territories

Very good point.

And next:

Cry "Havoc!" and let slip the moral equivalency of IndyMedia!

"Fresca: "I love it when a simple statement of fact flusters the jackasses around here so deeply. "

Well, this is what you actually posted: "Israel has traitors just like we do here."
Simple enough...OK as a general suspicion, but certainly not a "statement of fact".

Then this: "Sounds like the start of the Israel Green Party."
"

Of course Israel has traitors. Every state has traitors. That is absolutely a statement of fact.

And, I would go as far as to say that soldiers who refuse to fight the enemy during a war are somewhat traitorous.

What else would you call them? There is a "war". Israel is attacked constantly by the defacto military of the palestinians. They must defend themselves. These soldiers, by not carrying out their duties, are, by definition traitors. Regardless of where you stand on the issue, this is just the way it is.

As far as the Green Party being traitorus, well, who knows. It's hard to say because they are a collection of individuals and it's impossible to attribute absolute beliefs to a group.

I will say that, since we were attacked on 9-11 we are finally at war with an enemy that has attacked us repeatedly for decades (This is another absolute statement of fact), supporting the idea of a unilateral US peace is tantamount to abbetting an enemy that will not, under any circumstances engage in anything but violence and terrorism. That is traitorous.

Obviously being anti-war in general is not traitorus. There is nothing noble about being pro-war in general either. But when a situation arrises where fighting back is the only option, to rally against that and allow the enemy to attack unabated is not only traitorous, but is suicidal.

Those who were opposed to any and all military retailiation for 9-11 fall squarely in that group.

But somehow, I don't think it'll win you any fans amongst the angry villagers here, with their pitchforks and torches.

I know it's hard to accept, but try not to lose too much sleep over it.

Thanks non, I suspect I'll sleep just fine.

But keep the drawbridge up, and the fires lit under the kettles of lead.

Might come in handy.

Y'all got the nail hit right on the head.
Fuck those dirty AAAA-RABS
I'm with y'all
We need them sand niggers dead!!!
We should just blow up a nuke
and massacre millions of them som-bitches.
Hitler was right after all
Them "mud-people" aint got no right to even breath!!!

I'M behind y'all 1000%
Aryan pride for life!!!!!!!!!!!

25 Rules of Disinformation: How to Fight Back

Built upon Thirteen Techniques for Truth Suppression by David Martin, the following may be useful to the initiate in the world of dealing with veiled and half-truth, lies, and suppression of truth when serious crimes are studied in public forums. This, sadly, includes every day news media, one of the worst offenders with respect to being a source of disinformation. Where the crime involves a conspiracy, or a conspiracy to cover up the crime, there will invariably be a disinformation campaign launched against those seeking to uncover and expose the truth and/or the conspiracy. There are specific tactics which disinfo artists tend to apply, as revealed here. Also included with this material are seven common traits of the disinfo artist which may also prove useful in identifying players and motives. The more a particular party fits the traits and is guilty of following the rules, the more likely they are a professional disinfo artist with a vested motive.

People can be bought, threatened, or blackmailed into providing disinformation, so even "good guys" can be suspect in many cases.

A rational person participating as one interested in the truth will evaluate that chain of evidence and conclude either that the links are solid and conclusive, that one or more links are weak and need further development before conclusion can be arrived at, or that one or more links can be broken, usually invalidating (but not necessarily so, if parallel links already exist or can be found, or if a particular link was merely supportive, but not in itself key) the argument. The game is played by raising issues which either strengthen or weaken (preferably to the point of breaking) these links. It is the job of a disinfo artist to interfere with these evaluation... to at least make people think the links are weak or broken when, in truth, they are not... or to propose alternative solutions leading away from the truth. Often, by simply impeding and slowing down the process through disinformation tactics, a level of victory is assured because apathy increases with time and rhetoric.

It would seem true in almost every instance, that if one cannot break the chain of evidence for a given solution, revelation of truth has won out. If the chain is broken either a new link must be forged, or a whole new chain developed, or the solution is invalid an a new one must be found... but truth still wins out. There is no shame in being the creator or supporter of a failed solution, chain, or link, if done with honesty in search of the truth. This is the rational approach. While it is understandable that a person can become emotionally involved with a particular side of a given issue, it is really unimportant who wins, as long as truth wins. But the disinfo artist will seek to emotionalize and chastise any failure (real or false claims thereof), and will seek by means of intimidation to prevent discussion in general.

