Britain had troops in far-away Afghanistan in the 1800s because she feared a possible incursion by Russia into British-controlled India. Britain was also very fearful that Russia and Iran, then called Persian, might climb into bed together. That fear has become a reality and Russia is the main supporter of Iran’s nuclear program and Iran is considered Russia’s “client state.” In recent years the U.S. went to Afghanistan to–I’ve forgotten why and like Britain and every invading nation we got our kiesters kicked badly.

Great Britain was fearful that Russia looked at Afghanistan as a stepping stone into India, one of Britain’s major colonies. That fear was accelerated in 1839 when Tsar Nicholas I sent a small body of Russian troops that penetrated the border of Afghanistan. The British responded by sending an expedition to Kabul and placing their man (political puppet) on the Afghan throne. The result was a disaster. The nation rose up in arms–literally.

In Dec. 1841, the Afghans promised safe conduct to the British garrison of about four thousand troops, accompanied by about 12,000 women, children, and Afghan camp-followers, and they began to withdraw through the snow-laden mountain passes. They planned to march to Jalalabad about 90 miles away but they were doomed and were marching to their grave.

The safe-conduct was violated at the Khurd Kabul mountain pass where almost all the 16,000 were murdered or taken prisoners. Panic took over as the mangled, starving company fled in every direction with highly disciplined British troops knocking down their own officers with their muskets. Out of 16,000 only Dr. William Brydon, a British Army surgeon survived and reached India on Jan. 13!

I don’t want to say it but I must: Muslim leaders cannot be trusted. Mohammed gave them their marching orders–a world caliphate. The Muslim world is not united because they hate each other as much as they hate “unbelievers.” However, they will unite to drive Israel into the sea and to kill the “great Satan.” Each Muslim state has major problems with others. Maybe I can untangle some of the Muslim Mess below:

Three Middle East nations are not Arab: Turkey, Iran, and Israel. Turks do not speak Arabic, but Turkish. Iranians speak Persian and hate Arabs. Israel speaks Hebrew (and non-Jews speak Arabic) and is hated by everyone. Maybe feared also!

The Mediterranean nation of Egypt, with over 88 million people is the most populous nation in North Africa and the Arab world. It has always been a major influence in the Middle East and has impacted the whole world.

Egypt is considered one of the cradles of civilization going back thousands of years BC. It early became Christian but now only a small percent of its people are Christians (Coptic). The nation was overrun by Sunni Muslim zealots and slowly became Muslim. Today it is controlled by a “moderate” Muslim after street protests that prompted the army to remove the Muslim Brotherhood from power.

Saudi Arabia makes up most of the Arabian Peninsula with the Red Sea to the west and the Persian Gulf to the east. It is known as the land of the two holiest mosques of Islam: Mecca and Medina. It is an absolute monarchy ruled by the House of Saud since its founding in 1932. King Salman recently took the throne.

The king must rule according to Shariah law and the Koran, which along with the Sunnah (the Hadith) are the nation’s constitution. Political parties are not permitted and even peaceful protests are forbidden. Saudi is considered the fifth most authoritarian government out of 167 nations and beheaded 100 people by June of 2015. The U.S. is their bosom buddy! Oil makes strange bedfellows!

The Wahhabi form of Sunni Islam, a most extreme sect of Islam, is followed by most of its citizens. It should be noted that Osama bin Laden and fifteen of the nineteen 9/11 hijackers were from Saudi Arabia and all were members of the Wahhabi sect. A small percentage of citizens are Shia Muslims. There are no churches in Saudi Arabia while there are 2000 mosques in America! Reciprocity, anyone?

Politically, Saudi Arabia is an adamant enemy of Iran and Syria and is friends with the U.S. and Egypt. In recent weeks the Saudi Air Force bombed Shiite rebels in Yemen (located on Saudi Arabia’s southern border) to restore the Yemeni government that has been a U.S. ally in fighting al Qaeda; however the legitimate government of Yemen was kicked out of the capital city by rebels a few months ago. Eleven countries have signed onto this effort: Saudi Arabia (Sunni), the United Arab Emirates (85% Sunni), Bahrain (65 to 75% Shiite), Qatar (50% are Sunni), Kuwait (70% Sunni, 30% Shiite), Jordan (95% Sunni), Egypt (90% Sunni), Morocco, (67% Sunni), Pakistan (77% Sunni, 20% Shiite), Turkey (77% Sunni), and Sudan (70% Sunni). Note that all but one of these are Sunni and there is incredible hatred between the two groups!

