I am not a religious nut

[viguy007]

Ten years ago in the run-up to the Iraq war, I had a small inner voice telling me Iraq had no WMD, although the whole world seemed to think that it did. I was also told to write a book on the Insanity of Religious Conflict which I started to do. But as I was guided to writing more then 300 pages, and the heat that inflamed the world seemed to disappear, I lost interest in the project. Now that voice is back. It is telling me that if Mitt Romney is elected the world as we now know it will end. The mysterious movie that may not exist has laid the groundwork to convert the problem with Iran into a problem with Muslims in general.

In the Middle East, the basic dynamic is that extremists on one side empower extremists on the other. Thus anti-Muslim extremists released an AMERICAN-MADE movie that depicts the Muslim prophet Mohammed as being a b@$t@rd whose father was unknown, a hypocrite about his religion, and a womanizer who raped, murdered and tortured without a conscience. Muslim extremists then added Arabic translation and publicized this American movie to provoke grass-roots outrage that would benefit them.

America is a secular nation, so it is difficult for us to understand the reaction to this movie. However, imagine a movie came out that said the same things about Jesus, who is the equivalent to Christians as Mohammed is to Muslims. How would Christian Fundamentalist react to it? Wouldn't there be demonstrations of some type.

In the Arab world Israel is seen as an extension of the U.S. and everything it does is with our approval. We know that is not true, but that is the way it is seen in the Arab world.

If Mitt wins, given his close personal relationship with Israel's PM, it will be the green light for Israel to attack Iran. It will be seen as America attacking Muslims world wide. Pipelines will be blown up, friendly governments in Arab countries may fall, and the price of oil will immediately go to 200 to 300 dollars a barrel. Given the fragile state the world economy is in, we will plunge into a world wide depression.

The world as we know it will end.

[Bandit]

1. You must remember when we Attacked Iraq it was a Secular Nation

It is no longer a Secular Nation but certainly was at the time. Saddam was very brutal when it came to religion. He would not tolerate any religion trying to dictate behavior.. Women in Iraq were educated and dressed in Western attire. They held positions of power within the government and also within society in general. Iraq was in no way a religious war. Afghanistan is a different matter though as is Iran....

[progressivebydesign]

4. I think Americans would be shocked at the truth about life in Iraq

For many it included female university professors, and professionals. They had symphony orchestras, art galleries, zoos, and a seemingly Western life, in many ways, except for the ruthless dictator, and the way the rest of the Country lived.

There was this narrative in the run up to the Iraq War, that they were all riding around on camels, and living in huts. The neocons did that so that their base could dehumanize them, instead of realizing that we were bombing cities and people much like our own. Was never a religious war, was a greed war.

[get the red out]

2. I agree in one thing, at least;

Mitt Romney would bey very quick to launch a war against Iran. I think he'd do Israel's bidding like he was their lackey. It would fit too well with neo-con objectives for him not to be anxious to do it.

[dkf]

3. And you think that Obama is going to what?

Keep Iran from getting the bomb? Or convince the Israelis that it's okay for Iran to have one?

I don't know how the outcome is different.

Or you think with Obama we can separate ourselves from Israel?

[SunsetDreams]

5. Do you think we should attack Iran?

I'm just curious what your thoughts are. How do you think the situation should be handled?

[dkf]

10. I think I'm okay with Iran getting a bomb but that's not feasible for Obama or Israel.

I also think it's inevitable that Israel bombs Iran so I don't think there is a possibility of a different outcome if it's Obama or Romney.

I also think Netanyahu mistrusts Obama enough to mess with this election.

[SunsetDreams]

14. So how do you think

the situation right now should be handled?

I have my reservations about Netanyahu, but I also feel that he is being used and hyped by the RW in order to mess with this election.

Mitt Romney’s main theme on his foreign trip to the U.K., Israel and Poland this week is that President Obama isn’t sufficiently friendly to America’s allies, particularly the Jewish State. “The people of Israel deserve better than what they have received from the leader of the free world,” Romney said in a speech just days before he left American soil.
But two senior Israeli leaders have a different view. In recent interviews with CNN’s Wolf Blitzer that aired this afternoon, Defense Minister Ehud Barak and President Shimon Peres praised Obama’s commitment to Israel:

BARAK: I should tell you honestly that this administration under President Obama is doing, in regard to our security, more than anything that I can remember in the past. … In terms of the support for our security, the cooperation of our intelligence, the sharing of sorts in a very open way even when there are differences.

PERES: When I look at the record of President Obama concerning the major issues, security, I think it’s a highly satisfactory record, from an Israeli point of view.

&feature=player_embedded

http://thinkprogress.org/security/2012/07/30/610531/peres-barak-obama-israel/

Netanyahu: People Are ‘Drawing Me Into The American Election’

“I have no doubt that they’re equally committed to preventing that,” he said.

