Conservapedia - User contributions [en]

Ground Zero Mosque

2010-08-26T00:42:11Z

Jasonjason:

[[File:Ground Zero Mosque1.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Proposed location of the Ground Zero Mosque (red target) on Park Place, lower Manhattan, New York City. A completed, multi-story mosque would have it facing in the direction of the site of the World Trade Center just two blocks south, where nearly three thousand died in the [[September 11, 2001 attacks]] by Islamic fanatics.]]
The '''"Ground Zero Mosque"''' (officially '''Park51''' and formerly the '''Cordoba House''') is a proposed [[Muslim]] [[Mosque|mosque]] under construction two blocks away from the former [[World Trade Center]], which [[Muslim]] extremist [[terrorist]]s destroyed on [[9/11]], killing almost 3,000 people.<ref name="dailymail1">[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1303463/Obama-backtracks-Ground-Zero-mosque.html Obama backtracks on Ground Zero Mosque]</ref> The plans are a collaboration between the [[Cordoba Initiative]] and the [[American Society for Muslim Advancement]] (ASMA), a Muslim organization created in 1997<ref> [http://www.asmasociety.org/home/ ASMA]</ref> to promote "integration and tolerance based on Islamic values of compassion."<ref name="aol">[http://www.aolnews.com/article/ground-zero-mosque-rebuttal-the-9-11-christian-center/19556400 Ground Zero Mosque Rebuttal]</ref> The vast majority of Americans oppose the plan as "insensitive" to the families of the 9/11 victims.<ref name="aol"></ref> The backers of the Park51 mosque have no connection with al-Qaeda terrorists.

==Reaction of 9/11 Families==
Several organizations that represent families of the victims of the 9/11 attacks have criticized the plan as "insensitive and uncaring" to those families and stated that the construction of a mosque so close to the site of the worst terrorist attack in American history is "deliberately provocative act that will precipitate more bloodshed in the name of [[Allah]]."



==Public Criticism==
[[Sarah Palin]] stated that "to build a mosque at Ground Zero is a stab in the heart of the families of the innocent victims of those horrific attacks."<ref name="post">[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/17/AR2010081705860.html?hpid=topnews Washington Post]</ref><ref>[http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=411073718434 An Intolerable Mistake on Hallowed Ground]</ref> Former [[Speaker of the House of Representatives]] [[Newt Gingrich]] compared the mosque's construction to placing a [[swastika]] next to the [[Holocaust]] Museum in [[Washington, D.C.]]<ref name="post"></ref> Bill Keller, a born-again [[Christian]] and preacher, has stated that because the mosque is a "a spit in the face of the people of [[New York City|New York]]," he plans to build a $1 million Christian center near the World Trade Center as well.<ref name="aol"></ref> [[Rush Limbaugh]] has compared the proposed building of the mosque to building a Japanese Shinto temple near [[Pearl Harbor]], where thousands of Americans lost their lives to the Japanese in [[World War II]].<ref name="limbaugh">[http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_081610/content/01125106.guest.html]</ref>

[[Dick Morris]] summed up the heart of the matter quite succinctly:
{{cquote|'''The proposed mosque near to ground zero is not really a religious institution. It would be — as many mosques throughout the nation are — a terrorist recruitment, indoctrination and training center. ''It is not the worship of [[Islam]] that is the problem.'' It is the efforts to advance [[Sharia Law]] with its requirement of [[Jihad]] and violence that is the nub of the issue. <ref>[http://www.dickmorris.com/blog/ground-zero-mosque-the-real-issue/ Dick Morris; GROUND ZERO MOSQUE: THE REAL ISSUE</ref>}}

==Obama's Support==
Despite overwhelming public opposition to the mosque's construction, President Obama, at a White House dinner held to mark the start of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, stated that Muslims have
"the right to build a place of worship and a community center" near the site of the attacks. Through his comments, Obama, purposefully or not, aligned himself with Islamic terrorist associations like Hamas, which continually argue that Muslims "have to build everywhere"<ref name="dailymail1"></ref> in an attempt to draw more converts.

Faced with an intense popular backlash, Obama backtracked from his comments the next day and stated that "I was not commenting and I will not comment on the wisdom of making a decision to put a mosque there."<ref name="dailymail1"></ref> The White House, however, steadfastly maintains that he was not backing away from his comments, but rather clarifying them.

Obama said:
#"I was not commenting and I will not comment on the wisdom of making a decision to put a mosque there. I was commenting very specifically on the right that people have that dates back to our founding."
#"my intention was simply to let people know what I thought. Which was that in this country we treat everybody equally and in accordance with the law, regardless of race, regardless of religion." [http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100814/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_ground_zero_mosque_obama]

=="Declaration of Victory"==
Many critics of the mosque's planned construction worry that the placement of a mosque so close to the site of an Islamic terrorist attack is tantamount to allowing a declaration of victory by al-Qaeda, Hamas, and other terrorist organizations that supported the 9/11 attacks. This became more and more evident when government of New York City offered the Islamic group the option to build elsewhere in the city, at reduced cost, which the group quickly refused.<ref name="foxnews">[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/08/11/ny-governor-offer-state-property-mosque-built-farther-away-ground-zero/ Offer Rejected to Move Mosque Away From Ground Zero]</ref> Also telling was the original proposed name of "Cordoba House," Córdoba being a former Roman city conquered by Muslims in 711 AD. Moorish troops destroyed much of the city and built numerous mosques. The city became a hugely important site in the early Islamic movement.<ref>http://www.sacred-destinations.com/spain/cordoba-history.htm</ref> In one concession to decency, the Park51 organizers agreed to drop the reference to Muslim conquest and rename the project.<ref>http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/07/14/2010-07-14_new_name_doesnt_mosque_their_ire_tense_hearing_on_park51_near_ground_zero.html</ref>

Dr. Gamal Abd Al-Gawad, director of Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies in Cairo, Egypt, stated that the mosque's presence and location would "remind Americans of what Muslims did on 9/11" and that "it's not good for Muslims and Islam to be in the heart of such a controversy."<ref name="hnn">[http://hnn.us/blogs/entries/130299.html History News Network]</ref>

