Barack Hussein Obama: US "one of the largest Muslim countries in the world"

[jerry wagner]

A few here has the meaning of not the majority nor the majority of countries.

[Varmit]

Ok, Jerry, I agree with that.  However, why should the US reachout to them in an effort to better our relationship with them?  What are the benefits of an improved relation with muslim countries?

[Anmar]

Ok, Jerry, I agree with that.  However, why should the US reachout to them in an effort to better our relationship with them?  What are the benefits of an improved relation with muslim countries?

cheaper oil?  new markets for american products, continued financial support (they buy our debt),

Most importantly, there is a struggle going on in the middle east between different factions of Islam.  There are moderates and there are extremists.  If we work with the moderates, they will overpower the extremists, which will make America safer.  Seems pretty simple to me. 

The vast majority of muslims worldwide are friends of the US.  They actually share a lot of the principals and values that we do.  Don't be so ignorant and close-minded to think that "they hate you for your freedom" 

[Varmit]

Cheaper oil???...We have an abundance of our own oil, why not drill here?  Not only would that cut down on our dependence on foregin nations, it would also provide jobs and improve our economy.

What exactly is a moderate muslim?  Do these moderates allow their women the freedom to get and education, dress how they want, etc?

If these "friends" share the same principles and values, why haven't they put down the exteremists yet?  Why have they allowed the contuined brutalaty that exists in alot of their countries?

[srkruzich]

Cheaper oil???...We have an abundance of our own oil, why not drill here?  Not only would that cut down on our dependence on foregin nations, it would also provide jobs and improve our economy.

What exactly is a moderate muslim?  Do these moderates allow their women the freedom to get and education, dress how they want, etc?

If these "friends" share the same principles and values, why haven't they put down the exteremists yet?  Why have they allowed the contuined brutalaty that exists in alot of their countries?

Billy, there is only one way to stop it.  wiping them off the face of the earth is impossible.  The only wya to stop islam ideology is to change it.
To change it you have to start with the young, and educate them.  The older ones are lost.  Turkey changed the ideology of convert or die.  They did it by outlawing the terrorist schools for the young, and forcing controlled public education.  They eliminated all those little fundy schools that were teaching the young about jihad and suicide bombings and such and it worked out. They changed an entire generation.

Same thing is going on in iraq.  Schools have been built and children go to these schools and gain a education not a indoctrination.

That is why President bush said this war we are in for the long haul. It will take 20 -40 years to change things

[Diane Amberg]

Billy, most of the Muslims around here are what you would call moderate.The women do as they please. Their dress is up to them. They decide themselves how they want to define themselves. Some do wear typical  Muslim clothing, some just wear head scarves, some wear every day clothing with no head covering. Aside from farming, which I don't think they do, they have the same jobs, shops and businesses as everyone else. Many are engineers at Du Pont and Hercules, Pharmacologists and researchers at ICI, etc. or work at U. D.The women work or don't according to what the family needs are just like the rest of us.

[Varmit]

Diane, I wasn't talking about the muslims that live in the U.S.  I know that there are muslims who are actually peaceful people who don't beat their wives or anything like that.  I was referring to the radicals.  You can't change people like that. 


Srkruzich, I agree that it is the children we have to reach.  The problem is that this cannot be accomplished without the adults in those countries willing to put down the exteremists.  And they are not going to do that.  If they were they would have already done it.

[srkruzich]

Diane, I wasn't talking about the muslims that live in the U.S.  I know that there are muslims who are actually peaceful people who don't beat their wives or anything like that.  I was referring to the radicals.  You can't change people like that. 


Srkruzich, I agree that it is the children we have to reach.  The problem is that this cannot be accomplished without the adults in those countries willing to put down the exteremists.  And they are not going to do that.  If they were they would have already done it.

Well billy that is what we are doing in Iraq.  By building a public school system, they can shut down the islam schools that have been breeding terrorists. 
One country at a time is what it will take.   

[Varmit]

Srkruzich, I hope you are right, but I am not going to hold my breath on it.