Muslim soldier fought for America _ and his faith

[LiberalNation]

Moving story, I can see why it affected Powell.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/mcclatchy/20081021/pl_mcclatchy/3078971

Kareem Rashad Sultan Khan , whom former Secretary of State Colin Powell invoked in his endorsement Sunday of Barack Obama .

Khan was a 20-year-old soldier from Manahawkin, N.J. , who wanted to enlist in the Army from the time he was 10. He was an all-American boy who visited Disney World after he completed his training at Fort Benning, Ga. , and made his comrades in Iraq watch "Saving Private Ryan" every week.

He was also a Muslim who joined the military, his father said, in part to show his countrymen that not all Muslims are terrorists.

"He was an American soldier first," said his father, Feroze Khan . "But he also looked at fighting in this war as fighting for his faith. He was fighting radicalism."

Khan was killed by an improvised explosive device in August 2007 along with four other soldiers and an Iraqi interpreter while searching a house in Baqouba, Iraq . He's one of four Muslims who served in Iraq or Afghanistan and are buried in Arlington National Cemetery , where 512 troops from those wars now rest.

About 3,700 of the U.S. military's 1.4 million troops are Muslims, according to Defense Department estimates.

Khan, a child of immigrant parents from Trinidad , was 14 when the Sept. 11 attacks happened. Feroze Khan said he remembered his son watching in stunned silence: "I could tell that inside a lot of things were going through his head."

Three years later, Feroze honored his son's request and allowed him to enlist him in the Army . "I told him: 'You are going to the Army .' I never said there is a war going on in a Muslim country. I didn't want him to get any ideas that he was fighting (against) his religion."

Feroze kept his fears for his son's safety to himself.

His son was assigned to the Stryker Brigade Combat Team out of Fort Lewis, Wash. , deployed to Iraq in 2006 and fought on Baghdad's Haifa Street , a Sunni insurgent stronghold.

His tour was extended as part of the surge of additional U.S. forces to Iraq , and he called or messaged home often until he was deployed to restive Diyala province, where he was under fire too often to contact home regularly.

But he prayed every day, his father said.

One Sunday morning, his son sent an instant message: "Hey Dad. Are you there?" Feroze Khan was out, and he saw the message when he returned.

A few hours later, his ex-wife called. Soldiers had knocked on her door in Maryland . Their only child was dead.

A few minutes later, soldiers appeared at Khan's door. "I guess it helped that I knew beforehand," he said. "There are no words to describe it."

Kareem Khan was a month from finishing his tour when he was killed.

On Sunday, Powell said that Khan's sacrifice and service had swayed him to discuss the way that Muslims have been portrayed in the presidential campaign, and the contention that Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is a Muslim.

Obama "is a Christian," Powell said. "He has always been a Christian. But the really right answer is, 'What if he is?' Is there something wrong with being Muslim in this country? The answer is no. That is not America." He added: "I am troubled that within the (Republican) Party we have these kinds of expressions" suggesting that Obama is a Muslim, and that if he is, he likely associates with terrorists.

[theHawk]

"What if he [Obama] is [a Muslim]?"

Does anyone honestly believe that wouldn't make a difference? Why would a Christian nation want a leader that has completely different values than they do? Political correctness has reached the level of absurdity.

[LiberalNation]

We are not a Christian nation.

[manu1959]

We are not a Christian nation.

they sky is not blue.....

[LiberalNation]

and we're still not a christian nation.

[manu1959]

and we're still not a christian nation.

keep saying it....maybe your wish will come true....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States#Religion

In a private survey conducted in 2001, 76.5% of adults identified themselves as Christian,

[Noir]

keep saying it....maybe your wish will come true....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States#Religion

In a private survey conducted in 2001, 76.5% of adults identified themselves as Christian,


I think the difference comes in those who think they are christan and those who live a christain life. Big difference.

[Trigg]

We are not a Christian nation.

80% of Adults in this country consider themselves Christian with another 13% saying they're non-religious. ONLY 5% identify themselves as another religion.

Like it or not we are a Christian nation.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_the_United_States#Religious_affili ation

Iran and Iraq both have Christian populations, but they're still considered Muslim nations.

[manu1959]

I think the difference comes in those who think they are christan and those who live a christain life. Big difference.

in your opinion....however you are not the one that gets to ultimately decide what what a christian is or what a christian life entails.....

[Noir]

and nor are you.

[Abbey Marie]

and nor are you.

If no one knows, then we must take people at their word when they claim to be Christian, no?

[Abbey Marie]

And as for the story about the Muslim American, I would hope that anyone, including Colin Powell, would form their core beliefs on more than one anecdotal, albeit tragic, story.

[LiberalNation]

We are a secular nation, a consumer nation, but a christian nation, that's a stretch.

Nations considered muslim enforce muslim values and the religion on all the people, we do not.

