From the Camel's Mouth
By David Holcberg

After the terrorist attacks of September 11, President Bush declared: "These acts of violence against innocents violate the fundamental tenets of the Islamic faith."

But the Muslim murderer of Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh knows better than our president, and recently explained in court: "I acted purely in the name of my religion." So did the September 11 hijackers and the terrorists that bombed Madrid and London.

Consider the Koran, for example, which Muslims believe is the word of Allah revealed to Muhammad, his prophet. There is no shortage of passages in the Koran that, taken literally, demand just that kind of savagery (e.g., "And slay them wherever you catch them . . .  and fight with them until there is no persecution, and religion should be only for Allah.").

In fact, no fewer than 36 different verses sprinkled throughout the Koran call on Muslims to wage war against non-Muslims (e.g., "Fight and slay the Pagans wherever you find them, and seize them, beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them in every stratagem of war.").

It is easy to see how Muslim fanatics who believe that these verses are the literal truth feel justified in their evil actions. They hear in these verses the demanding voice of Allah calling on them to act. And they are willing to oblige.

If we want to understand the enemy and win this war, we must take these terrorists at their word and stop pretending that, in President Bush's characterization, "Islam is peace."

The truth is that "Islam" does not mean peace, as President Bush and many others would like to believe. Literally and existentially, "Islam" means surrender. Surrender to Allah--by the word or by the sword.