UPDATE III:

This is at the top since I doubt I will have more to say on this today. When I look at the pictures up at Michelle’s site and Powerline of Muslims calling for the beheading of those who insult Islam, what I see is Bin Laden’s EU army. I see pictures of the next Zaraqawi, the next Atta, the next Zawahiri. I see Al Qaeda taunting the West.

What I do not see is President Karzai of Afghanistan, who legitimately voiced his dislike of the cartoons. I do not see Hosni Mubarak, President of Egypt in those pictures – who also was not happy with them. These two critical allies voiced their disgust with the cartoons.

I do not see the Emir of Kuwait who risked all to host our troops prior to invasion of Iraq. I do not see Iragis with purple stained fingers. I do not see President Musharref. I do not see King Abdullah. I did not see the leaders of Turkey.

What worries me is, if we are not careful and precise about how we react to the deliberate PR campaign of these Al Qaeda storm troopers carrying the signs, we may end up seeing these allies in these pictures some day. And all because we couldn’t summon the compassion to agree some of these cartoons are offensive?

If we would die protecting this country from harm, how come we can’t listen to our allies who have ALSO risked death to protect this country and simply admit these are offensive. Not to us – but to them?

Are we going to attack the Bush administration next?

END UPDATE

I really admire Michelle Malkin. She has graced this site with many an appreciated link. And I know she puts up with a lot of garbage from the leftward fever swamps.

Which is why it pains me to say how disappointed I am with her latest post. From my small little niche in the blogosphere I have tried to alert folks to the fact that we need to be setting an example to the moderate Muslims how to deal with ugly free speech. The best way is to dismiss hate speech and marginalize it. Not one of the best ways is to get in an escalating yelling match:

No, you go to hell.

The calls for death to those who insult Islam is a PR taunt meant to get the West riled and chase the moderate Muslims towards the radicals. We all agree free speech is not always pleasant. And to voice outrage at outrageous cartoons is proper, while threats and acts of violence are not to be tolerated.

I fear we are seeing the start of the global war we have been trying to avoid for 5 years now. And it will be over some damn stupid cartoons.

I am not alone in this view – we just seem to be the minority trying to keep cool and focused, and not give into anger.

UPDATE:

More than two now. Mark, want to start another Coalition?

UPDATE II:

I am getting some wild comments here – because some think I am defending the violence and intolerance found in radical Muslim orthodoxy. Just the opposite. We in the West need to retain self control and not give into emotional outburts when the radical in Islam provoke them on their side. Our job is to show how freedom works, not how intimidation works.

I do have one question though. Why is it this episode is being flamed by two elements in society so opposed to the Bush administrations efforts to spread democracy and freedom? We have the over the top outrage of the radical Islamists, but we also have the in-your-face apparently religious intolerance being promulgated by the liberal media outlets:

Publication of the cartoons in Spain, Italy, France, Germany and the Netherlands triggered condemnation in the Muslim and Arab world, where consumers turned their anger on Danish companies.

Arla, the dairy company based in Denmark, where the cartoons were first published, admitted on Thursday its sales in some Middle East countries had fallen to zero. Carrefour, the French retailer, said it had removed Danish products from shelves in its Middle East operations.

Other Danish companies targeted in the boycott include Lego, the toymaker, and Novo Nordisk, the pharmaceuticals company.

As popular protests spread, the leaders of Egypt and Afghanistan warned the cartoons had offended millions of Muslims and could be exploited by terrorists in their war against the west.

I don’t like coincidences. Why are our the two largest groups opposing US policy all of a sudden taunting each other to the brink – and egging both sides on?

Could it be Iran needs a diversion of international focus?