Eight Traits of The Disinformationalist

1. Avoidance
2. Selectivity
3. Coincidental
4. Teamwork
5. Anti-conspiratorial
6. Artificial Emotions
7. Inconsistent
8. Newly Discovered: Time Constant


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


It is the disinfo artist and those who may pull their strings (those who stand to suffer should the crime be solved) MUST seek to prevent rational and complete examination of any chain of evidence which would hang them. Since fact and truth seldom fall on their own, they must be overcome with lies and deceit. Those who are professional in the art of lies and deceit, such as the intelligence community and the professional criminal (often the same people or at least working together), tend to apply fairly well defined and observable tools in this process. However, the public at large is not well armed against such weapons, and is often easily led astray by these time-proven tactics. Remarkably, not even media and law enforcement have NOT BEEN TRAINED to deal with these issues. For the most part, only the players themselves understand the rules of the game.

This why concepts from the film, Wag-The-Dog, actually work. If you saw that movie, know that there is at least one real-world counterpart to Al Pacino's character. For CIA, it is Mark Richards, who was called in to orchestrate the media response to Waco on behalf of Janet Reno. Mark Richards is the acknowledged High Priest of Disinformation. His appointment was extremely appropriate, since the CIA was VERY present at Waco from the very beginning of the cult to the very end of their days - just as it was at the People's Temple in Jonestown. Richards purpose in life is damage control.

For such disinformationalists, the overall aim is to avoid discussing links in the chain of evidence which cannot be broken by truth, but at all times, to use clever deceptions or lies to make select links seem weaker than they are, create the illusion of a break, or better still, cause any who are considering the chain to be distracted in any number of ways, including the method of questioning the credentials of the presenter. Please understand that fact is fact, regardless of the source. Likewise, truth is truth, regardless of the source. This is why criminals are allowed to testify against other criminals. Where a motive to lie may truly exist, only actual evidence that the testimony itself IS a lie renders it completely invalid. Were a known 'liar's' testimony to stand on its own without supporting fact, it might certainly be of questionable value, but if the testimony (argument) is based on verifiable or otherwise demonstrable facts, it matters not who does the presenting or what their motives are, or if they have lied in the past or even if motivated to lie in this instance -- the facts or links would and should stand or fall on their own merit and their part in the matter will merely be supportive.

Moreover, particularly with respects to public forums such as newspaper letters to the editor, and Internet chat and news groups, the disinfo type has a very important role. In these forums, the principle topics of discussion are generally attempts by individuals to cause other persons to become interested in their own particular position, idea, or solution -- very much in development at the time. People often use such mediums as a sounding board and in hopes of pollination to better form their ideas. Where such ideas are critical of government or powerful, vested groups (especially if their criminality is the topic), the disinfo artist has yet another role -- the role of nipping it in the bud. They also seek to stage the concept, the presenter, and any supporters as less than credible should any possible future confrontation in more public forums result due to their early successes. You can often spot the disinfo types at work here by the unique application of "higher standards" of discussion than necessarily warranted. They will demand that those presenting arguments or concepts back everything up with the same level of expertise as a professor, researcher, or investigative writer. Anything less renders any discussion meaningless and unworthy in their opinion, and anyone who disagrees is obviously stupid -- and they generally put it in exactly those terms.

So, as you read any such discussions, particularly so in Internet news groups (NG), decide for yourself when a rational argument is being applied and when disinformation, psyops (psychological warfare operations) or trickery is the tool. Accuse those guilty of the later freely. They (both those deliberately seeking to lead you astray, and those who are simply foolish or misguided thinkers) generally run for cover when thus illuminated, or -- put in other terms, they put up or shut up (a perfectly acceptable outcome either way, since truth is the goal.) Here are the twenty-five methods and seven traits, some of which don't apply directly to NG application. Each contains a simple example in the form of actual (some paraphrased for simplicity) from NG comments on commonly known historical events, and a proper response. Accusations should not be overused -- reserve for repeat offenders and those who use multiple tactics. Responses should avoid falling into emotional traps or informational sidetracks, unless it is feared that some observers will be easily dissuaded by the trickery. Consider quoting the complete rule rather than simply citing it, as others will not have reference. Offer to provide a complete copy of the rule set upon request (see permissions statement at end):

1) Avoidance. They never actually discuss issues head-on or provide constructive input, generally avoiding citation of references or credentials. Rather, they merely imply this, that, and the other. Virtually everything about their presentation implies their authority and expert knowledge in the matter without any further justification for credibility.

