G. Russell Evans
Captain, U.S. Coast Guard (Ret.)
Wednesday, April 10, 2002

Some editors, I suspect, just don't like titles like "Sweet Talk about 'Good Muslims' Is Bad" or "Watch Out for the Muslims in America."

Why? Maybe they don't want to offend Muslim constituents. Or maybe they don't believe the threat is all that bad. Or maybe, in this case, they prefer profit to national security.

Even so, the threat is still out there as our strategic enemy No. 1, and will remain so – as any serious observer will agree.

'Busybody'

Playing the part of "busybody," I tried to alert the Hampton Roads captain of the port about shocking background I had researched on militant Muslims, but was quickly reminded that the Christian Crusades were just as bad or worse, and besides, he said, he had many other groups to defend against.

Undaunted but still the "busybody," I approached the editor of the Alumni Bulletin, thinking this background would be helpful. She seemed appalled at my presumption, saying, in effect, "Lots of Coast Guard people are Muslims, you know."

All true! All true! But what does the Crusades' bloodletting of a thousand years ago have to do with defending our country from murderous terrorists today? And what does defending against "other groups" have to do with protecting our ports from militant Muslims today?

And truly, the fact that some Coast Guard, Navy and Army people are Muslims is absolutely beside the point.

Repair to Rocking Chair?

So, instead of busying myself with the Islamic faith of the Muslims, spending hours in the library and then writing bad things about "good Muslims," why don't I, at this late date in my career, just repair to my rocking chair and let the world go by?

After all, silence could generate more friends, lower blood pressure and certainly produce fewer critics – except that one truism is so haunting: "Silence is the temptation of the informed man who finds himself in the minority."

Our country and our people are far too precious to be silent about – in war or peace. Moreover, our security and our conscience are bound up with the rest of the world today, and every citizen of every country is either with us or against us in fighting the war on terror.

President Bush continues to emphasize that point. When his diplomacy is rejected by our "allies," he moves ahead in the best interests of America, just as he does in military operations against terrorists.

Daniel Pipes Says

Veteran Middle East expert Daniel Pipes, now professor at the U.S. Naval War College, warned about the militant Muslims long before Sept. 11 and warns that the threat continues:

"If we don't make security our priority, I predict more hits by militant Islam, on a much larger scale than 9-11. I wish we would get serious without the spur of more catastrophes."

Understanding the Islamic faith and its goals is essential to defending against its boast to "conquer America." Mr. Pipes says, "Militant Islam is a rabid utopian ideology along the lines of fascism and Marxism-Leninism – [seeking] totalitarian means to overthrow governments and to dominate the world, much like fascism and communism.

For example, Yale University Muslim chaplain Zaid Shaker boldly calls the American system "against the orders of Allah." This is a political threat that is not taken seriously by our government.

Ayatollah Khomeini Again

Prof. Pipes reminds us that Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini was calling for "Death to America" in 1979 – and since then, some 600 Americans have been murdered by militant Muslims. And still the U.S. government fails to "proclaim militant Islam our strategic enemy" but instead goes along with blandishments about "good Muslims" and "true Islam" being a religion of peace. We should look at the record.

In the Koran, Allah tells Muhammad, "Fight those who do not believe in Allah ... those who do not accept the religion of Islam." (Surah 9:29)

Prof. Pipes makes the point that "profiling" should be a priority for airline security – focusing on names, behavior and passenger appearances instead of the current practice of random searches that often insult 80-year-old grandmothers. Qualified screeners should be hired, their judgments about suspicious characters accepted, and a little personal inconvenience cheerfully endured for security's sake.

Crusades Not Forgotten

The holy war between Christianity and Islam, the Crusades, has not been forgotten by the fundamentalist Muslims of the Middle East. In many respects, militant Muslims are still fighting that war, while Westerners only faintly remember it.

The "moderate Muslims" living in the West, according to reports, want a "moderate islam" without the violence and bloodshed that still seems like a "payback" for the humiliation of the Crusades.

The fundamental Islamic faith under the Koran, however, includes violence and bloodshed. Moreover, the prophet Muhammad was more successful winning converts to Islam in Medina with violence and the sword than he was in Mecca with peace and persuasion.

Even today, in countries with a Muslim majority, the government persecutes Christians – often with the blessings of the Islamic clergy. These are facts.

Let us also note that our "allies" in the war on terror, including Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt and Pakistan, routinely persecute Christians for nothing more than their professions of faith. This state-sanctioned inhumanity is legal under the constitutions and laws of these Muslim nations.

These also are facts that our media haven't told us much about as they go after more sensational stories and second-guess the president.

Meanwhile, militant Muslims continue to be a deadly threat to America's security and sovereignty. Our commander in chief is dedicated and deserves loyal backing from all sides, including "allies," media and, as always, the troops.

He proclaimed Iraq, Iran and Syria the "axis of evil." He should proclaim militant Muslims America's strategic enemy No. 1 in order to clarify, simplify and emphasize.

Capt. Evans is a columnist and the author of five books, including "Death Knell of the Panama Canal," a study of the Chinese takeover of the canal. Click here to read Capt. Evans' biography.

Capt. Evans' columns are distributed by the Americanism Educational League of Buena Park, Calif. He lives in Norfolk, Va.

Read more on this subject in related Hot Topics:
Middle East
War on Terrorism