==Faulty Comparison and Appeal to Judaism==
Some supporters of the mosque, including the AMSA itself, have compared the plans for the mosque to plans by Jewish groups to construct a center (albeit one much smaller) within a few miles of the former World Trade Center. By comparing themselves to the Jewish people of New York and the world, the AMSA is hoping to draw similarities between themselves and Israel, a staunch American ally. This comparison, however, ignores the fact that neither Israel nor any Jewish group has committed an attack against Americans, either on American soil or abroad. This comparison has also drawn criticism from watchdog organizations like Jihadwatch.org, which faulted the comparison because
<blockquote>'''Radical Jews have never bombed the West side of Manhattan nor killed 3000 Americans in the name of Judaism''' (their emphasis).<ref name="jihadwatch">[http://www.jihadwatch.org/2010/08/islamic-supremacist-mega-mosque-like-skokie-nazi-march-legal-but-hurtful.html Islamic Supremacist Mosque]</ref></blockquote>

Other supporters compared the Muslim plans to construct a mosque to the demand by the [[Nazi Party|National Socialist Party of America]] (NSPA) to march through the village of Skokie, Illinois (home to many [[Holocaust]] survivors), in 1977. Despite the controversial nature of the march and overwhelming public opposition to it, the Supreme Court agreed with the ACLU's defense of the NSPA that their actions were covered by the First Amendment's guarantee of freedom of speech. These supporters, however, fail to note several key differences between these two situations:<ref name="jihadwatch"></ref>
*The NSPA's planned march was nothing more than a "disgusting publicity stunt" and a ''temporary'' action (a small group march for the city's center). This stands in sharp contrast to the ''construction'' of a mosque, a far more permanent and imposing structure.
*Although the First Amendment does protect many examples of free speech, the Supreme Court decided in ''Roth v United States'' that standards could be applied to obscenity or otherwise ruthlessly inflammatory speech. Some could argue, as many of the 9/11 families have done, that the construction of a mosque near the former World Trade Center would constitute exactly this type of "speech."

==Viewpoints of Islamic leaders==

Sarah Palin's Facebook page attributes to Imam [[Faisal Abdul Rauf]] the following quote:
* "United States’ policies were an accessory to the crime that happened."<ref> [http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=411073718434 Sarah Palin's Facebook Page]</ref>

Faisal's website says that he was misquoted:
* The ‘60 Minutes’ piece was completely incorrect as the statement was edited out of context. In the full interview, Imam Feisal describes the mistake the CIA made in the 1980s by financing Osama Bin Laden and strengthening the Taliban. This view is widely shared within the US and the US Government today, and Imam Feisal underlines the importance of not supporting “friends of convenience” who may in the future become our enemies. This is common sense. [http://www.cordobainitiative.org/?q=content/frequently-asked-questions Cordoba Initiative] - Frequently Asked Questions

==Statements by other religious leaders==

Bruce Grodner, bishop of the New York district of the [[Unification Church]], suggests addressing the issue with an [[interreligious]] perspective.

==References==
<references />

Ground Zero Mosque

2010-08-26T00:40:58Z

Jasonjason:

[[File:Ground Zero Mosque1.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Proposed location of the Ground Zero Mosque (red target) on Park Place, lower Manhattan, New York City. A completed, multi-story mosque would have it facing in the direction of the site of the World Trade Center just two blocks south, where nearly three thousand died in the [[September 11, 2001 attacks]] by Islamic fanatics.]]
The '''"Ground Zero Mosque"''' (officially '''Park51''' and formerly the '''Cordoba House''') is a proposed [[Muslim]] [[Mosque|mosque]] under construction two blocks away from the former [[World Trade Center]], which [[Muslim]] extremist [[terrorist]]s destroyed on [[9/11]], killing almost 3,000 people.<ref name="dailymail1">[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1303463/Obama-backtracks-Ground-Zero-mosque.html Obama backtracks on Ground Zero Mosque]</ref> The plans are a collaboration between the [[Cordoba Initiative]] and the [[American Society for Muslim Advancement]] (ASMA), a Muslim organization created in 1997<ref> [http://www.asmasociety.org/home/ ASMA]</ref> to promote "integration and tolerance based on Islamic values of compassion."<ref name="aol">[http://www.aolnews.com/article/ground-zero-mosque-rebuttal-the-9-11-christian-center/19556400 Ground Zero Mosque Rebuttal]</ref> The vast majority of Americans oppose the plan as "insensitive" to the families of the 9/11 victims.<ref name="limbaugh">[http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_081610/content/01125106.guest.html]</ref> The backers of the Park51 mosque have no connection with al-Qaeda terrorists.

==Reaction of 9/11 Families==
Several organizations that represent families of the victims of the 9/11 attacks have criticized the plan as "insensitive and uncaring" to those families and stated that the construction of a mosque so close to the site of the worst terrorist attack in American history is "deliberately provocative act that will precipitate more bloodshed in the name of [[Allah]]."



==Public Criticism==
[[Sarah Palin]] stated that "to build a mosque at Ground Zero is a stab in the heart of the families of the innocent victims of those horrific attacks."<ref name="post">[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/17/AR2010081705860.html?hpid=topnews Washington Post]</ref><ref>[http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=411073718434 An Intolerable Mistake on Hallowed Ground]</ref> Former [[Speaker of the House of Representatives]] [[Newt Gingrich]] compared the mosque's construction to placing a [[swastika]] next to the [[Holocaust]] Museum in [[Washington, D.C.]]<ref name="post"></ref> Bill Keller, a born-again [[Christian]] and preacher, has stated that because the mosque is a "a spit in the face of the people of [[New York City|New York]]," he plans to build a $1 million Christian center near the World Trade Center as well.<ref name="aol"></ref> [[Rush Limbaugh]] has compared the proposed building of the mosque to building a Japanese Shinto temple near Pearl Harbor, where thousands of Americans lost their lives to the Japanese.<ref name="aol">[http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_081610/content/01125106.guest.html]</ref>

[[Dick Morris]] summed up the heart of the matter quite succinctly:
{{cquote|'''The proposed mosque near to ground zero is not really a religious institution. It would be — as many mosques throughout the nation are — a terrorist recruitment, indoctrination and training center. ''It is not the worship of [[Islam]] that is the problem.'' It is the efforts to advance [[Sharia Law]] with its requirement of [[Jihad]] and violence that is the nub of the issue. <ref>[http://www.dickmorris.com/blog/ground-zero-mosque-the-real-issue/ Dick Morris; GROUND ZERO MOSQUE: THE REAL ISSUE</ref>}}

==Obama's Support==
Despite overwhelming public opposition to the mosque's construction, President Obama, at a White House dinner held to mark the start of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, stated that Muslims have
"the right to build a place of worship and a community center" near the site of the attacks. Through his comments, Obama, purposefully or not, aligned himself with Islamic terrorist associations like Hamas, which continually argue that Muslims "have to build everywhere"<ref name="dailymail1"></ref> in an attempt to draw more converts.

