Americans Growing Nervous About Role of Iran in Terror

Frank Beckmann, The Detroit News:

The fringe mentality which now dominates the Democratic Party may not realize it yet, but America is coming to grips with the reality of the threat posed by radical Islamo-fascists. Proof came from a poll conducted for Investor's Business Daily last week and is being buttressed by several movies and television presentations in advance of the upcoming fifth anniversary of the Sept.11 terror attacks.

The Investors Business Daily poll found: A majority of Americans, 51 percent, believe that "militant Islamism is no less a threat in the 21st century than Nazism, fascism and communism were in the 20th century," 63 percent are "very concerned" about the desire of Islamo-fascists to establish a worldwide Muslim rule, and 58 percent doubt that diplomacy or negotiation will work in dealing with Islamic fascists.

And Americans are now most aware of the Iranian role in promoting fascism: 58 percent in the poll think Iran is now the "main promoter of Islamic fascism in the Middle East," and 76 percent believe Iran must be prevented from obtaining nuclear weapons "at any cost." READ MORE

Americans have been slow to come to grips with the threat of this fascist movement, so reminiscent of Adolph Hitler's ambitions in Germany during the late 1930s and 1940s. Bush policies didn't begin creating terrorists. Radical Islamists have been training their children in the creed of hate for decades, raising an entire generation of suicide bombers and future killers, just as Hitler did with his "Nazi Youth" 70 years ago.

As with Hitler, the goal of the radical Islamists has been one of world domination but this time in the name of a religion and not a political philosophy. There is no opportunity to negotiate religious ideology, especially with those who use it as an excuse to murder.

The parallels between Islamic fascism and Nazism are now too clear to be ignored. The comparisons are even more pronounced in a new documentary called "Obsession," a riveting 77 minute production.

It chills the viewer with scenes from Arab television stations broadcasting continuous messages of hate against Israel and the United States, and featuring clerics who promote violent conquest of the West in the name of Islam.

A former Palestinian terrorist featured in "Obsession" told me this week that the American left which tries to deny the existence of the decades old Islamo-fascist movement, is "suicidal."

The man, now living in the United States, goes by the assumed name of Walid Shoebat and accuses the skeptics of placing their personal political agenda ahead of our country's well being.

"Wake up and smell the coffee," urges Shoebat. "Understand that this is a war against Islamo-fascism (which) has no respect for borders and no respect for human life."

Frank Beckmann is host of "The Frank Beckmann Show" on WJR (760 AM) from 9-11:30 a.m. Monday-Friday. His column is published on Friday. E-mail letters to letters@detnews.com.