all it takes for one to have a religious war is for one party to make it so.  If the opposition does not identify it as such and defend itself, even if it fights in self defense and not "jihad", the battle is over.
A religious war is one fought over ideology, not land, or wealth, or power, or any other "thing".  And as such, there is not compromise, truce, or "agreement to peacefully co-exist".  There is nothing but the victorious and the defeated.

I think it is more than a religious war, it's a war over worldviews, including religion, perhaps based on it.  The western culture, based primarily on judeo-christian philosophy, has been astonishingly successful in the past 500 years in every area, economics, law, industry, military strength, technology, you name it.  The muslim countries rot due to the failed philosophy of islam.  They cannot compete on the same playing field, so they try to gain influence by "jihad".  

The sad thing is that the west has largely abandoned the philosophical roots that produced its greatness in favor of pluralism, the notion that all ideas are of equal merit, and the islamists now see a weakness that they are trying to exploit.  A hundred years ago this attempt to make the world muslim by force would have been certainly and quickly crushed.  The west was united in its culture and traditions (in general, as opposed to the islamic world), and in the understanding that those things were superior to others and worth defending.  But today, the west wrings its hands and wonders why we can't all get along, with Spain's surrender the most recent example.  Only a few other countries, the US being by far the most influential, actually have the fortitude to join ranks and fight back.  But I fear the US will soon blur the resolve it now has and descend into trying to appease the islamists rather than standing its ground.  This is a battle for the very survival of western culture, and as such it is a religious war, wether we choose to view it as such or not.

I teach high school, and the other day in class my students jokingly asked me if I got into a fight with this other teacher, who would win.  I immediately replied that I would.  They asked the same question about several other teachers, including the 6'7" 295lb basketball coach.  I responded each time that I would win.  When asked how I could be so sure that I would win every time I told them this.  I would not enter into a fight with them, or anybody else, unless I was willing to severely injure or kill my opponent, and I would try to accomplish that as quickly and as brutally as possible.  The shock of speed and violence ensures victory.  I do not fight "fair".  The first rule of successful combat is that it be UNFAIR.  I want the greatest advantage possible and I will exploit it fully.  The person with the killer mindset is superior to a person with greater skill but who hesitates in using it.  I fight to win, and will only fight when absolutely necessary, but when necessary, I will win, because I throw myself fully into the endeavor and leave myself no other acceptable option.  We must have the same mindset if we are to win this war.  Victory or death.

Wether we realize it or not, we are in a struggle for our existance.  If we do not fight to win, we have already lost.  Those that attacked us realize that it is a struggle to the death, and we are fools if we do not respond in kind.  We did not try to understand the Japaneese, why they attacked us in 1941, how we were somehow responsible for the motivation behind the suicide kamakazee, or what we could do to make them like us.  We kicked their teeth in and came one blow close to wiping them out by the millions.  We make sure we won. I see little difference between that conflict and this one, save perhaps our own mindset.

A good step in the right direction would be to give the citizens of Falluja two days to leave town, search them all for weapons as they go, and then carpet bomb the place.  Wipe Falluja off the map.
Another good idea is to dip our bullets in pig fat and bury the dead insurgents with pig remains, for any good muslim knows that if he is defiled in death he will go straight to hell.  It worked in the mulsim terrorist uprising in the Phillipines in the early part of the last century, primarily because it broke the enemy's will to fight, and that's the only thing that will win this conflict.  I read that the Israelis will soon be putting buckets of pig fat on busses to deter the islamists from blowing them up, for if a suicide bomber (martyr) dies having touched pig flesh, he does not go to Paradise and get 70 virgins, he goes to hell.  We must break the back of these islamists quickly and decisively.  If we are more worried about offending someone's sensibilities than winning the fight, we will loose.

This is a religious war, because the islamists made it one.  We must accept that and treat it as such, else we loose.  And defeat means more than an embarassment in a southeast asia land war.  It means the world changes.