Faced with an intense popular backlash, Obama backtracked from his comments the next day and stated that "I was not commenting and I will not comment on the wisdom of making a decision to put a mosque there."<ref name="dailymail1"></ref> The White House, however, steadfastly maintains that he was not backing away from his comments, but rather clarifying them.

Obama said:
#"I was not commenting and I will not comment on the wisdom of making a decision to put a mosque there. I was commenting very specifically on the right that people have that dates back to our founding."
#"my intention was simply to let people know what I thought. Which was that in this country we treat everybody equally and in accordance with the law, regardless of race, regardless of religion." [http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100814/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_ground_zero_mosque_obama]

=="Declaration of Victory"==
Many critics of the mosque's planned construction worry that the placement of a mosque so close to the site of an Islamic terrorist attack is tantamount to allowing a declaration of victory by al-Qaeda, Hamas, and other terrorist organizations that supported the 9/11 attacks. This became more and more evident when government of New York City offered the Islamic group the option to build elsewhere in the city, at reduced cost, which the group quickly refused.<ref name="foxnews">[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/08/11/ny-governor-offer-state-property-mosque-built-farther-away-ground-zero/ Offer Rejected to Move Mosque Away From Ground Zero]</ref> Also telling was the original proposed name of "Cordoba House," Córdoba being a former Roman city conquered by Muslims in 711 AD. Moorish troops destroyed much of the city and built numerous mosques. The city became a hugely important site in the early Islamic movement.<ref>http://www.sacred-destinations.com/spain/cordoba-history.htm</ref> In one concession to decency, the Park51 organizers agreed to drop the reference to Muslim conquest and rename the project.<ref>http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/07/14/2010-07-14_new_name_doesnt_mosque_their_ire_tense_hearing_on_park51_near_ground_zero.html</ref>

Dr. Gamal Abd Al-Gawad, director of Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies in Cairo, Egypt, stated that the mosque's presence and location would "remind Americans of what Muslims did on 9/11" and that "it's not good for Muslims and Islam to be in the heart of such a controversy."<ref name="hnn">[http://hnn.us/blogs/entries/130299.html History News Network]</ref>

==Faulty Comparison and Appeal to Judaism==
Some supporters of the mosque, including the AMSA itself, have compared the plans for the mosque to plans by Jewish groups to construct a center (albeit one much smaller) within a few miles of the former World Trade Center. By comparing themselves to the Jewish people of New York and the world, the AMSA is hoping to draw similarities between themselves and Israel, a staunch American ally. This comparison, however, ignores the fact that neither Israel nor any Jewish group has committed an attack against Americans, either on American soil or abroad. This comparison has also drawn criticism from watchdog organizations like Jihadwatch.org, which faulted the comparison because
<blockquote>'''Radical Jews have never bombed the West side of Manhattan nor killed 3000 Americans in the name of Judaism''' (their emphasis).<ref name="jihadwatch">[http://www.jihadwatch.org/2010/08/islamic-supremacist-mega-mosque-like-skokie-nazi-march-legal-but-hurtful.html Islamic Supremacist Mosque]</ref></blockquote>

Other supporters compared the Muslim plans to construct a mosque to the demand by the [[Nazi Party|National Socialist Party of America]] (NSPA) to march through the village of Skokie, Illinois (home to many [[Holocaust]] survivors), in 1977. Despite the controversial nature of the march and overwhelming public opposition to it, the Supreme Court agreed with the ACLU's defense of the NSPA that their actions were covered by the First Amendment's guarantee of freedom of speech. These supporters, however, fail to note several key differences between these two situations:<ref name="jihadwatch"></ref>
*The NSPA's planned march was nothing more than a "disgusting publicity stunt" and a ''temporary'' action (a small group march for the city's center). This stands in sharp contrast to the ''construction'' of a mosque, a far more permanent and imposing structure.
*Although the First Amendment does protect many examples of free speech, the Supreme Court decided in ''Roth v United States'' that standards could be applied to obscenity or otherwise ruthlessly inflammatory speech. Some could argue, as many of the 9/11 families have done, that the construction of a mosque near the former World Trade Center would constitute exactly this type of "speech."

==Viewpoints of Islamic leaders==

Sarah Palin's Facebook page attributes to Imam [[Faisal Abdul Rauf]] the following quote:
* "United States’ policies were an accessory to the crime that happened."<ref> [http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=411073718434 Sarah Palin's Facebook Page]</ref>

Faisal's website says that he was misquoted:
* The ‘60 Minutes’ piece was completely incorrect as the statement was edited out of context. In the full interview, Imam Feisal describes the mistake the CIA made in the 1980s by financing Osama Bin Laden and strengthening the Taliban. This view is widely shared within the US and the US Government today, and Imam Feisal underlines the importance of not supporting “friends of convenience” who may in the future become our enemies. This is common sense. [http://www.cordobainitiative.org/?q=content/frequently-asked-questions Cordoba Initiative] - Frequently Asked Questions

==Statements by other religious leaders==

Bruce Grodner, bishop of the New York district of the [[Unification Church]], suggests addressing the issue with an [[interreligious]] perspective.

