Exactly one month ago, at a Hudson Institute forum on national security in New York, Lt. Col. Allen West was asked by a former marine what he would say to those who claim that Islamic jihadists are fighting us because they have "perverted Islam", or because they want to retaliate against something that we have done wrong to them - both common Leftist talking points.
Given the state of current military and political leadership in the United States, and in the Western world in general, one might have expected general agreement on West's part. However, in a remarkable display of moral clarity and courage, West answered that we are "fighting a theo-political belief system that has been doing this since 622 A.D."
Displaying an understanding of history that is simply unheard of in the policymaking department, West added:
“You want to dig up Charles Martel and ask him why him why he was fighting the Muslim army at the Battle of Tours in 732? You want to ask the Venetian fleet at Lepanto why they were fighting a Muslim fleet in 1571: You want to ask…the Germanic and Austrian knights why they were fighting at the gates of Vienna in 1683? You want to ask people what happened at Constantinople and why today it is called Istanbul because they lost that fight in 1453?
You need to get into the Qur'an…and understand their precepts. This is not a perversion. They are doing exactly what this book says.”
West ended his brilliant statement with the following warning:
“Until you get principled leadership in the United States of America that is willing to say that, we will continue to chase our tail, because we will never clearly define who this enemy is, and then understand their goals and objectives - which are on any jihadist website - and then come up with the right and proper objectives to not only secure our Republic but secure Western civilization.”
What a refreshing breath of fresh air it is to hear such a thing! And what makes it even better is that this man is running for Congress. I sincerely hope he succeeds.
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