“If you speak of human rights or women rights in Afghanistan you get accused of having converted to Christianity.”

The relative understanding of Christianity here is awesome.  In Afghanistan, the human rights of women are treated so badly that if you oppose the legalization of rape, you’re accused of being a Christian fundie.  In the west, if you oppose the idea that killing an unborn child is a human right, you’re accused of being a Christian fundie.  Oh, and a rightwing extremist.

The moral here is that Christian fundies represent the world’s moderates and pillars of enlightened reason.  You’re welcome.

Obama declares US not at war with Islam

OK, so he’s hopping across Europe kissing asses and apologizing to everyone he meets, blaming his country for nuclear weapons and the economic crisis and whatever anyone else complains about.  Fine.  Typical leftist bullshit, whatever.

But this statement confounds me:

“We will convey our deep appreciation for the Islamic faith, which has done so much over so many centuries to shape the world for the better, including my own country,” Obama said.

What has Islam done over the last thousand years or so that has shaped the world for the better?  Furthermore, how has Islam shaped the United States at all?  There was no Islamic influence in the founding or the writing of the Constitution, and no significant Islamic influence since (thank God).  Maybe this is just one of those throwaway lines that we’re not supposed to think about or question because he doesn’t really mean it.  But then he says this:

“Let me say this as clearly as I can*,” Obama said. “The United States is not and never will be at war with Islam. In fact, our partnership with the Muslim world is critical … in rolling back a fringe ideology that people of all faiths reject.”

It’s not a fringe ideology.  The Saudi government uses its oil money to fund schools that indoctrinate and spread radical Islam throughout the world.  Many Muslims believe that terrorism and suicide bombing is a legitimate act. 

Anyway, here’s how he treats the Saudi king.  Call me old-fashioned, but a bow of supplication to a foreign head of state strikes me as creepy and weak, let alone to one who supports a hateful, violent, anti-American ideology:

* Whenever he prefaces a statement with “Let me be clear,” it means he’s about to say something untrue, ridiculous, or distressingly UNclear.  This statement, for example contained both something that was ridiculous (we have a “critical partnership” with the Muslim world) and something unclear (rolling back a fringe ideology that people of all faiths reject).  Notice we’re not fighting it, we’re not at war with anybody, we’re just interested in “rolling it back,” whatever that means.