[Sitarro]

Great, one Muslim out of a Billion does the right thing and is killed by other Muslims........ glory to ALLLLLLA.:cool:

[manu1959]

We are a secular nation, a consumer nation, but a christian nation, that's a stretch.

Nations considered muslim enforce muslim values and the religion on all the people, we do not.

if 75% of a population consider themselves christian the nation is christian....

the government is secular and does not force religion upon the people of the nation.....

that is the difference between a christian nation and muslim governed nation....

[manu1959]

and nor are you.

but i am not the one passing judgement on people ... you are...

if they say they are christian....who am i to say they are not.....

[Noir]

Well if only more Reps followed your example, how many have called obama a none christain?

[theHawk]

and we're still not a christian nation.

Yes we are a Christian nation. That doesn't mean we're a christian theocracy.

[manu1959]

Well if only more Reps followed your example, how many have called obama a none christain?

i would guess the same number of people that call mccain bush......

[manu1959]

Yes we are a Christian nation. That doesn't mean we're a christian theocracy.

the left will never understand or accept that simple fact.....

[Abbey Marie]

the left will never understand or accept that simple fact.....

They are Christianphobic

[manu1959]

They are Christianphobic

it would seem they simply want to be able to indulge themselves however they see fit with no consequences accountability or responsibility....

[Abbey Marie]

it would seem they simply want to be able to indulge themselves however they see fit with no consequences accountability or responsibility....

That sounds distrubingly like the gay community.

[manu1959]

That sounds distrubingly like the gay community.

our the pro abortion crowd.....or the social welfare crowd.....blah blah blah....

[Noir]

it would seem they simply want to be able to indulge themselves however they see fit with no consequences accountability or responsibility....

A most puzzlng comment, , how exactly should the gay comunitty be accountable?

[Psychoblues]

It is just freakin' amazin' to me how so many of you have confused and attempted to convolute the simple and very American observation that our military, like our population, is comprised of members of hundreds of religious faiths. Having lost an American Muslim in the War on Terror is just as remorseful as having lost an American Christian one or even an American Atheist one. Some of you nuts need to get a freakin' grip!!!!!!!!!!!!

:salute::cheers2::clap::laugh2::cheers2::salute:

[Trigg]

It is just freakin' amazin' to me how so many of you have confused and attempted to convolute the simple and very American observation that our military, like our population, is comprised of members of hundreds of religious faiths. Having lost an American Muslim in the War on Terror is just as remorseful as having lost an American Christian one or even an American Atheist one. Some of you nuts need to get a freakin' grip!!!!!!!!!!!!

:

No one disagrees that America or our military is made up of people of different religions. No one has said anything about not feeling remorse for this mans death. You need to get a grip, then maybe you will begin to comprehend what others are typing.

[Psychoblues]

I think you are the one with the reading comprehension problems, Trigg.




No one disagrees that America or our military is made up of people of different religions. No one has said anything about not feeling remorse for this mans death. You need to get a grip, then maybe you will begin to comprehend what others are typing.

Have you not been reading this tripe or are you simply focused on what I write?

:salute::cheers2::clap::laugh2::cheers2::salute:

[Trigg]

I simply read what is written, I don't have your whiskey glasses problem when it comes to comprehension.

How about you try to find a post that denies that the US population has different religions????

[Psychoblues]

There are thousands of posts all over this board that denigrate all kinds of religions and Muslim in particular.



I simply read what is written, I don't have your whiskey glasses problem when it comes to comprehension.

How about you try to find a post that denies that the US population has different religions????

I guess you just missed them.

:salute::cheers2::clap::laugh2::cheers2::salute:

[Nukeman]

There are thousands of posts all over this board that denigrate all kinds of religions and Muslim in particular.




I guess you just missed them.

:salute::cheers2::clap::laugh2::cheers2::salute:
What the fuck does that have to do with "THIS THREAD" Stick with the thread there big guy and it makes a WHOLE LOT MORE SENSE!!!!!:poke:

[Psychoblues]

CAN YOU YELL JUST A LITTLE LOUDER, DUMBO?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!??!





What the fuck does that have to do with "THIS THREAD" Stick with the thread there big guy and it makes a WHOLE LOT MORE SENSE!!!!!:poke:

YOU'RE NOT MAKING MUCH SENSE FROM WHERE I'M SITTING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


:salute::cheers2::clap::laugh2::cheers2::salute:

[Nukeman]

CAN YOU YELL JUST A LITTLE LOUDER, DUMBO?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!??!






YOU'RE NOT MAKING MUCH SENSE FROM WHERE I'M SITTING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


:salute::cheers2::clap::laugh2::cheers2::salute:HA VE ANOTHER SCHLITZ AND MAYBE YOU CAN MAKE SENSE OF SOMETHING OTHER THAN YOUR OWN RAMBELINGS!!!!THATS AS LOUD AS IT GETS I CAN'T MAKE THE LETTERS ANY BIGGER

[Psychoblues]

Fuck you, nm. You obviously haven't read through this thread and only insist that you know something that hasn't been properly addressed according to only you.