==References==
<references />

Ground Zero Mosque

2010-08-26T00:39:49Z

Jasonjason: Added Rush's criticism of the Terrorist Mosque

[[File:Ground Zero Mosque1.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Proposed location of the Ground Zero Mosque (red target) on Park Place, lower Manhattan, New York City. A completed, multi-story mosque would have it facing in the direction of the site of the World Trade Center just two blocks south, where nearly three thousand died in the [[September 11, 2001 attacks]] by Islamic fanatics.]]
The '''"Ground Zero Mosque"''' (officially '''Park51''' and formerly the '''Cordoba House''') is a proposed [[Muslim]] [[Mosque|mosque]] under construction two blocks away from the former [[World Trade Center]], which [[Muslim]] extremist [[terrorist]]s destroyed on [[9/11]], killing almost 3,000 people.<ref name="dailymail1">[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1303463/Obama-backtracks-Ground-Zero-mosque.html Obama backtracks on Ground Zero Mosque]</ref> The plans are a collaboration between the [[Cordoba Initiative]] and the [[American Society for Muslim Advancement]] (ASMA), a Muslim organization created in 1997<ref> [http://www.asmasociety.org/home/ ASMA]</ref> to promote "integration and tolerance based on Islamic values of compassion."<ref name="aol">[http://www.aolnews.com/article/ground-zero-mosque-rebuttal-the-9-11-christian-center/19556400 Ground Zero Mosque Rebuttal]</ref> The vast majority of Americans oppose the plan as "insensitive" to the families of the 9/11 victims.<ref name="aol">[http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_081610/content/01125106.guest.html]</ref> The backers of the Park51 mosque have no connection with al-Qaeda terrorists.

==Reaction of 9/11 Families==
Several organizations that represent families of the victims of the 9/11 attacks have criticized the plan as "insensitive and uncaring" to those families and stated that the construction of a mosque so close to the site of the worst terrorist attack in American history is "deliberately provocative act that will precipitate more bloodshed in the name of [[Allah]]."



==Public Criticism==
[[Sarah Palin]] stated that "to build a mosque at Ground Zero is a stab in the heart of the families of the innocent victims of those horrific attacks."<ref name="post">[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/17/AR2010081705860.html?hpid=topnews Washington Post]</ref><ref>[http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=411073718434 An Intolerable Mistake on Hallowed Ground]</ref> Former [[Speaker of the House of Representatives]] [[Newt Gingrich]] compared the mosque's construction to placing a [[swastika]] next to the [[Holocaust]] Museum in [[Washington, D.C.]]<ref name="post"></ref> Bill Keller, a born-again [[Christian]] and preacher, has stated that because the mosque is a "a spit in the face of the people of [[New York City|New York]]," he plans to build a $1 million Christian center near the World Trade Center as well.<ref name="aol"></ref> [[Rush Limbaugh]] has compared the proposed building of the mosque to building a Japanese Shinto temple near Pearl Harbor, where thousands of Americans lost their lives to the Japanese.<ref name="aol">[http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_081610/content/01125106.guest.html]</ref>

[[Dick Morris]] summed up the heart of the matter quite succinctly:
{{cquote|'''The proposed mosque near to ground zero is not really a religious institution. It would be — as many mosques throughout the nation are — a terrorist recruitment, indoctrination and training center. ''It is not the worship of [[Islam]] that is the problem.'' It is the efforts to advance [[Sharia Law]] with its requirement of [[Jihad]] and violence that is the nub of the issue. <ref>[http://www.dickmorris.com/blog/ground-zero-mosque-the-real-issue/ Dick Morris; GROUND ZERO MOSQUE: THE REAL ISSUE</ref>}}

==Obama's Support==
Despite overwhelming public opposition to the mosque's construction, President Obama, at a White House dinner held to mark the start of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, stated that Muslims have
"the right to build a place of worship and a community center" near the site of the attacks. Through his comments, Obama, purposefully or not, aligned himself with Islamic terrorist associations like Hamas, which continually argue that Muslims "have to build everywhere"<ref name="dailymail1"></ref> in an attempt to draw more converts.

Faced with an intense popular backlash, Obama backtracked from his comments the next day and stated that "I was not commenting and I will not comment on the wisdom of making a decision to put a mosque there."<ref name="dailymail1"></ref> The White House, however, steadfastly maintains that he was not backing away from his comments, but rather clarifying them.

Obama said:
#"I was not commenting and I will not comment on the wisdom of making a decision to put a mosque there. I was commenting very specifically on the right that people have that dates back to our founding."
#"my intention was simply to let people know what I thought. Which was that in this country we treat everybody equally and in accordance with the law, regardless of race, regardless of religion." [http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100814/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_ground_zero_mosque_obama]

=="Declaration of Victory"==
Many critics of the mosque's planned construction worry that the placement of a mosque so close to the site of an Islamic terrorist attack is tantamount to allowing a declaration of victory by al-Qaeda, Hamas, and other terrorist organizations that supported the 9/11 attacks. This became more and more evident when government of New York City offered the Islamic group the option to build elsewhere in the city, at reduced cost, which the group quickly refused.<ref name="foxnews">[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/08/11/ny-governor-offer-state-property-mosque-built-farther-away-ground-zero/ Offer Rejected to Move Mosque Away From Ground Zero]</ref> Also telling was the original proposed name of "Cordoba House," Córdoba being a former Roman city conquered by Muslims in 711 AD. Moorish troops destroyed much of the city and built numerous mosques. The city became a hugely important site in the early Islamic movement.<ref>http://www.sacred-destinations.com/spain/cordoba-history.htm</ref> In one concession to decency, the Park51 organizers agreed to drop the reference to Muslim conquest and rename the project.<ref>http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/07/14/2010-07-14_new_name_doesnt_mosque_their_ire_tense_hearing_on_park51_near_ground_zero.html</ref>

Dr. Gamal Abd Al-Gawad, director of Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies in Cairo, Egypt, stated that the mosque's presence and location would "remind Americans of what Muslims did on 9/11" and that "it's not good for Muslims and Islam to be in the heart of such a controversy."<ref name="hnn">[http://hnn.us/blogs/entries/130299.html History News Network]</ref>

