Muslims For A Safe America

For decades, the U.S. government has sided with Israel over the Palestinians. The U.S. has given Israel over $140 billion in money and weapons (which Israel has used against Palestinians and other Muslims). The U.S. has provided public and diplomatic support for Israel’s military actions (against Palestinians and other Muslims), prevented Security Council criticism of Israel, prevented international scrutiny of Israel’s nuclear weapons program, and blamed the Palestinians for provoking all conflict with Israel. Furthermore, the U.S. has tried to pressure the Palestinians to accept Israeli demands on Jerusalem, borders between Palestine and Israel, settlements in the West Bank, and Palestinian refugees; and the U.S. has blamed Palestinians for the failure of the parties to successfully negotiate a peaceful resolution. American leaders have said that America’s “special relationship” with Israel makes America safer.

As a result of American support, Israel has become the regional superpower, and the Palestinians are weak in comparison. But desperate and angry Palestinians continue to resist, Israel has not been able to beat the Palestinians into submission, and the region remains tense. Every few years, a major battle breaks out, followed by a ceasefire. After decades of American support for Israel, neither Israelis nor Palestinians have peace or security.

Is it in America’s best interests to continue to throw America’s full support behind Israel?

Or is it in America’s best interests for America to take an even-handed approach between the Israelis and Palestinians? For example, should America equally fund the Israelis and Palestinians? Should America criticize and withhold aid from whichever side is at fault when there is violence? Should America offer independent proposals, and use American aid as an incentive, to help the parties reach a mutually acceptable compromise in their difficult disputes? Read the rest of this entry »

Some Americans worry that American mosques may be teaching hostility to America and encouraging terrorist attacks on the U.S. They want mosques to be watched by the government.

From the 1950s to the 1970s, the FBI ran a counter-intelligence program (COINTELPRO), which involved monitoring, infiltrating, and manipulating organizations run by the government’s political opponents. After Congressional criticism, the FBI agreed in the 1970s that undercover agents could only go where there was evidence of illegal activity. Since 2002, however, FBI undercover agents have been authorized to visit mosques to gather information about what’s going on in the Muslim community, even when there’s no evidence of illegal activity. However, wiretaps can only be used when there is evidence of illegal activity.

In 2003, the FBI decided to count the number of mosques in various regions of the country, in order to help determine how many terrorism investigations and wiretaps were needed in each region.
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Since 9/11, Muslim informants have gathered evidence for the government about a number of alleged plots by Muslims to attack American targets. These informants have won the confidence of the alleged Muslim plotters, and then pretended to participate in the alleged plots while making tape and video recordings for the government. Some Muslims work as informants for money; to avoid criminal charges for their own alleged crimes; or to get immigration benefits. One Muslim informant has publicly stated that it was his religious duty to help the government. Here are some examples: Read the rest of this entry »