In Search of Anatolia

In Search of Anatolia September 21, 2006

“As the world’s attention is drawn to events in the war against terrorism, the focus is on disturbing extremism expressed by militant factions of Islam. Reports are filed almost daily on terrorist activities breaking out with alarming regularity in the Middle East, Europe, Africa and Asia.

While in determined pursuit of terrorists responsible for 9/11, the U.S. and its allies find themselves entangled in an ideological confrontation with the Islamic world whose borders transcend national boundaries. As the bulwark of religious freedom, the U.S. still treads carefully, referring to the attack on the supposedly peaceful Muslim religion. Ironically, many Islamic leaders continue to interpret this assault from the West as one against Islam; they traditionally regard non-Muslims as historic enemies anyway with whom they are in a perpetual state of Jihad (armed struggle for the advancement of Islam), according to the Koran. And the U.S. is viewed as one of the remaining infidel strongholds in the world.

This chilling revelation flies in the face of the politically comfortable notion that extremism is the way of only a “few fanatics or fundamentalists.” A trip back to the 14-Century history of Islam reveals a record filled with genocidal wars against non-Muslims … In the brutal Islamization process historical nations and cities in Anatolia lost their names and their heritage. The people living there for centuries … were destroyed, driven out, or forced into degrading dhimmitude — a demeaning condition of cultural and religious bondage.

This condition of conquered Christians does allow for an ultimate religious conversion — from Christians to Muslims …”

— Taken from the preface of The Janissary Factor … in the Name of God, a novel by Steven P. Stamatis.

And now … an opposing view.


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