Iraq is the land of Mesopotamia, the land of the Fertile Crescent. At the end of WW I, Britain seized Baghdad and formed Iraq in 1920. After an unstable period Saddam Hussein’s Ba’ath Party in 1979 was in control. Hussein was a Sunni in a nation that was 65% Shia! Moreover most of the national offices were filled with the minority Sunnis! The Shiites were never going to be satisfied with that arrangement.

Between 1980 and 1988 Iran and Iraq fought a vicious war with many dying from poison gas used by Iraq. In 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait kicking off a massive U.S. led First Gulf War. Iraq withdrew in early 1991. In 2003 the U.S. and her allies removed Hussein and his cohorts and set up national elections turning the nation back to Iraqis. The U.S. left in 2011 and the Iraqis have been fighting for their lives to this day. In 2014 Sunni rebels seized Mosul and other cities with thousands fleeing across the border. Recently, ISIS terrorists overran Ramadi as American-trained Iraqi troops fled the city. It seems we conquered more than we could control.

Jordon lying just east of Israel is 95% Sunni and the small Christian community has little discrimination; however, it is illegal for Christians to seek converts from Islam.

Iran is not Arab but Persian and they resent being called “Arabs.” Iran (Persia) was a world empire in 550 B.C. after Cyrus the Great defeated Babylon making Persia the largest empire the world had seen. After Islamic troops took the empire in the seventh century, it gradually became Shiite, the only Shiite nation on earth. They have officially declared their goal is to establish a “new world order” according to the Shia Islamic belief system. The UN applied sanctions against Iran because of their nuclear program (thanks to Russia) thereby isolating them economically, politically, and socially from many nations of the world. About 95% of Iranians are Shia Muslims of the Twelver branch and maybe 4% to 8% are Sunnis plus a few Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians, etc. Iran is a major supporter of Syria.

The U.S. was conned into signing a treaty with Iran even though massive crowds run their streets yelling, “Death to America,” and “Death to Israel.” Their leaders have promised that they will not stop their nuclear experiments nor will they stop exporting terror around the world. As usual, Americans are fools, willing to give everything for a facade of peace. And we didn’t even get the release of the four Americans held in Iranian prisons! Look for Saudi Arabia to join the nuclear club.

Syria is bordered by Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq, Jordan, and Israel. Muhammed invaded Syria in 626 bringing Islam with him. The nation has been ruled by the Al-Assad family since 1970 and most of the people are Shia Muslims of the Twelver branch.

Syria participated in the U.S. directed Gulf War against Iraq. A civil war has raged in Syria for more than four years that has killed more than 210,000 people with hundreds of thousands of refugees crossing the border into Turkey.

Note that Syria and Iran are of the same fanatical sect of Islam and Iran is supporting Syria in their civil war. So Iran and Syria are at war with the rest of the Islamic world.

The Middle East is a tangled mess. It is a nest of vipers. Basically Iran and Syria are hated and feared by the other nations and Israel is hated by everyone.

It should be noted that Christians have been slaughtered in most of those Muslim nations whether they are Sunni or Shia. Jordan is the major exception.

With all their oil money (plus billions in personal foreign bank accounts) “reasonable” Muslim leaders can handle the problems in Iran and Syria. Let them fight it out. It is their responsibility to clean out their own stables. The free world will cheer from the sidelines. If that is “isolationism” then so be it. God never gave America a mandate nor did the Constitution to bring democracy to totalitarian regimes especially when they have no experience with freedom and little desire for it.

And be assured that after the Sunnis and Shias bomb each other, those remaining will turn their sights on Israel and the free world. We are seeing another Hundred Years’ War!

http://bit.ly/1iMLVfY Watch these 8 minute videos of my lecture at the University of North Dakota: “A Christian Challenges New Atheists to Put Up or Shut Up!”

Syria is a maniacal, murderous, malodorous mess that should alarm the U.S. but not activate us. It calls for our attention but not action. Proud, patriotic, even pious people have demanded we jump into that snake pit; however, we must be very wary of dangerous, sincere patriots who want to kill people because they think they are or may be a threat to us or someone else!

Dictator Bashar Assad is a Muslim hypocrite (supported by Shi’ites) and an efficient killer, especially when cornered, but he has governed the nation and provided stability and protection to Christian churches. Moreover, he is supported by Russia (fighter jets) and Iran and the terrorist group, Hezbollah. His opponents are a ragtag collection of Islamic fanatics including the Jabbat al-Nusra terrorists, who will cut the throats of their co-belligerents as soon as the present regime falls or is pushed over. In recent weeks the Syrian “rebels” killed an entire village of Christians (although the photographic evidence has not been shown on U.S. media)! Muslims have acted that way for more than 1400 years!