PS. This is NOT a Christian nation and for good reason. Many of our forefathers left their countries of origin to escape religious persecution, indoctrination and insistence of personal compliance with the national religions from which they came. It's real simple and very well documented.

Read the thread, dumbo, and keep your overstated opinions up your ass where they belong.

:salute::cheers2::clap::laugh2::cheers2::salute:

[LiberalNation]

So the messages I'm getting, muslims are good enough to fight and die for this country but not good enough to be participants in it's government.

[Psychoblues]

Or even it's population, LN.



So the messages I'm getting, muslims are good enough to fight and die for this country but not good enough to be participants in it's government.

Sad, ain't it?!?!??!??!?!??!?!?!

:salute::cheers2::clap::laugh2::cheers2::salute:

[Nukeman]

Fuck you, nm. You obviously haven't read through this thread and only insist that you know something that hasn't been properly addressed according to only you.

Yaa...I did read the WHOLE thread have you??? I am commenting on THIS thread and NO others but you go right ahead and bring other threads into this one all you want. It just adds to your inability to FOLLOW the current conversation.



PS. This is NOT a Christian nation and for good reason. Many of our forefathers left their countries of origin to escape religious persecution, indoctrination and insistence of personal compliance with the national religions from which they came. It's real simple and very well documented. I am fully aware of this. It is also stated in our constitution that NO State religion will be established.

No one has said that the GOVERNMENT is "Christian" only that the "country" is predominately Christian and by taking that into consideration we are by default a Christian nation.... Can you follow that SIMPLE logic or are you too drunk still?


Read the thread, dumbo, and keep your overstated opinions up your ass where they belong.This coming from the board drunk who always has a opinion on EVERYTHING (wrong one I might add) Maybe you should heed your own advice and READ THE THREAD and do try to keep on topic of THIS thread!:poke:

[Nukeman]

So the messages I'm getting, muslims are good enough to fight and die for this country but not good enough to be participants in it's government.Where the hell did you pull that out. Our country is made up of MANY different religions that are ALL tolerated and accepted.

It might be a challenge for them at this time to get elected to office. I do believe that there is a Muslim Senator at this time who even took his oath of office on the Koran. Being a tolerant country we do not discriminate against OTHER religions unlike those countries that like to list themselves as "Muslim" or Islamic. Tell me how many Christians are in power in Saudi, Iran, Jordan, Egypt, or Syria.

You are soo quick to point out our perceived failing yet you will give the others a pass. Typical liberal bull shit....

[Psychoblues]

You really don't have a clue, do you, nuker?



Yaa...I did read the WHOLE thread have you??? I am commenting on THIS thread and NO others but you go right ahead and bring other threads into this one all you want. It just adds to your inability to FOLLOW the current conversation.


. I am fully aware of this. It is also stated in our constitution that NO State religion will be established.

No one has said that the GOVERNMENT is "Christian" only that the "country" is predominately Christian and by taking that into consideration we are by default a Christian nation.... Can you follow that SIMPLE logic or are you too drunk still?

This coming from the board drunk who always has a opinion on EVERYTHING (wrong one I might add) Maybe you should heed your own advice and READ THE THREAD and do try to keep on topic of THIS thread!:poke:

Maybe if you read more and thought more about what you're reading?!?!??!?!?!?!??!

:salute::cheers2::clap::laugh2::cheers2::salute:

[Sitarro]

So the messages I'm getting, muslims are good enough to fight and die for this country but not good enough to be participants in it's government.

Screw muslims, they are assholes to women and they believe a child rapist is GOD, who could possibly give a shit about that dimwit belief? They are as bad as those assholes at the Trinity Racist Club in Chicago.

[LiberalNation]

nukeman see above post.

[Kathianne]

and we're still not a christian nation.

No state religion, is that what you mean? However, we are a christian nation:

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/us.html


Religions:
Definition Field Listing
Protestant 51.3%, Roman Catholic 23.9%, Mormon 1.7%, other Christian 1.6%, Jewish 1.7%, Buddhist 0.7%, Muslim 0.6%, other or unspecified 2.5%, unaffiliated 12.1%, none 4% (2007 est.) 76.8 Christian

[Trigg]

nukeman see above post.

That is one persons opinion, are you going to ignore the other posts that acknowledge that Muslims are holding high office in this country?????

[Psychoblues]

That does not make us a christian nation, kat. We supposedly have a Constitutional separation of church and state. Certain very ignorant and short-sighted people want to tear that particular wall down.



76.8 Christian

But, I'll play along for a moment. Do you think christians are holier than other religions and therefore should be shown deference by our government or in particular business, educational and political endeavors or considerations?

:salute::cheers2::clap::laugh2::cheers2::salute: