Tell Me What I Say.

Once again the forces of moderate Islam have stepped to the front of the ruckus over the Pope's improvidently rendered reference to a 14th century critic of their religion. And once again, like Strachan's dog, it took little enough to provoke church burnings, street riots, and the murder of an Italian nun.

One of the mores interesting spins on the subject comes from Haaretz, in which it is suggested that the Pope meant exactly what he said and it may reflect the Pope's interest in slam dunking Turkish accession to the European Union and preservation of Europe's Christian character. They didn't like it and said it's factually wrong.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/763262.html





Here's what the Islamic Community is saying in the Times, no doubt in an excess of moderation.

We shall break the cross and spill the wine. ... (you will have no choice but) Islam or death," said the statement, citing a hadith (saying of the Prophet Mohammed) promising Muslims that they would "conquer Rome... as they conquered Constantinople".
"We tell the worshipper of the cross (the Pope) that you and the West will be defeated, as is the case in Iraq, Afghanistan, Chechnya. God enable us to slit their throats, and make their money and descendants the bounty of the Mujahideen."