==Faulty Comparison and Appeal to Judaism==
Some supporters of the mosque, including the AMSA itself, have compared the plans for the mosque to plans by Jewish groups to construct a center (albeit one much smaller) within a few miles of the former World Trade Center. By comparing themselves to the Jewish people of New York and the world, the AMSA is hoping to draw similarities between themselves and Israel, a staunch American ally. This comparison, however, ignores the fact that neither Israel nor any Jewish group has committed an attack against Americans, either on American soil or abroad. This comparison has also drawn criticism from watchdog organizations like Jihadwatch.org, which faulted the comparison because
<blockquote>'''Radical Jews have never bombed the West side of Manhattan nor killed 3000 Americans in the name of Judaism''' (their emphasis).<ref name="jihadwatch">[http://www.jihadwatch.org/2010/08/islamic-supremacist-mega-mosque-like-skokie-nazi-march-legal-but-hurtful.html Islamic Supremacist Mosque]</ref></blockquote>

Other supporters compared the Muslim plans to construct a mosque to the demand by the [[Nazi Party|National Socialist Party of America]] (NSPA) to march through the village of Skokie, Illinois (home to many [[Holocaust]] survivors), in 1977. Despite the controversial nature of the march and overwhelming public opposition to it, the Supreme Court agreed with the ACLU's defense of the NSPA that their actions were covered by the First Amendment's guarantee of freedom of speech. These supporters, however, fail to note several key differences between these two situations:<ref name="jihadwatch"></ref>
*The NSPA's planned march was nothing more than a "disgusting publicity stunt" and a ''temporary'' action (a small group march for the city's center). This stands in sharp contrast to the ''construction'' of a mosque, a far more permanent and imposing structure.
*Although the First Amendment does protect many examples of free speech, the Supreme Court decided in ''Roth v United States'' that standards could be applied to obscenity or otherwise ruthlessly inflammatory speech. Some could argue, as many of the 9/11 families have done, that the construction of a mosque near the former World Trade Center would constitute exactly this type of "speech."

==Viewpoints of Islamic leaders==

Sarah Palin's Facebook page attributes to Imam [[Faisal Abdul Rauf]] the following quote:
* "United States’ policies were an accessory to the crime that happened."<ref> [http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=411073718434 Sarah Palin's Facebook Page]</ref>

Faisal's website says that he was misquoted:
* The ‘60 Minutes’ piece was completely incorrect as the statement was edited out of context. In the full interview, Imam Feisal describes the mistake the CIA made in the 1980s by financing Osama Bin Laden and strengthening the Taliban. This view is widely shared within the US and the US Government today, and Imam Feisal underlines the importance of not supporting “friends of convenience” who may in the future become our enemies. This is common sense. [http://www.cordobainitiative.org/?q=content/frequently-asked-questions Cordoba Initiative] - Frequently Asked Questions

==Statements by other religious leaders==

Bruce Grodner, bishop of the New York district of the [[Unification Church]], suggests addressing the issue with an [[interreligious]] perspective.

==References==
<references />

Ground Zero Mosque

2010-08-26T00:38:34Z

Jasonjason: /* Public Criticism */

[[File:Ground Zero Mosque1.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Proposed location of the Ground Zero Mosque (red target) on Park Place, lower Manhattan, New York City. A completed, multi-story mosque would have it facing in the direction of the site of the World Trade Center just two blocks south, where nearly three thousand died in the [[September 11, 2001 attacks]] by Islamic fanatics.]]
The '''"Ground Zero Mosque"''' (officially '''Park51''' and formerly the '''Cordoba House''') is a proposed [[Muslim]] [[Mosque|mosque]] under construction two blocks away from the former [[World Trade Center]], which [[Muslim]] extremist [[terrorist]]s destroyed on [[9/11]], killing almost 3,000 people.<ref name="dailymail1">[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1303463/Obama-backtracks-Ground-Zero-mosque.html Obama backtracks on Ground Zero Mosque]</ref> The plans are a collaboration between the [[Cordoba Initiative]] and the [[American Society for Muslim Advancement]] (ASMA), a Muslim organization created in 1997<ref> [http://www.asmasociety.org/home/ ASMA]</ref> to promote "integration and tolerance based on Islamic values of compassion."<ref name="aol">[http://www.aolnews.com/article/ground-zero-mosque-rebuttal-the-9-11-christian-center/19556400 Ground Zero Mosque Rebuttal]</ref> The vast majority of Americans oppose the plan as "insensitive" to the families of the 9/11 victims.<ref name="aol"></ref> The backers of the Park51 mosque have no connection with al-Qaeda terrorists.

==Reaction of 9/11 Families==
Several organizations that represent families of the victims of the 9/11 attacks have criticized the plan as "insensitive and uncaring" to those families and stated that the construction of a mosque so close to the site of the worst terrorist attack in American history is "deliberately provocative act that will precipitate more bloodshed in the name of [[Allah]]."



==Public Criticism==
[[Sarah Palin]] stated that "to build a mosque at Ground Zero is a stab in the heart of the families of the innocent victims of those horrific attacks."<ref name="post">[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/17/AR2010081705860.html?hpid=topnews Washington Post]</ref><ref>[http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=411073718434 An Intolerable Mistake on Hallowed Ground]</ref> Former [[Speaker of the House of Representatives]] [[Newt Gingrich]] compared the mosque's construction to placing a [[swastika]] next to the [[Holocaust]] Museum in [[Washington, D.C.]]<ref name="post"></ref> Bill Keller, a born-again [[Christian]] and preacher, has stated that because the mosque is a "a spit in the face of the people of [[New York City|New York]]," he plans to build a $1 million Christian center near the World Trade Center as well.<ref name="aol"></ref> [[Rush Limbaugh]] has compared the proposed building of the mosque to building a Japanese Shinto temple near Pearl Harbor, where thousands of Americans lost their lives to the Japanese.<ref name="aol">[http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_081610/content/01125106.guest.html]</ref>

[[Dick Morris]] summed up the heart of the matter quite succinctly:
{{cquote|'''The proposed mosque near to ground zero is not really a religious institution. It would be — as many mosques throughout the nation are — a terrorist recruitment, indoctrination and training center. ''It is not the worship of [[Islam]] that is the problem.'' It is the efforts to advance [[Sharia Law]] with its requirement of [[Jihad]] and violence that is the nub of the issue. <ref>[http://www.dickmorris.com/blog/ground-zero-mosque-the-real-issue/ Dick Morris; GROUND ZERO MOSQUE: THE REAL ISSUE</ref>}}

==Obama's Support==
Despite overwhelming public opposition to the mosque's construction, President Obama, at a White House dinner held to mark the start of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, stated that Muslims have
"the right to build a place of worship and a community center" near the site of the attacks. Through his comments, Obama, purposefully or not, aligned himself with Islamic terrorist associations like Hamas, which continually argue that Muslims "have to build everywhere"<ref name="dailymail1"></ref> in an attempt to draw more converts.