2) Selectivity. They tend to pick and choose opponents carefully, either applying the hit-and-run approach against mere commentators supportive of opponents, or focusing heavier attacks on key opponents who are known to directly address issues. Should a commentator become argumentative with any success, the focus will shift to include the commentator as well.

3) Coincidental. They tend to surface suddenly and somewhat coincidentally with a new controversial topic with no clear prior record of participation in general discussions in the particular public arena involved. They likewise tend to vanish once the topic is no longer of general concern. They were likely directed or elected to be there for a reason, and vanish with the reason.

4) Teamwork. They tend to operate in self-congratulatory and complementary packs or teams. Of course, this can happen naturally in any public forum, but there will likely be an ongoing pattern of frequent exchanges of this sort where professionals are involved. Sometimes one of the players will infiltrate the opponent camp to become a source for straw man or other tactics designed to dilute opponent presentation strength.

5) Anti-conspiratorial. They almost always have disdain for 'conspiracy theorists' and, usually, for those who in any way believe JFK was not killed by LHO. Ask yourself why, if they hold such disdain for conspiracy theorists, do they focus on defending a single topic discussed in a NG focusing on conspiracies? One might think they would either be trying to make fools of everyone on every topic, or simply ignore the group they hold in such disdain. Or, one might more rightly conclude they have an ulterior motive for their actions in going out of their way to focus as they do.

6) Artificial Emotions. An odd kind of 'artificial' emotionalism and an unusually thick skin -- an ability to persevere and persist even in the face of overwhelming criticism and unacceptance. This likely stems from intelligence community training that, no matter how condemning the evidence, deny everything, and never become emotionally involved or reactive. The net result for a disinfo artist is that emotions can seem artificial. Most people, if responding in anger, for instance, will express their animosity throughout their rebuttal. But disinfo types usually have trouble maintaining the 'image' and are hot and cold with respect to pretended emotions and their usually more calm or unemotional communications style. It's just a job, and they often seem unable to 'act their role in character' as well in a communications medium as they might be able in a real face-to-face conversation/confrontation. You might have outright rage and indignation one moment, ho-hum the next, and more anger later -- an emotional yo-yo. With respect to being thick-skinned, no amount of criticism will deter them from doing their job, and they will generally continue their old disinfo patterns without any adjustments to criticisms of how obvious it is that they play that game -- where a more rational individual who truly cares what others think might seek to improve their communications style, substance, and so forth, or simply give up.

7) Inconsistent. There is also a tendency to make mistakes which betray their true self/motives. This may stem from not really knowing their topic, or it may be somewhat 'freudian', so to speak, in that perhaps they really root for the side of truth deep within. I have noted that often, they will simply cite contradictory information which neutralizes itself and the author. For instance, one such player claimed to be a Navy pilot, but blamed his poor communicating skills (spelling, grammar, incoherent style) on having only a grade-school education. I'm not aware of too many Navy pilots who don't have a college degree. Another claimed no knowledge of a particular topic/situation but later claimed first-hand knowledge of it.

8) BONUS TRAIT: Time Constant. Recently discovered, with respect to News Groups, is the response time factor. There are three ways this can be seen to work, especially when the government or other empowered player is involved in a cover up operation: 1) ANY NG posting by a targeted proponent for truth can result in an IMMEDIATE response. The government and other empowered players can afford to pay people to sit there and watch for an opportunity to do some damage. SINCE DISINFO IN A NG ONLY WORKS IF THE READER SEES IT - FAST RESPONSE IS CALLED FOR, or the visitor may be swayed towards truth. 2) When dealing in more direct ways with a disinformationalist, such as email, DELAY IS CALLED FOR - there will usually be a minimum of a 48-72 hour delay. This allows a sit-down team discussion on response strategy for best effect, and even enough time to 'get permission' or instruction from a formal chain of command. 3) In the NG example 1) above, it will often ALSO be seen that bigger guns are drawn and fired after the same 48-72 hours delay - the team approach in play. This is especially true when the targeted truth seeker or their comments are considered more important with respect to potential to reveal truth. Thus, a serious truth sayer will be attacked twice for the same sin.


