Religion of Peace

The Iranian president is more damning of Islam than Pope Benedict XVI. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said to NBC: "People in important positions should be careful about what they say. What he said may give an excuse to another group to start a war."

In other words, if Muslims take offence at your words, they may kill you. The Iranian president knows that Islam is spread by force. Violence and threats of violence are standard fare. Or as the offending quote from the 14th Century put it: "Show me just what Muhammad brought that was new and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached."

But Ahmadinejad is wrong when he says: "I think that he [the Pope] actually takes back his statement and there is no problem." Actually, when you check the Pope's words, he did not apologise for anything he said. He was sorry for the reaction! Ahmadinejad and other's have an interest in portraying the Pope as having backed down. But the Pope didn't retract a single word.

Meanwhile the Muslims continue to strengthen their foothold in Britain. The Home Secretary (who is a senior government minister with cabinet responsibilities covering policing and immigration) John Reid is now unwelcome in parts of London.

While addressing a Muslim audience, he was berated: "How dare you come to a Muslim area...?" Well, I'll tell you what it takes for the Home Secretary to visit a Muslim area of east London... The meeting location was kept secret for security reasons, and the audience was hand-picked by government officials. Even that didn't stop the open threats of: "John Reid you will pay!" as protesters were bundled out. (Quite a contrast to another story emerging today that Winston Churchill's phone number was listed in the public phone book while he was Chancellor of the Exchequer.)

So who will be the next government minister to tell us again that Islam is a religion of peace?