Just this week, the media reported that the rebels are now controlled by the most extreme Muslim fanatics. Any support of this “opposition” will fund a worse thug than now occupies the catbird seat in Damascus!

The Syrian opposition is a mixture of Sunni fanatics, thieves, criminal opportunists, and a few freedom lovers. Incredibly, the U.S. is supporting them with “humanitarian aid.” We have seen this movie before, but now we are sending fighter jets at Obama’s insistence! They have flown into Syria in the last week. There are 4,500 U.S. troops, plus 300 Marines, on the Syrian border as I write and a Patriot anti-aircraft missile system has been deployed along the Syrian-Jordan border. We would be wise to heed Winston Churchill who said, “To jaw-jaw is always better than to war-war.” I say, “yes, yes.”

But in spite of all the above, here we go again! John McCain and some GOP (Grand Old Progressives) and most Democrats have been beating the war drums to a deafening pitch. Progressives seem to think America is destined to fight every war in support of the good guys; however, in Syria there are no good guys: it is a monstrous dictator against Muslim fanatics. It is tragic that more than 98,000 lives have been lost but that battle is not our battle. To those who say it is our fight, I ask if we are to get involved in every battle on earth?

The U.S. invaded Iraq because we were convinced that they were involved in the attack on the World Trade Center. A nation must respond when it is attacked. However, Syria has not attacked us and they are not a threat to us. Let the bloody bullies bang their heads together and resolve their own differences. If Israel wants to get involved, that is their business. Let the Middle East nations that are threatened take whatever side they choose. It will not be a principled decision since there is no noble principle involved, only violent religious and political hatred. All factions are thugs, thieves, tyrants, and terrorists.

America has become not only the world’s bank but the world’s policeman that is obligated to clean up the Syrian mess! My opinion: the cost of one American life is too high a price to pay for getting involved and it is not wise for us to pour billions of dollars into that cesspool of a nation while we struggle to pay our national bills. We have seen our young men and women (!) return from Afghanistan missing their limbs and burned beyond recognition. Moms have been killed leaving small children without a mother. (But then, that reflects upon us because any nation that must use women to fight its wars is not worth defending.)

Bush made a super dumb statement when he spoke of taking democracy to nations in the Middle East. They don’t want democracy and even if they did, the burden to take it there is not a U.S. burden. After all, who appointed us the Paladin of Peace? We don’t have the money nor should we sacrifice our youth in a war that cannot be won. Our desire to share the principles of freedom should not entice us into a war that will never be won; however, it is easier to fight for your principles than it is to live according to your principles. Let’s live them and let other people learn them from our example. Furthermore, the winner of the Syrian conflict would not be welcomed at any decent person’s dining table. America should let other nations fight this war then everyone will be losers–except us.

World leaders still haven’t received the message: there is no way to beat Islamists. We can blast a nation into the Stone Age but that won’t win the war. Fact: there will be perpetual conflict as long as there are Koranic Muslims down at the local mosque. We will be at war and living with terror to the end of time! The next war could very well bury Western Civilization forever as well as the barbarians on the Arabian Desert.

Furthermore, there is the issue of national sovereignty. Who gave America (or Russia, China, Israel, etc.) the authority to interfere and invade another nation? Do we believe in national sovereignty or not? Do we believe in sovereignty for us but not for “them”? No one has even tried to justify this.

Of course, another war might take America’s attention off the “scandal of the day,” giving Obama some breathing room. Only a fool will say that we have any chance of establishing even a semblance of freedom in Syria. Freedom doesn’t work in Islamic nations since freedom is the antithesis to sharia and jihad.

Non-thinkers, bubbling over with naiveté, praised the uprisings in Libya, Egypt, etc., and now they realize that we got much more than we wanted. Radical Muslims have been enabled and are now in control with sharia and jihad as the norm. Moreover, our incursions into Iraq and Afghanistan are two more abject failures of a stupid, senseless, strident, and suicidal foreign policy.
Let our politicians use their bloody pulpits and the media to promote freedom everywhere but keep our money, missiles, munitions, and men at home.

Oh, also keep our maidens and moms at home.

Copyright 2013, Don Boys, Ph.D.

The refugees are welcome as workers but not as citizens. By leaving the refugee camps, they better themselves as migrate workers but without any hope of citizenship from their “brother” Muslims. However, they have been and are being used as pawns to further the political agenda of their fellow Muslims. The workers are too dumb or fanatical to realize that fact.