I close with the first paragraph of the introduction to my unpublished book, Fatal Rebirth:

Truth cannot live on a diet of secrets, withering within entangled lies. Freedom cannot live on a diet of lies, surrendering to the veil of oppression. The human spirit cannot live on a diet of oppression, becoming subservient in the end to the will of evil. God, as truth incarnate, will not long let stand a world devoted to such evil. Therefore, let us have the truth and freedom our spirits require... or let us die seeking these things, for without them, we shall surely and justly perish in an evil world.


Twenty-Five Rules of Disinformation

1. Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil
2. Become incredulous and indignant
3. Create rumor mongers
4. Use a straw man
5. Sidetrack opponents w name calling, ridicule
6. Hit and Run
7. Question motives
8. Invoke authority
9. Play Dumb
10. Associate opponent charges with old news
11. Establish and rely upon fall-back positions
12. Enigmas have no solution
13. Alice in Wonderland Logic
14. Demand complete solutions
15. Fit the facts to alternate conclusions
16. Vanish evidence and witnesses
17. Change the subject
18. Emotionalize, Antagonize, and Goad
19. Ignore facts, demand impossible proofs
20. False evidence
21. Call a Grand Jury, Special Prosecutor
22. Manufacture a new truth
23. Create bigger distractions
24. Silence critics
25. Vanish

Liar.

It's obvious to all (except those who do't WANT to believe it) that you're just a fake.

By your imbecilic post, you think I'm a racist, huh?

Please post evidence to back that up, please.

Or, you can be a coward and don't.

Like Hex did.

WE NEED TO GET THIS TROOP OUT OF THE FIELD
IMMEDIATLY!!!
HE'S OBVIOUSLY A PARANOID SCHITZO THAT BELIEVES HIS RHETORIC IS SO
IMPORTANT THAT "THEY" ARE OUT TO GET HIM.

OBVIOUSLY FILLED WITH FEAR.
BETTER CANCEL THAT COMBAT ARMS POSITION
HE REQUESTED.
CANT HAVE HIM FREAKING OUT IN THE FIELD LIKE THIS........

Hey Fresca heres a fact for you, there are 4% of the people in the US consuming 40 percent of the worlds resources. It is the job of the military to extract these resources at gunpoint, not for the benafite for Joe Six Pac but for the benafite of Joe millionare. Isreal is just a defacto imperialist client state nation of the US to continue American hegimony in the middle east. Untill we are willing to face this fact there will always be terrorism and people linning up to be sucide bombers.
If anyone belives the spin of the right wing that people are volunteering to be suicide bombers because they hate freedom or because they belive they will be welcombed with virgins in hevan, then they better put the crack pipe down and do some serious self examination.
People are blowing us up because they have no fucking hope and their lives really suck under US and Isrealie occupation. Why do you think palastians support Arafat and hamas, because they are brutilized by the IDF and their homes are being destroyed by American made buldozers, built for one reason. Isreal keeps building more settlements while the palastians live in utter misery with their whole way of life being destroyed. Its a cycle of violence and it will keep getting worse as long as GW is in office with the power of this corporate media to spin his lies.

Thanks for your ridiculous post.

Beyond the fact that there is no American "empire" or hegemony (The occupation...if you can even call it that of two mid east shitholes is hardly an empire) it's nonsense to even suggest that these muslim terrorists are attcking us because they "have no hope" due to our actions. Bullshit. You can spin it all you want to lay the blame for these animals actions at our feet but it doesn't wash.

We definetly don't have squeeky clean hands. Don't get me wrong. But to say that we have oppressed or otherwise forced these people into atrocious acts is just plain silly.

In addition, to take the element of religious intolerance out of the cause for their actions is also just as ridiculous. These people will hate us and Isarel forever, simply because we are different. It's been that way for centuries.

"...PARANOID SCHIZO..."

That's so funny, coming from you, fake boy.

Note: Caps Lock does not confer credibility.

I've got "consuming"...

I've got "defacto imperialist client state nation of the US"

I've got " American hegimony" (good thing they don't count off for spelling)...

I've got "US and Isrealie occupation"...

I've got "cycle of violence"...

HEY! I've got Lefty Bingo!

Reformist Arab Diplomat: 'Are We a Nation that Preaches Morality and Tolerance?'