Faced with an intense popular backlash, Obama backtracked from his comments the next day and stated that "I was not commenting and I will not comment on the wisdom of making a decision to put a mosque there."<ref name="dailymail1"></ref> The White House, however, steadfastly maintains that he was not backing away from his comments, but rather clarifying them.

Obama said:
#"I was not commenting and I will not comment on the wisdom of making a decision to put a mosque there. I was commenting very specifically on the right that people have that dates back to our founding."
#"my intention was simply to let people know what I thought. Which was that in this country we treat everybody equally and in accordance with the law, regardless of race, regardless of religion." [http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100814/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_ground_zero_mosque_obama]

=="Declaration of Victory"==
Many critics of the mosque's planned construction worry that the placement of a mosque so close to the site of an Islamic terrorist attack is tantamount to allowing a declaration of victory by al-Qaeda, Hamas, and other terrorist organizations that supported the 9/11 attacks. This became more and more evident when government of New York City offered the Islamic group the option to build elsewhere in the city, at reduced cost, which the group quickly refused.<ref name="foxnews">[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/08/11/ny-governor-offer-state-property-mosque-built-farther-away-ground-zero/ Offer Rejected to Move Mosque Away From Ground Zero]</ref> Also telling was the original proposed name of "Cordoba House," Córdoba being a former Roman city conquered by Muslims in 711 AD. Moorish troops destroyed much of the city and built numerous mosques. The city became a hugely important site in the early Islamic movement.<ref>http://www.sacred-destinations.com/spain/cordoba-history.htm</ref> In one concession to decency, the Park51 organizers agreed to drop the reference to Muslim conquest and rename the project.<ref>http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/07/14/2010-07-14_new_name_doesnt_mosque_their_ire_tense_hearing_on_park51_near_ground_zero.html</ref>

Dr. Gamal Abd Al-Gawad, director of Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies in Cairo, Egypt, stated that the mosque's presence and location would "remind Americans of what Muslims did on 9/11" and that "it's not good for Muslims and Islam to be in the heart of such a controversy."<ref name="hnn">[http://hnn.us/blogs/entries/130299.html History News Network]</ref>

==Faulty Comparison and Appeal to Judaism==
Some supporters of the mosque, including the AMSA itself, have compared the plans for the mosque to plans by Jewish groups to construct a center (albeit one much smaller) within a few miles of the former World Trade Center. By comparing themselves to the Jewish people of New York and the world, the AMSA is hoping to draw similarities between themselves and Israel, a staunch American ally. This comparison, however, ignores the fact that neither Israel nor any Jewish group has committed an attack against Americans, either on American soil or abroad. This comparison has also drawn criticism from watchdog organizations like Jihadwatch.org, which faulted the comparison because
<blockquote>'''Radical Jews have never bombed the West side of Manhattan nor killed 3000 Americans in the name of Judaism''' (their emphasis).<ref name="jihadwatch">[http://www.jihadwatch.org/2010/08/islamic-supremacist-mega-mosque-like-skokie-nazi-march-legal-but-hurtful.html Islamic Supremacist Mosque]</ref></blockquote>

Other supporters compared the Muslim plans to construct a mosque to the demand by the [[Nazi Party|National Socialist Party of America]] (NSPA) to march through the village of Skokie, Illinois (home to many [[Holocaust]] survivors), in 1977. Despite the controversial nature of the march and overwhelming public opposition to it, the Supreme Court agreed with the ACLU's defense of the NSPA that their actions were covered by the First Amendment's guarantee of freedom of speech. These supporters, however, fail to note several key differences between these two situations:<ref name="jihadwatch"></ref>
*The NSPA's planned march was nothing more than a "disgusting publicity stunt" and a ''temporary'' action (a small group march for the city's center). This stands in sharp contrast to the ''construction'' of a mosque, a far more permanent and imposing structure.
*Although the First Amendment does protect many examples of free speech, the Supreme Court decided in ''Roth v United States'' that standards could be applied to obscenity or otherwise ruthlessly inflammatory speech. Some could argue, as many of the 9/11 families have done, that the construction of a mosque near the former World Trade Center would constitute exactly this type of "speech."

==Viewpoints of Islamic leaders==

Sarah Palin's Facebook page attributes to Imam [[Faisal Abdul Rauf]] the following quote:
* "United States’ policies were an accessory to the crime that happened."<ref> [http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=411073718434 Sarah Palin's Facebook Page]</ref>

Faisal's website says that he was misquoted:
* The ‘60 Minutes’ piece was completely incorrect as the statement was edited out of context. In the full interview, Imam Feisal describes the mistake the CIA made in the 1980s by financing Osama Bin Laden and strengthening the Taliban. This view is widely shared within the US and the US Government today, and Imam Feisal underlines the importance of not supporting “friends of convenience” who may in the future become our enemies. This is common sense. [http://www.cordobainitiative.org/?q=content/frequently-asked-questions Cordoba Initiative] - Frequently Asked Questions

==Statements by other religious leaders==

Bruce Grodner, bishop of the New York district of the [[Unification Church]], suggests addressing the issue with an [[interreligious]] perspective.

==References==
<references />

Ken Mehlman

2010-08-26T00:24:42Z

Jasonjason:

'''Ken Mehlman''' (b. 1966) is the liberal former chairman of the [[Republican National Committee]]. He was also the campaign manager for President [[George W. Bush]]'s successful 2004 re-election campaign. He is a [[homosexual]].

