Pretty much confirms what I said......3600 Muslims served in Iraq and/or Afghanistan....Over a 13 year period of time, (and again, mostly in intelligence or translation)
On Fri, Jan 29, 2016 at 8:21 PM, plainolamerican <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > AdChoices > > Saluting Muslim American Patriots > Apr 10, 2015 | Updated Jun 10, 2015 > Craig Considine Sociologist, Speaker, Writer > > ASSOCIATED PRESS > The so-called "Islamic extremism" spreading across the Middle East has > given new life to American patriotism. A YouGov poll from 2013 shows that > 44 percent of American citizens question the loyalty that Muslims have to > the U.S. The poll showed that older Americans and those who vote Republican > are more likely to view Muslims as "less patriotic" than other religious > groups. > > Despite the prevailing stereotypes of Muslim Americans, Islam has > contributed a great deal to the U.S. In fact, Muslims have played an > integral part in defending the homeland and fighting for the American > government's geopolitical interests. The history of Muslim Americans > serving in the U.S. military challenges the widespread skepticism that > Americans have for those who follow Islam. Muslims are asked by Prophet > Muhammad to "love your country as [patriotism] is part of Islam." The > Qur'an (4:60) calls on Muslims to be obedient to their governments: "O you > who believe, obey God and the Prophet and obey those in authority from > among you." As I discuss in this piece, Muslims have heeded the Prophet's > call for allegiance and shown love for America. > > Muslims served in the U.S. military under the command of General George > Washington, who was Commander in Chief of the Continental Army during the > American War for Independence. Rosters of soldiers serving in Washington's > Army lists names like Bampett Muhammad, who fought for the Virginia Line > between the years 1775 and 1783. Another one of Washington's soldiers, > Yusuf Ben Ali, was a North African Arab who worked as an aide to General > Thomas Sumter of South Carolina. Peter Buckminster, who fought in Boston, > is perhaps Washington's most distinguished Muslim American soldier. > Buckminster fired the gun that killed British Major General John Pitcairn > at the Battle of Bunker Hill. Years after this famous battle, Peter changed > his last name to "Salaam," the Arabic word meaning "peace." Peter Salaam > later reenlisted in the Continental Army to serve in the Battle of Saratoga > and the Battle of Stony Point. If Washington had a problem with Muslims > serving in his Army, he would not have allowed Muhammad, Ali and Salaam to > represent and serve non-Muslim Americans. By giving these Muslims the honor > of serving America, Washington made it clear that a person did not have to > be of a certain religion or have a particular ethnic background to be an > American patriot. > > According to Precious Rasheeda Muhammad, an independent scholar, Muslims > played historic roles during the Civil War, a turning point in American > history. Muhammad's research "lays to rest the false notion that Muslims > made no contributions to our nation's development." Nicholas Said, a Muslim > American soldier born in Africa, served in the Union Army and became a > political and civic activist after the Civil War. Rasheeda notes that Said > "had an intellect so profound that an 1867 Nation article described him as > worthy of at least the position of vice president of the United States." A > Muslim American soldier like Said was following the Qur'an, which calls on > Muslims to defend their communities and respect the law. If he were alive > today, Said would challenge those critics who see Islam and American values > as incompatible > As they had done during the Civil War, Muslim Americans fought and died in > World War II and Vietnam. Over 15,000 Arab Americans, some of whom were > Muslim, fought for the U.S. in North Africa, Europe and Asia during the > second World War. Historian Edward E. Curtis states that at least twelve > Muslim Americans sacrificed their lives during the Vietnam War. Curtis adds > that these Muslim soldiers "held military grades from private first class > to sergeant." These facts highlight that Muslims have been involved in the > preeminent patriotic struggles of America in the 18th, 19th, and 20th > centuries. > > The number of enlisted Muslim Americans in the U.S. military has increased > substantially since these previous wars. According to Department of Defense > figures, more than 3,500 Muslims fought in Afghanistan and Iraq. Some of > the highest ranked members of the U.S. military have commented that Muslims > are a vital component of the American armed forces because of their > linguistic skills and cultural understanding of Muslims living around the > world. > > In 2009, I visited Arlington National Cemetery to pay respect to Muslim > American soldiers who died in Afghanistan and Iraq. One of the tombstones I > stood over was that of Captain Humayun Saqib Muazzam Khan, a Muslim > American of Pakistani descent. Near the grave of Captain Khan is the > tombstone of Ayman Abdelrahman Taha, a Muslim American soldier of Arab > background. Both soldiers were given the Purple Heart, a prestigious > military decoration awarded by the President of the U.S. to soldiers who > have been wounded in battle. The Muslim Americans who have served in the > U.S. military are an important reminder that Americans are not bound by > religion, but by values that extend beyond their ethnic and racial > backgrounds. > > It should not be forgotten that Muslim soldiers have given their lives to > protect America. If more people knew about the history of Muslims who have > served in the U.S. military, perhaps non-Muslim Americans would have more > respect and appreciation for Islam and their fellow Muslim citizens. > Non-Muslims in the U.S. who continue to spread Islamophobia are dishonoring > soldiers who have fought and died for their country. Nothing could be more > unpatriotic than that. > > The time is ripe to educate people on the patriotism of Muslim Americans. > Let us hope that America moves beyond the question of whether a Muslim can > be a loyal citizen. The facts speak for themselves. Muslims have been -- > and continue to be -- true Americans. > > -- > -- > Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. > For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum > > * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ > * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. > * Read the latest breaking news, and more. > > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "PoliticalForum" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > -- -- Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ * It's active and moderated. 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