A reformist Arab diplomat who writes under the pseudonym Abu Ahmad Mustafa [1] continued his criticism of Muslim society in a September 13, 2003 article for the London Arabic-language daily Al-Sharq Al-Awsat. [2] In the article he takes issue with Muslim society's view of life as a transitional stage leading to the hereafter. The following are excerpts from the article:


The Distance Between Words and Deeds

"The religious discourse brainwashing people day and night on the government [and] public... satellite [television] channels is a blatant expression of the backward mentality that does not believe in the other and refuses to coexist with him…

"The calls to hate and kill the other [that come] at the end of each prayer session and at every opportunity are camouflaged with the assertion that we are a tolerant nation that commands promoting virtue and preventing vice. Why then are our deeds so different from our words? In his day, the Saudi philosopher Abdallah Al-Qassimi said many times that 'the greatest distance [between two points] in the world is the distance between an Arab's words and his deeds.'

"We have become accustomed to not asking questions and not searching for the truth, doing so only when this suits our personal desires and motivations. We demand that others adopt the moral standards advocated by Islam, yet we do not implement them at all. We preach love, [yet] we read of a battle waged by a [political] party bearing the name of Allah [against another political party]… The interested parties intervene and call the ones who are killed Shahids. Is there a greater disgrace?

"When someone who murders, spills blood, and slashes the bellies of Palestinian children, women, and the elderly is himself murdered, all lament his death and decorate him with medals of honor and excellence as [a hero] of pan-Arab nationalism. Do we need any more examples?…"

Our Websites Provoke Nausea

"We must examine our history, our books, and our stories with an open mind [and] without hatred of the other. [We] must not refrain from depicting [the other] positively. We have no choice than to do so if we want to create a peaceful society with peace of mind. Anyone who reads with objective eyes our websites, which we have put to such bad use, will be nauseated by the hatred for the other. [These] sites are full of invective and revilement that does not [spare] even the righteous caliphs, who are described with the ugliest of depictions. Under the catchphrase, 'Islam is the solution' [our] websites [are] full of wailing and lamentation for a man killed in a battle that has no connection to religion and whose background has no connection to Islam!"


Islam is Not the Answer

"The answer does not lie in Islam; it is hidden in sick minds brainwashed with hatred for the brethren living nearby and peoples living thousands of miles away.

"What was it that drove a mentally ill man to destroy buildings that housed companies employing people of different religions, among them Muslims, who have no connection whatsoever to his sick ideas and opinions – an act that caused the deaths of some 3,000 innocents?

"[Consider, for example] a country that calls itself Muslim violating the basic rights of its [own] citizens and taking pride in its defense of the rights of Muslims in Palestine, Afghanistan, and Chechnya! After all, what is the Chechens' story? Didn't we learn [the lesson] from our failure in Afghanistan, and [didn't we] repeat [the failure] yet again in Chechnya?"


Our Battles Are Not the World's Battles

"How can an intelligent person state or assert that we are a nation that preaches love among people [when] in our own home, [we] carry out ugly deeds and are silent about the disgrace?

"Imperialism is not to blame for the contempt for and squandering of our resources on imaginary projects and on compensation for foolish acts. [3] What is to blame is the culture of submission suckled from the clerics of past and from the idols of today. We cannot rid ourselves of [this culture] because our revolutionaries continue to exploit the clerics and use their Fatwasfor their own purposes.

"Throughout the world, people are fighting for [issues such as] improving education, increasing funding for scientific research, and improving infrastructure, while our struggles are connected to the past – not to health, not to education, not to sewage [systems], not to clean water, not to human rights, not to general freedoms, and not to political reform…

"Today's reality is that we live in a situation in which most of our thinking is directed towards what happens after death, [as we] consider [life only] a transitional stage. The importance [of life] is not, in our view, equal to the importance of what [awaits us] in the stage following death. "If that is their solution, may they go in peace..."

This is really interesting to read. So, if a person stands up for what they believe, they are deemed a traitor? I thought the definition of a traitor was one who committed treason, ie, the betrayal of trust, or attemp to overthrow a government. They are not betraying trust or attempting to overthrough their government, they are simply standing up for what they believe in. If I'm not much mistaken, if American soldiers disagreed, would they not be allowed to abstain, based upon religious reasons? Thank goodness I live in America, where freedom of speech is allowed. I applaud those 27 who stood up for what they believed in. If only more people did....
just think about what would happen if war was declared, but nobody showed up to fight.