Know your enemy, and respond.

www.prophetofdoom.net/

One of these days a great rain will come, and wash the scum from our streets.

Of course it's a religious war but our politically correct gubberment won't admit it.  The "peaceful" muslims and groups like AQ have admitted time and time again that this is a war against the infidels and their constant cries for a Jihad prove they want non-muslims eliminated.

Good Posting!

Its like watching a storm brewing on the horizon,you know its going to hit just not when.

I hate to say it and maybe I'm a little evil for saying so But we're doing the WRONG THING! If you slay say almost every male till you have peace and the enemy is left with say 1 man for every 10 women. Belive me, One way or another in 20 years everyone one of those woman will have bred 10 more children. So a whole new generation can take up the cause. Kill the women! They are the bringers of the next generation. A man can 'seed' as many women as he likes in a lifetime. But how many children can a woman have ? I know this is probably one of the shittiest things i've ever said in my life but sometimes you gotta get mean, I mean plum Maddog mean.

quote form the front page of prophet of doom

Islam has been at war with everyone, including itself, for 1400 years.  In Prophet Of Doom you’ll see why Muslims celebrate their “victories,” no matter how many innocents perish. You’ll learn why their state-controlled media promotes terror. You’ll know why their state-controlled schools teach hate. It will become evident why imams encourage martyrdom and jihad. You will discover Islam’s goals and read what it has to say about itself. You will see how violent conquest, racist genocide, and the spoils of war established the doctrine and turned a failed prophet into a world-renowned profiteer. I recognize that these words are incompatible with the prevailing notions of our politicians, religious leaders, and media. Yet the evidence is unambiguous and ubiquitous. The truth is undeniable: today’s terrorists haven’t corrupted their religion. Islam has corrupted them. They are following their prophet’s example

Islam's philosophy is fundamentally flawed and produces nothing but destruction.

We are fools if we think it is possible to create and maintain an American style democratic government in a muslim nation.

Muslims nations cannot be free.  Their philosophy precludes it.

That is not hate speech, but a philosophical observation,  and I am not afraid to make it.  All systems of thought are not created equal.  My desire for my muslim friends is that they realize this.  They are free to be muslims in America and elsewhere, but they are free only because the philosophy of the culture they live in is different from and superior to Islam.  The same can be said for other systems of thought, so don't think that I am being muslim -specific in my criticism.

I'm going to get flamed for this, but understand it is purely based on the differences in philosophy:
The only stable democratic goverment in the middle east is Israel (that's a fact- Jack!), and there's a reason for that.
A philosophical one, not racial or anything like that.  The worldview of Israelis supports liberty.
The worldview of Western nations like America does too, at least for now.

t-stox, I'll go you one better...Bomb the d@mn orphanages!!

That is where the next generation of terrosites really come from...Our gov't won't admit it but when dealing with the muslims there is no appeasement! We will never get them to like us and be our friends!! That is the plain and simple truth!!

If theshoe was on the other foot do you really think that the "peace loving" muslims would refrain from using nukes on us? I don't think so!!!They would destroy and lay waste to our country without remorse!!

When will the sheeple realize that this is a war of attrition and not some damn "quick police action"??!!

I believe N.B. Forrest said it best..."War to the knife...The knife to the hilt!!"

Quoted: I hate to say it and maybe I'm a little evil for saying so But we're doing the WRONG THING! If you slay say almost every male till you have peace and the enemy is left with say 1 man for every 10 women. Belive me, One way or another in 20 years everyone one of those woman will have bred 10 more children. So a whole new generation can take up the cause. Kill the women! They are the bringers of the next generation. A man can 'seed' as many women as he likes in a lifetime. But how many children can a woman have ? I know this is probably one of the shittiest things i've ever said in my life but sometimes you gotta get mean, I mean plum Maddog mean.

your method only becomes necessary if you fail to convert the enemy to your philosophy/culture either by the persuasiveness of its superiority or by force through assimilating the culture (by removing and dispersing the defeated popuilation, by re-settling the land with your own people, or both)

However, I seriously question the morality of killing the women, regardless of the reason.  

