Editor’s note: In collaboration with the hard-hitting Washington, D.C., newsweekly Human Events, WorldNetDaily brings you this special report every Monday. Readers can subscribe to Human Events through WND’s online store.
Two major U.S. Muslim organizations that endorsed George W. Bush for president last year appeared hesitant last week to issue categorical declarations in support of the war Bush is now leading to eliminate the al-Qaida terrorist network of Osama bin Laden and overthrow the Taliban regime in Afghanistan.
Between Nov. 2-8, Human Events repeatedly contacted these groups in writing and by phone to ask two straightforward questions: 1. “Does [your group] support the U.S. war to overthrow the Taliban regime in Afghanistan and destroy the al-Qaida terrorist network?” 2. “Should American Muslims fight in combat roles in the U.S. war to overthrow the Taliban regime and destroy the al-Qaida network?”
Raymond W. Bush responded on behalf of the American Muslim Council, which he serves as communications director. The AMC, he said, supports destroying al-Qaida.
“To destroy the al-Qaida terrorist network?” he said. “Of course. There’s no question.”
His response on overthrowing the Taliban was a bit convoluted.
“Obviously, we do support and have supported from the inception the American response in seeking out and taking captive or doing what is necessary to eliminate the threat that has caused the Sept. 11 events and that threatens our freedom and the freedom of all those democratic, or actually, of all peoples who would like to live free under whatever system,” he said.
“Especially in defense of America, for goodness’ sake,” the AMC’s Bush said, “it’s without question. We need to take action and to do that effectively. Whether the Taliban and what part of the Taliban the government determines is involved in this and is necessary to deal with them with military aggression, that is decisions our country is making, and I am sure they are being as careful as possible.”
In response to whether American Muslims should take combat roles in this war, Bush said, “This question … is addressed in a fatwa that is available on our site, amconline.org. … Two aspects of it that you would want to look at is the question of intent. … [O]f course, the intent that is the responsibility of every Muslim is a matter of private principle and judgment whether or not these actions that they might undertake would be contrary to morality or would just be wrong, illegal or immoral. And every one of the American service people have been charged with the responsibility not to follow illegal orders. … It’s quite clear that there’s accountability no matter whether you’re looking at it Islamically or as a member of the American military service.”
On its website, the Council on American-Islamic Relations makes a strong statement in support of tracking down the perpetrators of the Sept. 11 attack. But it does not specifically mention the Taliban or al-Qaida.
“We condemn in the strongest terms possible the vicious and cowardly acts of terrorism against innocent civilians,” says the CAIR website. “We join with all Americans in calling for the swift apprehension and punishment of the perpetrators. No cause could ever be assisted by such immoral acts.”
But CAIR did not respond directly to the two written questions that Human Events submitted in two separate faxes and then followed up with phone calls. In a telephone interview, CAIR spokesman Ibrahim Hooper objected to the wording of the questions.
“They seem to be phrased in a ‘when did you stop beating your wife’ mode,” he said.
Hooper reiterated that CAIR supports the effort to bring justice to “those responsible for the Sept. 11 attacks.”
“Many Islamic Americans are concerned about the bombing in Afghanistan and whether or not innocent civilians are being injured or killed,” he added.
Related story:
U.S. Army Muslim chaplain questions duty
Subscribe to Human Events.
The apocalypse of Hurricane Helene
Patrice Lewis