By David M. Kinchen


Ill never forget our next-door neighbors in a middle-class part of the San Fernando Valley when the bombs and missiles started flying in the Gulf War in early 1991.

I recall them cheering as they watched Iraqi missiles hit Tel Aviv. They were from Jordan and were Muslims. The sound of their tribal ululations was horrible. You could tell instantly how they felt about Jews and Christians. Our Jordanian neighbors owned a chain of gas stations and made their living off hard-working Californians.

These thoughts ran through my head as I watched coverage of the Tuesday, Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The footage of Palestinians cheering and smiling was indelible.

Now were hearing stories about how good Islam is, what a peaceful faith it is, how they venerate Moses and Jesus, how theyre really part of Western Civilization, why we shouldnt hate them. The Beckley newspaperthe Register-Heraldwas full of this babble Friday and so was the Charleston Gazette.

One commentary stood out: Cal Thomass opinion piece at the bottom of Fridays Register-Herald editorial page. Thomas, a syndicated columnist, has long been a strong supporter of Israel; the theme of the article was the sudden change of heart on the part of Colin Powell and his people at the State Department.

After months of condemning Israel for targeting terrorist leaders for assassination, Powell and his professional Israel haters in Foggy Bottom are talking about doing the same thing with Osama bin Laden, Thomas said. Even today, Friday, when Powell held a televised press conference and listed the support he has received from foreign countries, he mentioned Portugal but left out Israel! Thank you very much for your wine, Portugal, but Id rather have tough Israeli soldiers on my side, especially since almost all of them speak Arabic.

One television segment contrasted airport security at Tel Avivs Ben Gurion Airport with our so-called security checks. No curbside check-ins in Israel. Thorough baggage checks and interviews before passengers are allowed to board planes. Armed guards aboard planes. Bulletproof doors leading to the cockpit. Most likely armed aircrew members. Do the passengers hate all this thoroughness? On the contrary, they wouldnt have it any other way.
There has never been a hijacking of an El Al airliner. We had four planes hijacked Tuesday.

It is time we wake up if we want to survive. Islam's goal is nothing less than the destruction of our democratic institutions. An Islamic Democracy is the ultimate oxymoron. Contrary to the stories about how Muslims are inherently peaceful, we should judge them by their deeds. Ask the Christians and animists of southern Sudan how peaceful their Islamic countrymen are. Sudanese refugees have found a home in the U.S.. as have many other refugees from Islamic theocracies.

The anti-Semitism of Arab delegations at the U.N. racism conference in Durban, South Africa, was amply documented by the news media, which is usually hostile to Jews, the U.S. and Israel. The trial of Christians in Afghanistan could be taking place in bin Ladens homeland, Saudi Arabia, where Jews and Christians are forbidden to practice their religions.

America, wake up! Islam hates our guts, even though its adherents are glad to make a good living owning gas stations and working as physicians in our country. The Israelis have shown us the way; its up to us to follow it.