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mehlman, Ken}}

[[Category:Republican Party]]

Ken Mehlman

2010-08-26T00:17:50Z

Jasonjason:

'''Ken Mehlman''' (b. 1966) is the former chairman of the [[Republican National Committee]]. He was also the campaign manager for President [[George W. Bush]]'s successful 2004 re-election campaign. He is a [[homosexual]].

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mehlman, Ken}}

[[Category:Republican Party]]

Queen Elizabeth II

2010-07-17T23:25:14Z

Jasonjason:

[[Image:QueenElizabethII 2003.jpg|right|225px]]
Her Majesty '''Queen Elizabeth II''' (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor, born April 21, 1926) is the reigning monarch and current [[head of state]] (1952-) of the [[United Kingdom]] and of 15 other [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] realms (see list below), including [[Canada]],[[Australia]], [[New Zealand]] and [[Jamaica]] . She is the elder daughter of King [[George VI]] and the late [[HM Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother|Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother]].

In Britain, she is referred to formally as "Her Majesty the Queen", but is generally called simply "the Queen". Her full title, by virtue of the Royal Titles Act of 1953, is: "Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith".

==Early life==
She was the first child of the Duke and Duchess of York, who later became King [[George VI]] and Queen Consort Elizabeth. At birth she stood third in line of succession to the throne after Edward, Prince of Wales (later King [[Edward VIII]]), and her father. It was not expected that her father would become King, or that she would become Queen.

Princess Elizabeth's quiet family life came to an end in 1936, when her grandfather, King [[George V]], died. His eldest son came to the throne as King Edward VIII, but, before the end of the year, the new king decided to give up the throne in order to marry a twice divorced American woman, Mrs [[Wallis Simpson]].

Upon Edward's abdication, Princess Elizabeth's father acceded to the throne, and in 1937 Princess Elizabeth attended her parents' coronation in [[Westminster Abbey]]. This put her first in line to the throne.

The Princess received home tuition at Sandringham and [[Buckingham Palace]] during the 1930s, where her tutors included her father and Henry Marten, the Vice-Provost of Eton. She was also instructed in religion by the [[Archbishop of Canterbury]]. Now that she had became first in line to throne, Elizabeth started to study constitutional history and law as preparation for her future role as Queen. Elizabeth also learned French from various French and Belgian governesses, this skill standing The Queen in good stead, as she often has cause to use it when speaking to ambassadors and heads of state from French-speaking countries and when visiting French-speaking areas of [[Canada]].

In 1940, at the height of [[the Blitz]], the young Princess was moved to the safety of [[Windsor Castle]], where she spent most of the war years, although in 1945 she joined the Women's Auxiliary Territorial Service and trained as a driver, operating military trucks.

==Marriage and Children ==
She married [[Duke of Edinburgh|Prince Philip Mountbatten]] of [[Greece]] and [[Denmark]] on November 20, 1947. Their first child, [[Prince Charles]], now the [[Prince of Wales]], first heir to the throne, was born in 1948, and his sister, [[Princess Anne]], now The Princess Royal, two years later. After Princess Elizabeth became Queen, their third child, [[Prince Andrew]] (now known as the Duke of York), arrived in 1960, and the fourth, [[Prince Edward]] (now known as the Earl of Wessex and who will eventually become Duke of Edinburgh), in 1964.

==Death of Father==
On February 6, 1952, Princess Elizabeth, who was on a tour of [[Kenya]] and staying at the Treetops resort, received the news of her father's death at Sandringham and her own accession to the throne.

==Coronation==
On June 2, 1953, Elizabeth was crowned Queen of the [[United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland]] and of Canada, Australia, New Zealand and her other realms and territories at [[Westminster Abbey]] by the [[Archbishop of Canterbury]], and took the [[English coronation oath|coronation oath]] in the traditional coronation ceremony that has been used for at least 1000 years.

==The Commonweath Realms==
[[image:Australian 50c coins.jpg|thumb|200px|Australian 50c coins showing two different likenesses of Queen Elizabeth II]]
*[[Antigua and Barbuda]]
*[[Australia]]
*The [[Bahamas]]
*[[Barbados]]
*[[Belize]]
*[[Canada]]
*[[Grenada]]
*[[Jamaica]]
*[[New Zealand]]
*[[Papua New Guinea]]
*[[Solomon Islands]]
*[[St. Christopher and Nevis]]
*[[St. Lucia]]
*[[St. Vincent and the Grenadines]]
*[[Tuvalu]]

==See Also==
[[British Royal Family]]
[[Category:British History]]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Elizabeth 2}}
[[Category:United Kingdom Monarchs]]
[[Category:Anglicans]]
[[Category:Queens]]
[[Category:People who were Educated at Home]]

Bill O'Reilly

2010-06-24T03:46:56Z

Jasonjason:

[[Image:Bll.png|thumb|right|Bill O' Reilly On The O' Reilly Report]]
'''Bill O'Reilly''' is a generally [[conservative]] commentator and host of the show ''The O'Reilly Factor'' on the [[Fox News Channel]], which he calls the "No Spin Zone." O'Reilly calls himself a "traditionalist" and an "independent."

O'Reilly's career was growing throughout the 1980s, but he received his "big break" when hired to anchor Inside Edition, a tabloid gossip and news program.<ref>http://www.starpulse.com/Notables/O%27Reilly,_Bill/Biography/</ref>

''The O'Reilly Factor'' is the highest-rated hour on any cable news channel. Over 2.5 million people watch the show each night and millions more listen to his own radio show.<ref>[http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/09/23/60minutes/main645202.shtml Bill O'Reilly: "No Spin"] Transcript 60 Minutes with Mike Wallace aired Sept. 26, 2004. </ref>

Politically, he has always claimed he is an independent on "The O'Reilly Factor" (1996).

O'Reilly has condemned white [[racist]] prejudice against U.S. blacks.

He is deeply disliked by many on the [[leftist|far-left]].