Despite Netanyahu’s assertions, Romney has made the complicated relationship between the United States and Israel a major issue in his campaign. Netanyahu distanced himself from the Republican nominee’s charges that Obama is not sufficiently pro-Israel.

“No, there you go again, David, you’re trying to draw me into something that is simply not the case, and it’s not my position,” Netanyahu said. “So there’s no bus. And we’re not going to get into that discussion, except to say one thing. We have a strong alliance, and we’re going to continue to have a strong alliance. I think the important question is where does the — the only bus that is really important is the Iranian nuclear bus. That’s the one that we have to derail. And that’s my interest, and that’s my only interest.”

Netanyahu also declined to attack Obama for not arranging to meet with him in upcoming United Nations meetings in New York, reports which Romney seized on earlier this week to criticize Obama. “I think he’s met me more than any other leader in the world and I appreciate that,” Netanyahu said. “We’ve had our discussions. Our schedules on this visit didn’t work out. I come to New York, he leaves New York. But we continue in close consultation.”

http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/09/netanyahu-iran-israel-election-2012.php

Throughout those efforts and many more, I came to value the importance of having a strong ally in the White House who is firmly committed to the safety and security of the Jewish State. President Barack Obama is such an ally and his steadfast support for the Jewish State has made it safer and more secure than ever before.

Today, President Obama is leading a renewed commitment by the United States to ensure that Israel remains safe and secure, with the independent ability to defend itself from external threats. Although the United States has a long tradition of providing military support to Israel, under President Obama, financial aid to Israel is at its highest levels ever. And while many in Washington are calling for budget cuts, President Obama has made clear that domestic belt-tightening would not jeopardize defense funding for Israel.

President Obama has led a resurgence of joint military cooperation between Israel and the United States. In fact, following President Obama’s directive, the United States Armed Forces and the Israel Defense Forces have increased their strategic collaboration on defense technology, deployment, tactics, and intelligence to levels never before experienced.

...

The reality is that when confronted with rhetorical attacks and efforts to sow doubts about his support for Israel, President Obama could have simply adopted the swagger and bravado of his predecessor. It would have been easy for President Obama to go on a speaking tour pandering to the Jewish community and those in America who love Israel. But that is not his style. President Obama is a thoughtful, decisive and pragmatic leader. He values substantive solutions over political gamesmanship. Forgoing the bluster and bravado of others, President Obama continues his practical and deliberate support for the State of Israel.

http://www.haaretz.com/opinion/obama-real-actions-not-bluster-in-support-of-israel-1.456414

[viguy007]

7. I am not sure what he could do differently

But cooler heads so far have prevailed. Maybe like Saddam Hussein it is only bluster. But there is no reason to rush into anything, as would happen with Romney. This is a problem that should be handled by the UN, not one country. In any case if the UN handled it, the reaction would be muted.

[sofa king]

6. Ever hear of a movie called "The Last Temptation of Christ"?

It was banned in Turkey, Argentina, and Mexico, and is still banned in Singapore and the Philippines. It caused protests in Albuquerque, a firebombing of a crowded theater in Paris, and Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell made millions from the outrage they propagated over it. Martin Scorsese and Willem DaFoe received death threats over it.

So... there's that.

[BarackTheVote]

8. Funny thing about LToC

it was made by a devout Roman Catholic, and its ultimate message is how much Jesus had to deny himself to accomplish his mission. Beyond sacrificing his life for us, he gave up the opportunity to know love, to have children, to have any kind of normalcy in his life... and the movie ultimately glorifies that sacrifice, as it should.

[viguy007]

9. I am aware of that

and in that film, Jesus as a human being, only dreamed about having sex with a woman he loved. If you saw the "trailer" on you tube, you know how insulting this new movie is even if you say this about anyone, no less a man considered to be holy by a religion.

[sofa king]

12. So there really is a movie?

Last I heard, it was a trailer cobbled together from a re-dubbed prior project. Is there an actual film to go with it, or is it a "trailer sale" designed for another purpose?

[viguy007]

13. A trailer sale.

The director last directed soft-core porn, the producer had been convicted or fraud in the past. I am sure the whole movie is the trailer you see on you tube. And the world reacts to nothing but the ultimate fraud. However some day there might be a movie about this "movie" and that I would pay to see.

[demosincebirth]

11. Everyone in the world knew that Iraq didn't have WMds. Only the neo cons in the Bush administration

didn't know or knew and didn't give a shit.

[Marrah_G]

15. I will never understand or excuse people who use religion as an excuse for murder

I am part of a religion that is regular seen as evil, right down to our symbols being used as a symbol for other religions demons. It's never occurred to me to go out an kill people or hurt people over it.

The way to overcome hate is through knowledge.

[Jamastiene]

16. +1000000