'If they nuke US, We should nuke their Holy Sites' - [Politics]
Submitted by scienott on 7/21/2005 1:35:42 PM
Colorado congressman Tom Tancredo told a radio show host that the U.S. could "take out" Islamic holy sites if Muslim fundamentalist terrorists attacked the country with nuclear weapons. He made his remarks Friday on WFLA-AM.
Talk show host Pat Campbell asked the Littleton Republican how the country should respond if terrorists struck several U.S. cities with nuclear weapons.
"Well, what if you said something like — if this happens in the United States, and we determine that it is the result of extremist, fundamentalist Muslims, you know, you could take out their holy sites," Tancredo answered.
"You're talking about bombing Mecca," Campbell said.
"Yeah," Tancredo responded.
The congressman later said he was "just throwing out some ideas" and that an "ultimate threat" might have to be met with an "ultimate response."
Spokesman Will Adams said the four-term congressman doesn't support threatening holy Islamic sites but that Tancredo was grappling with the hypothetical situation of an attack deadlier than 9/11. "We have an enemy with no uniform, no state, who looks like you and me and only emerges right before an attack. How do we go after someone like that?"
"What is near and dear to them? They're willing to sacrifice everything in this world for the next one. What is the pressure point that would deter them from their murderous impulses?" he said.
Mohammad Noorzai, coordinator of the Colorado Muslim Council and a native of Afghanistan, said Tancredo's remarks were radical and unrepresentative but that people in Tancredo's position need to watch their words when it comes to sacred religious sites and texts.
Seriously, what is wrong with people.
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