==Trivia==
* O'Reilly and conservative-mocker [[Stephen Colbert]] have appeared on each others' shows.<ref>http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16698834/</ref>

== See also ==
*[[Conservative Links]]

{{Conservatism}}

==References==
{{reflist}}<ref>
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0971123/bio</ref>
<ref>http://www.starpulse.com/Notables/O%27Reilly,_Bill/Biography/</ref>

{{DEFAULTSORT: Oreilly, Bill}} 
[[Category:Broadcasters|Oreilly, Bill]]
[[Category:Conservative Commentators]]

Stanley McChrystal

2010-06-24T03:40:34Z

Jasonjason:

[[File:Stanley mcchrystal.jpg|Left|thumb|200px|Stanley McChrystal]]'''General Stanley A. McChrystal''', USA (born August 14, 1954) is the 4-star American general and current Commander for International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and Commander for U.S. forces in [[Afghanistan]], having been appointed in June 2009.

His report to Washington of Aug. 30, 2009, set the parameters for the American debate on the [[Afghanistan War]]. He warned of failure unless his forces are greatly enlarged, and are more focused on protecting the civilian population. He considers the civilian government of Afghanistan a hindrance more than a help.

==Career==
A 1976 graduate of West Point, he has held many commands and is known as a scholar-warrior.

After graduating from [[West Point]] in 1976, McChrystal worked on a U.N. Command Support Group in [[South Korea]], and later served as an Army briefer and commanded the 75th Ranger Regiment in [[Saudi Arabia]] during the 1991 [[Persian Gulf War]]. In 2001, he was appointed chief of staff of military operations in Afghanistan. He led the Army's Delta Force, which is credited for the December 2003 capture of [[Saddam Hussein]].

In 2003-2008 McChrystal headed the super-secret "Joint Special Operations Command" in the Pentagon. He took over an insular, shadowy commando force with a reputation for spurning partnerships with other military and intelligence organizations. He managed to build close relationships with the C.I.A. and the F.B.I. He won praise from C.I.A. officers, many of whom had stormy relationships with commanders running the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. His command is credited for the death of [[Al-Qaeda]] leader [[Abu Musab al-Zarqawi]].

Before McChrystal's appointment to ISAF in June 2009, command was held by Gen. David D. McKiernan, who was forced out by the Obama Administration, which demanded a new look at policy options.
[[File:Mcchrystal.jpg|thumb|250px|His 2009 Report warns the U.S. and NATO are losing in Afghanistan]]

==2009 Report==
:''see [[Afghanistan War]]''

McChrystal reports to General [[David Petraeus]], head of Central Command.

In August 2009, McChrystal reported on the dire conditions in Afghanistan to Secretary of Defense [[Robert Gates]]. He asked for 30,000-40,000 additional troops, warning that "Although considerable effort and sacrifice have resulted in some progress, many indicators suggest the overall effort is deteriorating" and added that there is "the urgent need for a significant change to our strategy." <ref>http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/sep/21/mcchrystal-warns-failure-afghan-war/</ref>

McChrystal said the Afghan government was riddled with corruption and NATO was being undermined by tactics that alienate civilians. He called the Taliban insurgency "a muscular and sophisticated enemy" that uses modern propaganda and systematically reaches into Afghanistan's prisons to recruit members and even plan operations. McChrystal alerted Washington that he urgently needs more forces within the next year; without them, he warned, the eight-year conflict "will likely result in failure."<ref> Bob Woodward, "McChrystal: More Forces or 'Mission Failure'' [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/20/AR200909200920.html ''Washington Post'' Sept 21, 2009] </ref>
American policy was increasing set by Defense Secretary [[Robert Gates]], originally appointed by President Bush in 2006 and reappointed by President Obama in 2009. Gates fired the commander General David McKiernan in May, 2009, replacing him with McChrystal. [[File:Afg-2009.jpg|thumb|350px|Obama plan to add 30,000 troops in early 2010]] Gates insisted on dropping the old strategy of hunting down insurgents and instead adopting a '''counterinsurgency''' strategy that focused on protecting local civilians and training Afghan soldiers and police to take over the job. Gates convinced Obama, who ordered 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan in Dec. 2009, with a deadline of 18 months, at which time a transition to Afghan responsibility would begin. Liberals thought Obama and Gates were making a big mistake--heading into another quagmire like Vietnam. However liberal Democrats in Congress will not try to block Obama's proposals. Most conservatives, on the other hand, see victory in Afghanistan as a vital national goal and approve the new strategy, while voicing objections to the 18 month deadline.

[[File:Af-UStroops.jpg|thumb|340px]]
By spring 2010 McChrystal will have over 100,000 American troops and some 30,000 or more NATO troops under his command in Afghanistan, exactly in line with his Aug. 2009 request.<ref> Richard A. Oppel, "Most New U.S. Forces for Afghanistan Will Be Sent to Taliban Stronghold in South," [http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/03/world/asia/03deployment.html?scp=3&sq=&st=nyt ''New York Times'' Dec. 2, 2009]</ref>

==Controversy==

In June 2010, McChrystal was summoned to the White House to explain biting and unflattering remarks he made to a freelance writer about President [[Barack Obama]] and others in the Obama administration. In the Rolling Stone article, titled "The Runaway General," McChrystal described Obama during their first meeting as "uncomfortable and intimidated." <ref>http://hotair.com/archives/2010/06/22/the-rolling-stone-article-as-bad-as-advertised/</ref> National Security Adviser [[Jim Jones]] was described by a McChrystal aide as a "clown" stuck in 1985. Others aides joked about Vice President [[Joe Biden]]’s last name as sounding like "Bite me" since Biden opposed the surge. <ref>http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0610/38837.html#ixzz0razXNkpe</ref> Acting out of liberal retaliation, Obama immaturely fired McChrystal, who was crucial to the Afghani front.

== References ==
<references/>

==External links==
* [http://www.nato.int/isaf/structure/bio/comisaf/mcchrystal.html NATO profile]
* [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/21/AR2009092100110.html?hpid=topnews "COMISAF Initial Assessment" (McChrystal Report)Aug. 30, 2009]
* [http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/13/world/asia/13commander.html?hp Elizabeth Bumiller and Mark Mazzetti, "A General Steps From the Shadows," ''New York Times,'' May 12, 2009]

{{DEFAULTSORT:McChrystal, Stanley A.}}
[[category:United States Army]]
[[Category:Terrorism]]
[[category:Obama Presidency]]
[[Category:Afghanistan War]]