The only precedent I can find for it being justified is the Israelite's conquest of Canaan, where God actually did instruct them to kill everything, man, woman, child, and animal.  And by definition, if God instructs you to do it, it's moral.  However, from my study of those cultures, the people living in Canaan were so vile, perverted, and horribly corrupt in their behavior, including their health and sexual practices, that perhaps they needed to be wiped out, not as punishment for thier actions or to prevent a future uprising, but simply to prevent them from transfering disease and so forth to the Israelites.  But if anyone really deserved anihilation, it was the Canaanites.

I don't think such action can be justified today, even though it may work.

The ends do not (always) justify the means.

the trick isn't to destroy Islam. the trick is to assimilate Islam.

Islam CAN be changed. just like Communist nations can be changed (even tho they usually won't admit it). Just like Christianity has changed to fit its culture.

A Muslim is not ONLY influenced by his religion. He is influenced by his own hopes and desires, and by the other cultures he comes in contact with. The more contact our culture has with theirs, the more the Muslim’s actions and ideals will be influenced by our own. Once there is a significant disconnect between the Muslims and their established religion, the religion will change to accept the fundamentals... if the religious leaders want to retain ANY power or influence. Fundies can’t hold onto power forever.

No to say it will be “Easy”, but they can be changed to accept us with out us destroying them.

Quoted: the trick isn't to destroy Islam. the trick is to assimilate Islam. Islam CAN be changed. just like Communist nations can be changed (even tho they usually won't admit it). Just like Christianity has changed to fit its culture. A Muslim is not ONLY influenced by his religion. He is influenced by his own hopes and desires, and by the other cultures he comes in contact with. The more contact our culture has with theirs, the more the Muslim’s actions and ideals will be influenced by our own. Once there is a significant disconnect between the Muslims and their established religion, the religion will change to accept the fundamentals... if the religious leaders want to retain ANY power or influence. Fundies can’t hold onto power forever. No to say it will be “Easy”, but they can be changed to accept us with out us destroying them.

I disagree, its been tried, and much of the current llevel of violence is the backlash at our attempts at assimilation.  The savages cannot be reasoned with, cannot be converted, and seek only our conversion or death.  True, not all of Islam thinks this way as in the above sited examples but so significant a number that war is what we are left with.  Those muslims who do not want to taste steel, but rather the fruits of western affluence would do well to sit down, shut up, and move out of those areas that are in our way.  This is a war against radical islam that is on one level or another being waged between them and everyone else.  They are outclassed, outgunned, and outnumbered.  They will lose, but not before it hurts us a bit more.

Well, at least they have partially set-free my gunship brothers....I just fear W will pull the horse up short.

Quoted: well, there are several muslim nations that exist with a certain level of peacefulness and democracy.

Which ones Campy?  

Quoted: One of these days a great rain will come, and wash the scum from our streets.

Only problem we will be living on those streets in some cases and we will be washed away with them. NO matter what,  I see an end to mankind in this word in a very violent way.

Quoted: Quoted: well, there are several muslim nations that exist with a certain level of peacefulness and democracy. Which ones Campy?

Turkey quickly comes to mind.

Some of these muslims that are doing the ambushes in Iraq are definately from other Arab nations. Makes me think that part of the reason they are there is to continue the fight and drag it out for the upcoming November Presidential election. Their hopes being that the US sheeple will be tired of the "Iraq thing" and vote against G.W. I think that the terrosites would much rather have Kerry in office than have to deal with GW!! Just a thought...

Aren't all wars rooted in religon??      

Quoted: One of these days a great rain will come, and wash the scum from our streets.

"One of these days a great BOMB SHOULD come..., and vaporize the scum from our world"