Any honest person will recognize that there is no mention of the name “Palestina” in history before the Romans gave that new hated name to the province of Judea. This fact was admitted by Professor Philip Hitti, an Arab historian who declared, “There is no such thing as Palestine in history, absolutely not.” This fact is further confirmed by the Saudi Arabia Representative at the United Nations. “It is common knowledge that Palestine is nothing but Southern Syria.”

Fathi Hammad, minister of the interior and national security for Hamas, a recognized terror group, confirmed that “half of the Palestinians are Egyptians and the other half are Saudis.”

King Hussein of Jordan was the only Arab leader that showed any sympathy toward what is called the Palestinian Arabs. In 1960 he stated: “Since 1948 Arab leaders have approached the Palestine problem in an irresponsible manner….They have used the Palestine people for selfish political purposes. This is ridiculous and, I could say, even criminal.” The King was correct.

I started going to Jordan and the Middle East just after the 1967 Six-Day War (in which Israel sent the nine Muslim nations arrayed against them running for cover) and have been there 14 times. That doesn’t make me a Middle East expert but I became convinced that King Hussein, who died in 1999, was the most reasonable and kind Muslim leader in the Muslim world. He shocked the world when he recognized Israel as a nation in 1994 much to the chagrin of other Muslim leaders.

Unknown to the world, Hussein wanted peace with Israel and secretly negotiated with Israel’s leaders and U.S. officials. The private talks took place in London at the home of Hussein’s Jewish physician. In 1970, Hussein kicked the PLO (Arafat) out of Jordan! It must be remembered that Arafat, while leader of the PLO, was an Egyptian, not a “Palestinian”; but then, no one is a “Palestinian.”

I corresponded with Hussein in the late 70’s while I was a member of the Indiana House of Representatives. I also was a newscaster and commentator at a fledging Indianapolis television station. Since I went to the Middle East about every year I contacted the king about doing a television interview, and much to my surprise, he readily agreed. We set the date to coincide with my itinerary and I prepared for a “scoop.” But alas, it was not to be. I was too busy to see the king! No, my trip was rescheduled because of terrorist activities and the king was out of the country when I finally was there.

Syrian dictator Hafez Assad (father of the present dictator) told PLO leader Yasser Arafat, “You do not represent Palestine as much as we do. Never forget this one point: There is no such thing as a Palestinian people, there is no Palestinian entity, there is only Syria.” Don’t you think the media should finally get the point: Palestinian people do not exist except as a political ploy.

Zuhair Muhsin, military commander of the PLO and member of the PLO Executive Council, clearly said “There are no differences between Jordanians, Palestinians, Syrians and Lebanese. We are all part of one nation. It is only for political reasons that we carefully underline our Palestinian identity… yes, the existence of a separate Palestinian identity serves only tactical purposes. The founding of a Palestinian state is a new tool in the continuing battle against Israel.” I wonder if the media are listening. Maybe they can’t understand plain English.

Even Chris Matthews of MSNBC can understand that statement from a Muslim terrorist–well, maybe not since Chris’ main activity is in his leg, not his brain.

It is political humbug. Those people who are identified as “Palestinians” are simply refugees from Jordan, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia. However, there are millions of these people who were born in refugee camps and have been taught they are “Palestinians.” But they are not. In 1948 and the1950s, displaced Arabs lived in abject squalor in refugee camps (supposed to be temporary) under the custodial care of the United Nations. Muslim leaders did not care about them until it became politically expedient to do so. There are no Palestinian people, or history, or culture, or coinage, or language, or uncovered artifacts. Palestinians don’t exist and never have. Muslims and media that promote “Palestinians” are repeating a falsehood and resisting the facts.

It must be emphasized that God loves Arabs as much as He does Jews; however, Jews have a special place in His plan. His plan was to redeem man through the sacrificial death and resurrection of His Son. Those “Palestinian” leaders who spout hatred for every non-Muslim are loved by God even if men have trouble loving them.

Israel was originally called the “land of Canaan” (Gen. 12:5), the “land of Israel” (1 Sam. 13:19), and the “land of Judah” (Isa. 19:17). The first century Jews had a thing about being under the thumb of the Romans (or anyone) so they seethed in constant hatred and rebellion against their oppressors. The Roman Emperor Hadrian was understandably (from his totalitarian view) displeased with the rebellious Jews and wanted to erase the name of Israel and Judah from history and the face of the Earth. He decided to ridicule them by renaming the land of Israel, “Syria Palaestina” identifying them with their hated enemy, the Philistines. Whatever Rome called the land, the Jews were still Jews.

