An Arab State Denounces Terrorism

On July 3, Egyptian Ambassador to Iraq Ihab al-Sherif went missing. Of course, the worst was feared. On Friday July 8, Cairo confirmed that Sherif had indeed been killed by -- if they won't say the word I will -- TERRORISTS. Not just any TERRORIST, but Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

BBC reports...

The insurgent group Al-Qaida in Iraq said Thursday that it had killed Egypt's ambassador-designate in Iraq, Ihab al-Sherif, five days after gunmen seized him on a street in a diplomatic quarter in western Baghdad where he had driven alone to buy a local newspaper.

Cairo's first action was to recall mission staff.

"We're taking this step basically to protect mission staff," Ahmed Aboul Gheit told journalists in Cairo.

"We're taking steps to protect the mission staff???" That's fine. In fact, that is to be expected. It was the rest of the statement that we're all waiting for. How about, "We, as Muslims, are sick and tired of you TERRORIST pieces of human debris making the rest of us look horrible." Maybe, "We, as Muslims, are sick and tired of having to take time out of our busy days to explain to westerners -- not just Americans -- that not all followers of Islam are looking to blow up something or decapitate someone."

You, as Muslims, have been silent.

Terribly silent.

Perhaps you fear a Salman Rushdie-like fatwa. Or, perhaps we, as westerners, don't understand your silence. Whatever the reason, the time has come to stand up and shout that you do not support you condemn the cowardly acts of Zarqawi and his ilk.

Shortly after Cairo confirmed the murder of Sherif, the U.N. Security Council denounced the act. Great. Perhaps the World Bank can give me an answer on my home loan re-fi.

Syria strongly denounced on Friday the killing of the Egyptian ambassador to Iraq yesterday saying its is a "horrible criminal action." An official source at the foreign ministry announced that the Syrian Arab Republic "is strongly condemning the horrible criminal action that claimed the life of the Arab Republic of Egypt ambassador in Iraq Mr. Ihab al-Sharif."

Close, we are getting close. C'mon, say it.

"While Syria is expressing her sincerest consolation to the government and people of sisterly Egypt and to the late family and colleagues; she renews her rejection and denunciation of all terrorist actions wherever they occurred," the foreign ministry source said.

Finally. It has been said. Why it took this long I will never know.

Open Post Thanks to The Mudville Gazette.