What is even more dangerous than murder, destruction, explosions and bloodshed are the diabolic and evil ideas that breed hatred and envy, and arouse suspicion and doubt against anything that is different. There is no difference [in the danger of these] ideas regardless of whether they originate from the East or the West. The extremist right-wing Christian ideology is still alive and kicking, whilst the violent Zionist ideology is also going strong. Both trends will continue to move towards the extremes in order to establish their presence on the ground in the light of the new US administration which has a different and open [political] orientation. This orientation is far removed from the approach that was adopted during the era of President Bush and the neo-conservatives.

And now the deranged voices that love beating the war-drum and issuing fearful and intimidating warnings have returned, led by former vice-president Dick Cheney, and former Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich. These figures have returned to the TV screens to repeat myths and lies about the War on Terror.

Amidst this dubious climate, the latest issue of Harpers Magazine was published with a provocative front cover that read “Jesus killed Muhammad.” This is the title of a lengthy article of over 40-pages written by Jeff Sharlet that discusses the Crusade for a Christian military by those who believe that the war in Iraq is in fact a “Christian war against its enemies.” In this article Sharlet recounts a number of positions taken by chaplains in the US army who insist upon the need for Christ to have a place in the army. Sharlet also recounts a story where a Christian officer in the US army shouted at his troops using Old Testament language saying “We are the New Israel.” And so [religious] extremism is spreading in the army of the first secular state.

Things have not stopped here though, and the Internet is also home to all manner of useful and useless information. Amongst some of the useless information is the Jihad Watch website that monitors the Jihad movement inside the US, and considers the proliferation of Islam inside US prisoners to be the “biggest danger which threatens the US constitution itself” as this dissemination of Islam is “a cover for real terrorism.” Of course, the website supports its lies with a never-ending series of false and misleading sources.

This type of poisonous [allegations] nurtures the shameless audacity of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs Avigdor Lieberman who are both extremist Zionists who refuse to withdraw from the occupied territories and stop the diabolical building of settlements and the division of Jerusalem. They both speak in a poisonous language, honoring no system, treaties, laws, or international resolutions.

Obama is set to deliver an important speech addressing the Muslim world soon; however in his country there are voices that spew out deadly poison, voices that can never be defended due to the freedom of expression yet criticizing the Jews and their political practices has become a taboo under the pretext of anti-Semitism. Yet what is being said by politicians, the military, and intellectuals from serious and respectable platforms is no less dangerous, criminal and damaging [than this]. There can be no place for such poisonous thoughts in a world that is seeking to; open dialogue between two cultures, build bridges between civilizations, establish communication between religions, and lay the foundation for a common human ideology. There is no place for these poisonous words, and a sincere global effort is needed to stop the stream of this poison, and view this as something more dangerous than smoking, drugs, and the hole in the Ozone.