It is from the term “Philistines” that the name “Palestinians” has been taken. Emperor Hadrian knew that Philistines were ancient enemies of the Jews and therefore the emperor showed his hatred and spite by giving Israel a new obnoxious name. Philistines were not Arabs (and were in fact, invaders from Crete) and there is no mention of Palestine until the first century. Palestinians are not mentioned in the Bible or Koran because they did not exist until after 1967.

In 135 Hadrian put down a Jewish rebellion by killing 580,000 Jews, leveled 985 villages and 50 fortified towns. That is why Jewish writers always refer to him by saying, “may his bones be crushed.” Psalm 83:3-4 probably prophesied Hadrian’s oppressive actions: “They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones. They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.”

It didn’t work and never will work. Zachariah 2:8 warns: “For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye.” Jews, even while in rebellion, are special to God. Jews are forever!

God promised (and warned) in Genesis 12:3: “And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee.” Hitler and all Jew-haters discovered that verse to be literally true.” Earlier Americans learned that truth while Muslim nations have not. The results are obvious.

The “Palestinians” are bogus, a political show, and it’s time to pull the curtain on the charade.

I predict that if Obama continues in his lame response to the killing of these four Americans, it will destroy any hope to beat Romney in November. His advisors should tell him about Teddy Roosevelt’s  reaction in 1904 to the kidnapping of an American businessman (Ion Perdicaris) and his stepson. They were taken from their home in Tangier by Raisuli, the “Last of the Barbary Pirates,” and held for $70,000 ransom along with other demands. President Roosevelt (a progressive!) sent seven battleships to Morocco and a message: “This government wants Perdicaris alive or Raisuli dead.” Perdicaris was released in a few days!

That international incident was an example of Teddy’s “Speak softly and carry a big stick” philosophy. Obama speaks softly (when he has a teleprompter) and carries a wet noodle.

What is usually missed is the impact Roosevelt’s action had on his political fortunes. The Republican National Convention was taking place in Chicago at the time, and Secretary of State Hay sent them a copy of Teddy’s message to the kidnappers. Teddy’s reelection campaign was lackluster, lukewarm, and lifeless but when the telegram was read to the delegates, the convention went wild with excitement.  Teddy got another term in the White House.

President Obama sent a strongly worded message with the understanding that money will follow! The U.S. can send a better message by closing every embassy in the Middle East. That action should be followed with all Muslim diplomats in America sent packing.  Muslim leaders know they are supposed to guarantee the safety of our diplomats but they always support their Muslim “brothers.”

The Libyan Government has promised full support but talk is cheap. Well, not so cheap since we purchase their support. The Muslim terrorists – it’s getting to where that is a redundancy–should be in a Libyan jail by midnight.  If they hang all the terrorists involved within 30 days, the U.S. should be satisfied. If not, Obama should send a covert team and take out every known terrorist.  There are photos and videos of the killings so there is no excuse. Besides, the U.S. has “boots on the ground,” maybe some were among the rioters.

Hillary’s statement was without passion and very lame. She did not use the words “terrorist” or “Muslim” and used a few lines to speak of the ambassador. She is a weakling.

Obama’s response was very lame and promised everyone that we don’t hold Muslims  responsible! Well, we sure don’t hold the Methodists responsible! He said, “While the United States rejects efforts to denigrate the religious beliefs of others, we must all unequivocally oppose the kind of senseless violence that took the lives of these public servants.” Maybe he will send the terrorists more millions to carry out the “democracy” process in Libya.  He did not use “terrorist” or “Muslim” either.

This administration is the most incompetent, impotent, and inept in the past century and is reaping what has been sowed for about 4 years. We have a weak, wimpy, worthless president, and everyone who voted for him has bloody hands.  He laid a foundation for this by kowtowing and bowing toward his Muslim buddies. Jimmy Carter laid the original foundation for weakness and is no longer holding the title of “worst U.S. President.” He has probably asked his wife, “Do you think Americans miss me, yet?” I can answer that, Jimmy: No!

I suggest that it is past time for America to identify our friends and our foes, and to stop kissing our foes and kicking our friends. Friendly nations should be assured that it pays to be friends with America and our foes should be thoroughly convinced that it will cost them to be our enemies. The cost should start today: No more money to Egypt or Libya.

Obama’s weakness, waffling, and wobbling on principle is a major problem for us. I would not permit Obama to lead a Boy Scout troop on a nature hike in a city park, and Hillary should resign and go home and prepare for when Bill finally comes home, wagging his tail behind him.