Islamophobic vs. Realityphilic

3 Top Republican Candidates Take a Hard Line on the Interrogation of Detainees by Marc Santora

Read the Article at NYTimes.com

"While the three candidates (Mr. Giuliani, Mr. Thompson, and Mr. Romney) all condemn torture, they have been purposefully vague about what constitutes cruel and inhumane treatment."

When Santora writes, "they have been purposefully vague," he immediately assumes an ulterior motive from the Republican candidates, a judgment clearly contradicting fact-based reporting. He leaves no room for the reader to decide himself/herself whether the (Republican) politicians' stances have been vague, or if their responses were strategically formulated. Later in his article he reports, "Mr. Thompson has argued that there are circumstances where 'you have to do what is necessary to get the information that you need,'” words that appear straightforward to me. Through his own individual analysis , Santora goads the less vigilant readers to the confines of his own opinions.

Mr. Giuliani often frames the threat of terrorism in graphically personal terms, telling crowds that Islamic extremists 'hate you' and want to come to the United States and 'kill you.'In that vein, he has been perhaps the most forceful in suggesting that the president must be able to take extraordinary steps to combat terrorist threats."

I don't know whether it's the odd use of quotation marks, or his use of the subjective adjective "graphically" (which in this case, connotes striking, shocking terms), but I felt like this sentence echoes a sentiment expressed later in the article that accuses Republicans of "pandering to peoples’ fears." However, is he pandering to fears or discussing reality? Read the quote below to decide.

"To kill the Americans and their allies -- civilians and military -- is an individual duty for every Muslim who can do it in any country in which it is possible to do it." (emphasis mine) Osama bin Laden

In Fatwa entitled Jihad Against Jews and Crusaders World Islamic Front Statement, February 28, 1998.

disclaimer: I am NOT Islamophobic. I AM reality-philic. Obviously not all Muslims share these viewpoints expressed; I'm specifically addressing Muslims who associate their relationship to the United States with the verse in the Quran [Sura 2:191] "And slay them wherever ye catch them, and turn them out from where they have Turned you out; for tumult and oppression are worse than slaughter; but fight them not at the Sacred Mosque, unless they (first) fight you there; but if they fight you, slay them. Such is the reward of those who suppress faith." I'm also addressing those who are depicted below.



"Their positions have come under fire from leading Democrats who say they unconditionally oppose torture, want Guantánamo closed and oppose rendition."

I would just like to point out that extraordinary rendition was implemented by the CIA during the Clinton administration (when a certain leading Democrat was living in the White House).


Critics, however, not only condemn the conditions at Guantánamo but also find it unacceptable that the majority of detainees have been in legal limbo for more than five years, with only a handful facing formal charges.

Mr. Thompson was dismissive of such concerns when asked for his opinion at a recent campaign stop in Tampa, Fla. “I think that Guantánamo Bay is necessary,” he said. “Those who have criticized Guantánamo Bay do not come with any alternative.”

I appreciate Santora's attempt to give equal inches to the supports of Guantánamo Bay's continuance, but I object to the paragraphs' disparate content. In the first paragraph, Santora effectively outlines the main reasons for opposition toward the detention facility. It's succinct, logical, and addresses legitimate issues. The other paragraph, however, does not discuss any reason for the support of its perpetuation; he merely states that supporters believe it is "necessary." Since he provides only partial information that would allow the reader to formulate an opinion, I figured you might like to see the other side here. A Defense Department official stated that, "The detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, remains a valuable asset in the war on terror as a place to hold enemy combatants and a source of useful intelligence to prevent future terrorist attacks." You decide.